My 2023 New Mac Setup - Githubissues

title: My 2023 New Mac Setup description: I set up a new Mac for work today. Here's everything I use on a Mac for fullstack web development. tags: mac, tech published: true slug: new-mac-setup category: note canonical_url: https://www.swyx.io/new-mac-setup/

I set up my new Macbook Air (13 inch, 2023 M2 16 GB RAM 1TB HD) today. Here's everything I use on a Mac.

Previous versions of this post: from 2018-2020 and another from 2021 and another from 2022. If I update this post in future, these contents will be archived but this URL will remain.

covered in Tomo's Japanese podcast!

Scroll all the way to the bottom for lists and other Mac setup tools from friends!

Immediate first steps

Browser: Download Arc Browser (use my referral link for me to get arc brownie points at no cost to you) (I also use Chrome, mobile Safari and very rarely Edge), set to default.
- create a google meet, share screen, record screen (to get all permissions working so you dont have to restart browser later). can also do this via discord or zoom webapps - just start call share screen and get all the perms working)
Log in to: (this helps with logins for the other services below)
- Twitter
- Github (more setup instructions below)
- Gmail
Install Warp (my new terminal of choice, good for AI generated commands)

Things that take a while to install

Get these going first so they can run in the background

Install ZSH - sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
If M1 mac: /usr/sbin/softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license to install Rosetta2
Install Homebrew - /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" and then

echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> /Users/swyx/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

i have a bunch more stuff in brew list but i'm not sure what i use actively. You can mass install these - dump them in a packages.txt and then brew install $(cat packages.txt)

autoconf    fnm     glib        libtiff     libyaml     openssl@3   ripgrep
bat     fontconfig  go      libuv       little-cms2 pcre2       ruby
brotli      freetype    graphite2   libx11      lz4     pixman      sqlite
ca-certificates fzf     harfbuzz    libxau      lzo     pkg-config  xorgproto
cairo       gdbm        icu4c       libxcb      m4      pnpm        xz
deno        gettext     jpeg-turbo  libxdmcp    mpdecimal   pyenv       yarn
diff-so-fancy   gh      libev       libxext     openjdk     z pipx
docker      giflib      libpng      libxrender  openssl@1.1 readline    zstd

if you run into m1 brew install issues, this stackoverflow answer helped me: arch -x86_64 brew install YOUR_PACKAGE. as of 2023 i had no issues with this with m2/macos ventura
Other things to try:
- entr (rerun commands when files change)
- tig (git log replacement)
- boop
- murder
- running
Fast/Deterministic Alternative to Homebrew - Nix - sh <(curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install) --daemon
- to try in 2023: Nix Flake - recommended by Johannes

Either of these will prompt you to install Apple Command Line Tools - takes 15-25 minutes to download the damn thing so do this first. Don't run them in parallel.

OS/Browser Settings

System Settings:
- Disable Spotlight search for all miscellaneous crap except apps and system preferences
  - including stupid Developer option (make sure to add Xcode.app to /Applications not /user/swyx/Applications)
- Disable Ask Siri
- Turn off autocorrect in Keyboard
- Set to Big cursor for accessibility during presentation
  - some reports of memory leaks when doing this
- Fix trackpad direction: Trackpad -> Scroll & Zoom - Natural off
- Disable dictionary lookup: Trackpad -> Point & Click -> Look up & data detectors off
- (if using windows keyboard) remap alt and cmd keys for ergonomics
Finder settings:
- Settings → advanced -> show filename extensions
  - When performing a search -> Search the Current Folder
- Enable showing dotfiles (just hold Cmd + Shift + . (dot) in a Finder window)
- Show path bar in footer for easier navigation (View -> Show Path Bar)
- Prune the excessive sidebar bookmarks
  - create "Work" folder and pin it
Keyboard:
- remap command+Q to literally anything else - to prevent accidental close-all
- Shortcuts: copy picture of selected area to clipboard -> Cmd+E
- AUDIO KEYBOARD - currently using Wispr AI but SuperWhisper also gets rave reviews.
MacOS Dock:
- Remove everything from the Dock except: Finder, System Preferences and Trash
- Turn Dock Auto Hiding on
  - turn this on for MacOS Menu bar as well
Chrome extensions: (tied to Chrome account)
- Paywall blocker https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/
- See Tweets about any page https://github.com/swyxio/Twitter-Links-beta (my blogpost here)
- Morpheon Dark theme
- Lastpass
- Display Anchors
- React Devtools
- Refined Github
- Code Copy
- Video Speed Controller ← VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
- Palettab
- Privacy Badger
- RescueTime
- uBlock Origin
- Octolinker

My full list of extensions I use are here:

aapocclcgogkmnckokdopfmhonfmgoek : Slides : version 0_10
ahfgeienlihckogmohjhadlkjgocpleb : Web Store : version 0_2
amoldiondpmjdnllknhklocndiibkcoe : Twemex: Sidebar for Twitter : version 0_4_4
aohghmighlieiainnegkcijnfilokake : Docs : version 0_10
apdfllckaahabafndbhieahigkjlhalf : Google Drive : version 14_5
bekmjjakgojplnhahcilegeiklenjbgb : Glow : version 1_0
blpcfgokakmgnkcojhhkbfbldkacnbeo : YouTube : version 4_2_8
bmnlcjabgnpnenekpadlanbbkooimhnj : Honey: Automatic Coupons & Cash Back : version 14_11_0
cfldfgibklhmjhnkfighkbafbkbfcmij : Builder : version 1_0_0
cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm : uBlock Origin : version 1_42_4
ckolcbmkjpjmangdbmnkpjigpkddpogn : Svelte Devtools : version 1_3_0
dkhfpnphbcckigklfkaemnjdmghhcaoh : netlify-browser-extension : version 1_3_0
fcgckldmmjdbpdejkclmfnnnehhocbfp : Google Finance : version 1_3
felcaaldnbdncclmgdcncolpebgiejap : Sheets : version 1_2
fmkadmapgofadopljbjfkapdkoienihi : React Developer Tools : version 4_24_6
fpnmgdkabkmnadcjpehmlllkndpkmiak : Wayback Machine : version 3_1
geancnifhbkbjijfkcjjdnfemppmcjmk : Hacker News : version 3_21_0
gfdkimpbcpahaombhbimeihdjnejgicl : Feedback : version 1_0
ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi : Google Docs Offline : version 1_42_0
gieabiemggnpnminflinemaickipbebg : CSS Scan : version 3_8_1
hbdpomandigafcibbmofojjchbcdagbl : TweetDeck by Twitter : version 3_10
hdokiejnpimakedhajhdlcegeplioahd : LastPass: Free Password Manager : version 4_95_0_3
hjgngigpjehgifcepdhlnnikibmgeflc : Upnext - Save it for later! : version 4_2_0
hlepfoohegkhhmjieoechaddaejaokhf : Refined GitHub : version 22_5_22
kljjoeapehcmaphfcjkmbhkinoaopdnd : HyperWrite : version 2_0_29
kmendfapggjehodndflmmgagdbamhnfd : CryptoTokenExtension : version 0_9_74
liecbddmkiiihnedobmlmillhodjkdmb : Loom – Free Screen Recorder & Screen Capture : version 5_3_2
mhjfbmdgcfjbbpaeojofohoefgiehjai : Chrome PDF Viewer : version 1
mjdepdfccjgcndkmemponafgioodelna : DF Tube (Distraction Free for YouTube™) : version 1_13_504
neajdppkdcdipfabeoofebfddakdcjhd : Google Network Speech : version 1_0
nffaoalbilbmmfgbnbgppjihopabppdk : Video Speed Controller : version 0_7_1
nkeimhogjdpnpccoofpliimaahmaaome : Google Hangouts : version 1_3_18
nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda : Chrome Web Store Payments : version 1_0_0_6
oiaejidbmkiecgbjeifoejpgmdaleoha : Stylebot : version 3_1
pachckjkecffpdphbpmfolblodfkgbhl : vidIQ Vision for YouTube : version 3_73_2
pbgbbbfhjccnnkplhfcmhdcpmcfmpfoi : toast.log : version 2_3
pjkljhegncpnkpknbcohdijeoejaedia : Gmail : version 8_3
poahndpaaanbpbeafbkploiobpiiieko : Display #Anchors : version 1_4

Setup Terminal

Download, install, and set font - Inconsolata for Powerline and Meslo LG M for Powerline
- autosuggestions: git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
- syntax highlighting
- If you encounter warnings, you may need to chmod stuff or warnings show at start of every session
```
$ sudo chmod -R 755 /usr/local/share/zsh
$ sudo chown -R root:staff /usr/local/share/zsh
```
Copy my dotfiles (vimrc, zshrc, .gitignore_global): https://gist.github.com/swyxio/7fa1009e460ecb818d5e6d9ca4616a05
- source ~/.zshrc to load the zshrc
  - Note: good guide to dotfiles here https://dotfiles.github.io/tutorials/ that i have not yet read
  - am trying out https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k
You installed zsh above ZSH, now set up the rest
- git config --global init.defaultBranch main
- git config --global user.name "swyxio"
- agit config --global user.email shawnthe1@gmail.com
- once you have installed diff-so-fancy
  - set git config --global core.pager "diff-so-fancy | less --tabs=4 -RFX" - makes for much nicer git diff
  - You can also diff with this bash function dif() { git diff --color --no-index "$1" "$2" | diff-so-fancy; } or with VSCode code --diff file1.js file2.js.
  - You can also try https://github.com/dandavison/delta
customize the /.oh-my-zsh/themes/agnoster theme from dotfiles
set font for Warp: https://warp.dev/
- only settings I really need to make are setting the font to "Inconsolata for Powerline" - which I downloaded above.

See previous year for my Hyper terminal recommendations.

Set up apps/environments

You should have already installed a bunch of stuff with Homebrew as per above. Below I will list other stuff that you may wish to use:

Github CLI: brew install github/gh/gh
- you need to login to git - if you have 2fa enabled, you cant use your normal github password. try pushing to any random repo and enter in a Personal Access Token for password.
- then run gh auth login
- add GitHub SSH key (not optional)
you should already have pyenv installed from brew. now run pyenv install 3 to get the latest python 3. then git clone https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv-virtualenv.git $(pyenv root)/plugins/pyenv-virtualenv and pyenv global 3 to activate the thing you just installed.
- NEW: the new hotness is uv from Astral. it's a replacement for pip, virtualenv, pyenv, poetry, etc. very new but not a ton of personal experience and intend to try next time. pip install uv, then instead of future pip install use uv pip install, or uv venv instead of virtualenv or python -m venv. much faster and interchangeable with other tools... but still may have minor dependency resolution issues particularly for old projects.
  - pyenv virtualenv needs some zshrc setup, or else get Failed to activate virtualenv. Perhaps pyenv-virtualenv has not been loaded into your shell properly. errors, which i fixed with this.
  - install pytorch: pip3 install torch torchvision
Setup Node.js/NPM using - you should already have fnm (a faster alternative to nvm) from the Homebrew install done above so no separate download needed.
- fnm install 18 to install node
- npm login
- apaprently running arch -x86_64 zsh lets you avoid weird dotenv errors but it didnt work for me (just running npm i on swyxkit)
- then fnm install 16
- npm login
- npm config set loglevel="warn"
- sudo npm install netlify-cli -g then netlify login
- npm i -g sign-bunny fortune-node parrotsay fun little cli utilities to use
- npm i -g undollar for removing $
- npm install -g npm-check-updates for updating deps
- sudo npm install -g trash-cli to add a trash command to so you dont permanently delete files
brew install yarn --ignore-dependencies - yarn note
you may need to work around Mac OS Sierra
brew install z - doesnt work out of the box exactly - see my issue on the rupa/z repo - homebrew changed the default install path of the z.sh script so just make sure you are pointing to the right new path - . /opt/homebrew/etc/profile.d/z.sh in your zshrc
- see HN reviews of rupa/z, as well as some alternatives.
Misc - stuff i used to install and maybe dont need anymore
- pip3 install --user powerline-status
- go to a neutral folder and git clone <https://github.com/powerline/fonts> && cd fonts && ./install.sh
- Anaconda Python distro - be careful they tend to modify your bash prompt without asking

Notes on other stuff we already brew installed

- `brew install java` - you could download [Java Development Kit](https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/javase-jdk8-downloads.html) from Oracle but fuck them for putting it behind signup wall
- `brew install go` you may need to `export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin`

Setup Apps

install smol menubar - my app for chat apps!: https://github.com/smol-ai/menubar
I hate Docker Desktop so i am using "docker" without it
- brew installed https://github.com/abiosoft/colima/ and
- sudo curl -L https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.5.1/docker-compose-darwin-aarch64 -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
- chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
brew install --cask notunes - so that you dont launch itunes/apple music
- VLC: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html
- you also need to reassign the default music player for music files to QuickTime or VLC - the usual way of "Always Open With" never works, you have to do this: Select any MP3 file, Press "Command+i", Change "Open with:" to VLC, Click the "Change All…" button. Tada.
download Audacity - and install ffmpeg for audacity - the instructions are intentionally opaque - just go to https://lame.buanzo.org/#lameosx64bitdl and download and run the pkg - Audacity will detect it from there
Emojis: I used to use https://matthewpalmer.net/rocket/ but now I just use the naive Mac emoji picker (hit Fn key)
Privacy unfucker: Pure Paste from Sindre Sorhus
Password Manager: I use 1password for company and lastpass for personal
Window Manager: https://rectangleapp.com/ (there's mild history w/ spectacle/magnet but they're basically the same thingz. 2024: try https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop open source)
Screenshots: https://shottr.cc/ (shottr does OCR, but you may like a dedicated OCR utility)
Superhuman for Mac and https://mail.superhuman.com
Clipboard Manager: I now just use the one that comes with Alfred since I bought a lifetime upgrade a while ago. has good search and images, and can add snippets.
- To explore: Clipbook
App Quitter: https://swiftquit.com/ (Close Mac Applications Automatically When Their Windows Close)
Loom: https://www.loom.com/desktop
Zoom: https://zoom.us/download
- create a meeting, share screen, record screen
Caffeine (Keep Mac awake for talks): https://intelliscapesolutions.com/apps/caffeine
- maintained version: Amphetamine (thanks Matt Mischuk!)
QuickShade (mac app controlled brightness)
NoTunes - disable itunes/apple music
Stuff I no longer use often but will bring in when i have the need
- Video capture: https://getkap.co/
- (trying it out.. but hasnt stuck yet) Cron Calendar app https://cron.com/download/macos
- Screen recording feature tours: https://www.screen.studio/
- Image editing: to try https://www.pixelmator.com/pro/
- Dual Screen: https://www.duetdisplay.com/
- Gifs: Licecap
- OBS: https://obsproject.com/
- Transcribing: https://www.descript.com/download/mac
- SkyFonts: [https://www.fonts.com/web-fonts/google]
  - Disk Space: Disk Inventory X - you can clean node modules with this bash command or as a cronjob(https://www.fonts.com/web-fonts/google)
Chat: Slack and Discord
Note taking:
- Obsidian and set it up as mentioned in my post on Obsidian as a Second Brain
- Microsoft Todo: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1274495053?mt=8
- SimpleNote: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplenote/id692867256?ls=1&mt=12
- Notion: https://www.notion.so/desktop
  - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/notion-web-clipper/knheggckgoiihginacbkhaalnibhilkk?hl=en
Stretchly: https://hovancik.net/stretchly/
Replay: download
- Old replay download docs https://www.notion.so/Replay-Docs-56758667f53a4d51b7c6fc7a641adb02
App Search/Utils: https://www.alfredapp.com/
- set to Alfred Dark
- airdrop to iphone/ipad
- Cupcake Ipsum

Editor: Download VS Code (I used to use Insiders but the popups are super annoying). use Settings Sync to sync across machines

have to set up powerline fonts "Meslo LG M for Powerline" (download)
auto-close-tag v0.5.6
auto-rename-tag v0.0.15
Bookmarks v9.1.0
code-settings-sync v3.1.2
debugger-for-chrome v4.10.2
es7-react-js-snippets v1.8.7
graphql-for-vscode v1.12.1
mdx v0.1.0
prettier-vscode v1.6.1
python v2018.9.2
python v0.2.3
rainbow-brackets v0.0.6 - this is now deprecated, use the native "editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled": true
shades-of-purple v3.17.0
vscode-graphql v0.1.5
vscode-import-cost v2.9.0
vscode-styled-components v0.0.23
vscode-wakatime v1.2.3
TabNine AI completions
GitHub Copilot
to try: File Utils - recommended by Stolinski
Here's the full list you can run from command line

  code --install-extension ahmadawais.shades-of-purple
  code --install-extension austenc.tailwind-docs
  code --install-extension bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss
  code --install-extension cpylua.language-postcss
  code --install-extension dbaeumer.vscode-eslint
  code --install-extension dsznajder.es7-react-js-snippets
  code --install-extension esbenp.prettier-vscode
  code --install-extension formulahendry.auto-close-tag
  code --install-extension formulahendry.auto-rename-tag
  code --install-extension GitHub.copilot
  code --install-extension golang.go
  code --install-extension hashicorp.terraform
  code --install-extension heybourn.headwind
  code --install-extension kgscott.retreon
  code --install-extension kumar-harsh.graphql-for-vscode
  code --install-extension ms-python.python
  code --install-extension ms-toolsai.jupyter
  code --install-extension ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap
  code --install-extension ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers
  code --install-extension ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers
  code --install-extension msjsdiag.debugger-for-chrome
  code --install-extension NickScialli.svelte-dark
  code --install-extension octref.vetur
  code --install-extension oderwat.indent-rainbow
  code --install-extension redhat.java
  code --install-extension rust-lang.rust
  code --install-extension rust-lang.rust-analyzer
  code --install-extension sdras.night-owl
  code --install-extension silvenon.mdx
  code --install-extension svelte.svelte-vscode
  code --install-extension TabNine.tabnine-vscode
  code --install-extension ThreadHeap.serverless-ide-vscode
  code --install-extension tht13.python
  code --install-extension vadimcn.vscode-lldb
  code --install-extension VisualStudioExptTeam.vscodeintellicode
  code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-java-debug
  code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-java-dependency
  code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-java-pack
  code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-java-test
  code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-maven
  code --install-extension WakaTime.vscode-wakatime
  code --install-extension wix.vscode-import-cost
  code --install-extension zxh404.vscode-proto3

Screenflow 9 download
- considering switching to Davinci Resolve

Other good "new laptop setup" lists:

Christoph Nakazawa's setup: Part 1, Part 2
Robin Wieruch's setup
Mina Markham's automated mac setup
Tania Rascia's setup
Nick Nisi's dotfiles
Mathias Bynens macos defaults
Jamon's MacOS maintenance tips
VMWare Tanzu house script: https://github.com/pivotal/workstation-setup
Vendasta: https://github.com/vendasta/setup-new-computer-script
You can automate dotfiles/homebrew setup with Sheldon Hull's tool
Physical equipment setups from prominent people: https://setups.co/
A decade of dotfiles by Evan Hahn
please send me yours!
- thanks for Daniel Kehoe's mac setup

swyxio / swyxdotio

My 2023 New Mac Setup #478