Recently I have switched to the M5 Macbook Air and I am loving it. Here are some of the essential apps I keep coming back to whenever I setup new backbook (2026 edition)
I am mainly writing about these so that next time I don’t have hunt around for the apps I need to install.
JetBrains Toolbox and IDEs
I primarily work on Android development, so I use JetBrains Toolbox to manage my IDEs. I have Android Studio for my main development work, and I also use IntelliJ IDEA for Java and Kotlin projects. The toolbox makes it easy to keep all my IDEs up to date and manage different versions.
https://www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/
Visual Studio Code
I’ve been relying more on Visual Studio code because of first party support for GitHub Copilot. I find the copilot integration is much better compared to the JetBrains IDEs.
https://code.visualstudio.com/
Pixelmator Pro
For image editing, I use Pixelmator Pro. It’s a powerful and user-friendly app that was worth paying for.
They were recently acquired by Apple, so I expect it to get even better in the future.
https://www.pixelmator.com/pro/
Affinity Designer
For vector graphics and design work, I use Affinity Designer for quick edits. Inkscape is a free alternative, but I prefer the performance and features of Affinity Designer.
They also have been recently aquired by Canva and made free for everyone.
https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/designer/
Cyberduck
For FTP and cloud storage management, I use Cyberduck. It’s a reliable and easy-to-use app that supports a wide range of protocols.
Fork
For Git GUI, I use Fork. I have been using it close to a decade now and it has been my go-to Git client for both personal and professional projects.
Gifox
Small tool to create GIFs from screen recordings. Super handy for pull request reviews and bug reports.
Kap is a great fee alternative.
Image Optim
For optimizing images/svg, I use ImageOptim. It’s a simple and effective tool that helps reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. It’s also great tool to remove metadata from images for privacy reasons.
OpenMTP
The official Android File Transfer app for macOS is discontinued and has been a source of frustration for many Android users. OpenMTP is a great alternative that offers a much better user experience and supports the latest versions of macOS.
https://openmtp.ganeshrvel.com/
Orb Stack
OrbStack a great alternative to Docker Desktop that is lightweight and easy to use. It also has a nice UI for managing containers and images.
Tailscale
Believe it or not, I recently heard about Tailscale and it has been a game changer for remote access to my home network. It’s a VPN service that allows you to securely connect to your devices from anywhere in the world.
Other CLI tools
- Homebrew: The package manager for macOS that makes it easy to install and manage command-line tools and applications.
- Oh My Zsh: A framework for managing your Zsh configuration that comes with a lot of useful plugins and themes.
- Colipot CLI: A command-line interface for GitHub Copilot that allows you to use Copilot’s AI code suggestions directly in your terminal.