Recommendations you can check.
Full-stack Laravel developer based in Madison, Wisconsin; maintains open-source Laravel, Livewire and Alpine.js packages and writes at randallwilk.dev.
30 things
PHPStormSoftware JetBrains
PhpStorm is still my IDE of choice. I've tried many others in the past including Visual Studio Code, Sublime, or Atom, but I keep coming back to PhpStorm. Here's a screenshot of my editor setup:
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Laravel HerdSoftware Laravel
Using Herd for local development is a no-brainer. In my experience it's made it much easier to manage my sites and local php and node versions, plus it runs each site much faster.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
RaySoftware Spatie
Ray is an excellent debugging tool I like to use from the amazing Spatie.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
HeloSoftware Beyond Code
For email testing, I love using Helo.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
16-inch MacBook Pro M4 MaxHardware Apple
Overall, I'm loving the M4 Max so far, and I've noticed that it does handle certain tasks such as running Pest PHP tests about twice as fast sometimes as the M1 Pro did, which is nice.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Sanodesk 72x30 Standing DeskHardware Sanodesk
Another part of my recent office upgrade was the Sanodesk 72x30 Standing Desk. Overall, I love this desk so far. The bamboo top looks and feels great, and I have plenty of room on the desk to set it up how I want to. Being able to raise it to a standing position is also nice too when I get sick of sitting.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
NuPhy Halo IO Series 96 KeyboardHardware NuPhy
I decided to give NuPhy keyboards a try, and I'm glad I did. This keyboard has become my favorite one to use.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Logitech MX Master 4 MouseHardware Logitech
Even when not docked, I still prefer an external mouse for most operations. I really love the Logitech MX Master 4 mouse. For me, it feels great to hold, and it also provides support for some macOS gestures like swiping up for mission control.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Apple Watch Series 10Hardware Apple
I never was much of a watch person until I bought my Apple Watch Series 10. Now I feel naked if I leave home without wearing it.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
RaycastSoftware Raycast
I've never liked Spotlight on macOS, and previously I used Alfred as a replacement. However, now I've discovered Raycast. Raycast is my primary mode of navigating through macOS, as I've bound the keyboard shortcut to
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
1PasswordSoftware AgileBits
If you're not using a password manager, you're doing it wrong. I prefer to use 1Password. I honestly don't think I could live without 1Password. Having access to all my vaults across all my devices is also a plus.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
ShottrSoftware Mikhail Sannikov
Shottr makes manipulating screenshots a lot easier and nicer than the default screenshot functionality provided by macOS. My favorite feature from it is the ability to easily blur out text in my screenshots.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Laravel ForgeService Laravel
Laravel Forge is an amazing service offered by the Laravel team to provision and manage servers. I use it for both my personal and work related servers.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Laravel IdeaSoftware
Since I mostly work on Laravel projects or packages, I usually enable the Laravel Idea plugin. It's a paid plugin, but it's definitely worth the money since it can provide stuff like auto-completions for route names, request fields and more.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Pest PluginSoftware
Pest Plugin. It makes Pest a first class citizen in the IDE, and as another perk, it's completely free.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
TablePlusSoftware TablePlus
In the past, I've used DataGrip from JetBrains to manage my databases. Now, I prefer to use TablePlus, as it is much simpler to use.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
TransmitSoftware Panic
Sometimes to connect to S3, FTP and SFTP servers, I like to use Transmit.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
CalDigit TS5 Plus DockHardware CalDigit
When I purchased this dock it cost me $500, so it was not cheap! It has been well worth the cost though, giving me plenty of ports to use and even allowing me to charge accessories without having my MacBook plugged into it.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Dell S2725DS 27-Inch MonitorHardware Dell
I've been upgrading my home office setup, and these monitors have been part of that upgrade. So far I'm very happy with the picture and color quality of the monitors, and the pricing really wasn't too bad either. Here's the
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 Light BarHardware BenQ
Using these BenQ light bars allows me to better illuminate my desk at night without having to keep my overhead lights on. What I really like about this light bar is that it can be configured to automatically turn off when I leave the desk.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
HUANUO Dual Monitor StandHardware HUANUO
I prefer using monitor arms over the default stand that most monitors come with, and at the end of 2022 I switched to the HUANUO Dual Monitor Stand. It's a single mount with two monitor arms, and it holds the monitors in place nicely. Each arm is flexible in where I can position them.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
UniFi UNAS Pro 8Hardware Ubiquiti
I've been wanting to get a NAS for a while now, so I decided to go all-in and get the UNAS Pro 8 from UniFi. The initial cost was a lot but for me it's been well worth the investment.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Spark Mail AppSoftware Readdle
On both my MacBook and iPhone, I prefer to use the Spark Mail App for handling my emails.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
BlipSoftware
While Airdrop works very well between Apple devices, it can be kind of annoying to transfer files between either my Mac or iPhone and my Windows PC when I need to. The Blip app helps bridge that gap and is free and easy to use. I've actually started using it more often between my Apple devices as well than I use Airdrop now.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
HetznerService Hetzner
For some projects I've started to use Hetzner for vps hosting. I've found you can get more powerful servers for a cheaper cost than with providers like DigitalOcean.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Laravel ShiftService Laravel Shift
I've only used Laravel Shift a few times, but each time I did it saved a lot of time upgrading my Laravel projects.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
FlareService Spatie
To track exceptions in production, I've found Flare to be very helpful.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
YubiKey 5C NFCHardware Yubico
For websites and services that support Webauthn authentication, I use a YubiKey 5C NFC security key. This particular key is nice because it works with both my MacBook and my iPhone without having to use any adapters. I highly recommend purchasing at least one of these to use a form of two-factor authentication for websites that support it.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
WarpSoftware Warp
My preferred terminal to use is warp.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
BackblazeService Backblaze
In addition to time machine backups, I also use Backblaze as an offsite backup.
His /uses page, "My current setup", a walkthrough of his development tools, hardware and software; the page is stamped Last Updated: June 15, 2026 and discloses that it may contain affiliate links.
2026-06-15·randallwilk.dev ↗
Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.
The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.
A dashed affiliate link, sponsored or their own label means the post disclosed a relationship. It is shown, never hidden.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.
What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:
Stripes mean the post carries no date and the date shown is an estimate. No date at all, no shading.