Tools I Like
Here is a list of some tools I use for software development. I am not involved in the development of the software in this list.
Blender
3D modeling software
This is possibly one of the most impressive open-source projects––bar-none. I have never used another 3D modeling software and I haven't encountered a need yet. New features and improved performance updates occurs at a shocking rate.
I love this for all that it has allowed me to explore and create. There is so darn much it can do, I know that it will be software I will grow old with, never knowing all its secrets.
Obsidian
Note-taking software
Top-tier, end-game note-taking platform. Some call it an IDE for notes, which feels appropriate. The non-proprietary Markdown format means that your work will never be locked inside a platform. This architecture alone moved me from Notion, which I had used for many years prior (still use for some old stuff, don't care for their approach to AI implementation atm). The plugin system lets you easily extend the functionality of the platform using a ton of community plugins as well as making it very accessible to build your own. It's as lightweight or complex as you need it to be.
It's my go-to for organizing all long-term knowledge notes, development planning diagrams, organizing the tasks of my day.
JetBrains IDEs
Rider, WebStorm, DataGrip
JetBrains IDEs stand out because of how thoughtfully they’re designed. Every feature feels like it’s there to make the developer’s workflow smoother, most specifically the refactoring tools which have saved me from a ton a mundane manual work. Their suite generally makes me feel more productive than other IDE setups.
I use Rider for Unity and C#, WebStorm for frontend projects, and DataGrip for database work, and each is thoughtfully crafted for its domain. They can be more ram-heavy than other options, but on a modern machine they are fast, stable. Feels like spoiling yourself with a boutique tool.
shottr
OSX screenshot tool
Clean, great UX, and nice polish. This has a 30-day trial. I purchased it at least 4 years ago and haven't given screenshot capture software another thought. The hotkeys out-of-the box work great for me and let me capture screenshots and nicely annotate them at a speed that frequently leaves my coworkers sort of confused.