Toolbox

This is a list of things that I use. It's mostly for helping me remember and find things, but I'm happy if you get something out of it too. It's not exhaustive, representative, or prescriptive.

• Programming Languages
• Text Editors
• Development Tools
• Writing and Publishing Tools
• Self-Host(ed|ing) Tools
• Miscellaneous Tools
• Fonts

Programming Languages 🔗

Python is what I work with most and know the best. I like the following tools to help with Python code:

• Poetry
• Pylance
• Black
• flake8
• The Python Launcher for Unix

Other languages that I like and will reach for in particular situations are:

• Rust
• Elixir
• Elm
• Clojure
• C#
• TypeScript (especially with Deno)

Text Editors 🔗

• Visual Studio Code is my general purpose text editor for most coding and writing. As well as whatever language plugins are appropriate, I like these extensions:

  • Insert Unicode
  • Spell Right
  • Graphviz
  • SandDance
  • GitLens
  • Remote - SSH and Remote - Containers
  • Rewrap
  • Vale, especially for writing things like technical documentation that should be maximally accessible.

  Some useful, non-obvious language plugins:

  • Pylance
  • rust-analyzer

• I use Vim for quick edits on hosts where I don't spend much time but I appreciate Neovim's out-of-the-box features enough that I install it anywhere I'll be doing regular work (e.g. in devcontainers).

• Emacs used to be my main text editor, but now I mostly use it for Org Mode, Magit, reading/searching code, and writing some kinds of prose.

Development Tools 🔗

• tokei for counting code
• RipGrep for searching through files
• fd for searching for files
• dust for measuring file sizes
• tychus for restarting web apps
• ncat/netcat for low level network debugging
• Rhiz for running tasks
• cdown for setting timers
• PowerShell Core
• WinMerge
• sqlite3 for examining sqlite databases
• tmux
• Starship for a useful shell prompt
• YADM for managing dotfiles and portable config
• Magic Wormhole for when I can't use SCP
• Bat, the cat clone with wings
• pre-commit for managing pre-commit hooks

Writing and Publishing Tools 🔗

• mdBook
• Pdoc3 for documenting Python code
• GraphViz, especially via VS Code
• Piskel for drawing pixel sprites
• Boxy SVG for editing simple vector graphics

Self-Host(ed|ing) Tools 🔗

I have a Digital Ocean VPS (referral link) and an old laptop set up on a Tailscale network for self-hosting this website and a few other services. It runs Caddy and:

• A Tiddly Wiki
• Shiori (bookmark manager)
• A Pastebin
• A music player
• A Matrix server
• A quotes database and todo-item tracker that I wrote myself.

Miscellaneous Tools 🔗

• Balena Etcher, create bootable SD cards
• UNetbootin, create bootable USB sticks
• RegExr, regular expression authoring and analysis tool
• 7-Zip, file archives
• ncdu, n-curses disk utility
• htop
• sanddance, painless ad-hoc data visualisation
• Beets, music manager
• Rclone, manage files on cloud storage

Fonts 🔗

These are the fonts that I like to use for editing and typesetting code.

• PT Mono
• Fira Code

These are fonts that I like for rendering other kinds of text:

• Fira
• Inter
• Charter