How to Set Up a Mac for Software Development

December 10, 2024 by Saeed Davari

When I started using Mac computers for web development back in 2017, my setup was much different. Over the years, I’ve added tools and tweaked my process to make it more efficient. Here’s my setup for getting a new Mac ready for (mostly web) development.

Install Homebrew

Homebrew is a package manager for macOS. It lets you easily install software and tools you’ll need for development. To install it, open Terminal and run this command:

1/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Before you install anything with Homebrew, you should always make sure it’s up to date:

1brew update

Install Applications

These are the main tools I use for development, communication and productivity:

Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

A code editor with many extensions to make coding easier.

1brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Firefox

A browser that’s great for testing websites, especially with developer-focused add-ons.

1brew install --cask firefox

Google Chrome

Another must-have browser for testing and debugging web applications.

1brew install --cask google-chrome

Docker

For creating and running applications inside lightweight containers, which mimic real server environments.

1brew install --cask docker

Postman

A tool for testing APIs. You can send requests and check responses without writing extra code.

1brew install --cask postman

Postgres

A powerful database system. Install it if your projects require working with databases.

1brew install postgresql

Slack

Used for team communication. It keeps conversations, files, and updates in one place.

1brew install --cask slack

Obsidian

A note-taking app perfect for organizing your ideas and project plans.

1brew install --cask obsidian

Termius

A terminal app for managing SSH connections. It’s helpful when working with remote servers.

1brew install --cask termius

Onyx

Onyx is a free utility that offers a wide range of cleaning and optimization options.

1brew install --cask onyx

AppCleaner

AppCleaner is a lightweight utility that helps remove all app related files when removing and app.

1brew install --cask appcleaner

Configure My Shell

For a better experience, I use Oh My Zsh, a framework for managing the shell.

To install it, run:

1sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Oh My Zsh comes with tons of plugins, the ones I use are zsh-syntax-highlighting and zsh-autosuggestions.

1brew install zsh-syntax-highlighting
2brew install zsh-
3
4echo "source $(brew --prefix)/share/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh" >> ${ZDOTDIR:-$HOME}/.zshrc
5
6echo "source $(brew --prefix)/share/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh" >> ${ZDOTDIR:-$HOME}/.zshrc

Set Up SSH

SSH keys are essential for securely connecting to remote servers and services like GitHub.

Generate SSH Key

Run this command in Terminal:

1ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

Follow the prompts to save your key.

Add Key

Add your SSH key to the agent with this command:

1ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Config File

Create a configuration file to manage your SSH connections.

1touch ~/.ssh/config

Add the following:

1Host *
2  AddKeysToAgent yes
3  UseKeychain yes
4  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
5
6Host host1
7  HostName example.com
8  User user
9  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/key.pem

Now you can connect using the alias:

1ssh host1

Configure Git

Git is essential for version control.

1. Create a global configuration file:

1touch ~/.gitconfig

2. Add these settings to the file:

1[user]  
2    name   = Your Name  
3    email  = your_email@example.com  
4[github]  
5    user   = username  
6[push]  
7    autoSetupRemote = true

Install Node.js

Many development projects require Node.js. I use nvm to install and manage Node.js:

Install nvm:

1curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.5/install.sh | bash

2. Install the latest version of Node.js:

1nvm install node

3. Restart your terminal and run:

1nvm use node

Add-Ons and Extensions

VS Code

Python: For writing and debugging Python code.
GitLens: Makes Git history and changes more visible.
ESLint: Keeps your JavaScript code clean and error-free.
Prettier: Formats your code to make it look consistent.

Firefox

uBlock Origin: Blocks ads and trackers for a cleaner browsing experience.
Wappalyzer: Shows what technologies a website uses.
React Developer Tools: Helps debug React applications in the browser.

Google Chrome

Ghostery: Protects your privacy by blocking trackers.
Wappalyzer: Same as the Firefox version.
React Developer Tools: Same as the Firefox version.

Final Thoughts

These are the tools and steps that have been most useful for me over the years as a developer. I wanted to share them and also document the setup for myself. This list will likely evolve as I discover and use more tools and apps. I hope it helps you create your own perfect setup too!