My Product Engineer Tech Stack


## The Big idea

This year, my work shifted from "write code" to "orchestrate systems." That means communicating well, taking great notes, and using AI tools to enhance my thinking rather than replace it.


## The Hardware

I work on a 14" M2 MacBook Pro. I'm a big fan of the M-series chips - my M2 hasn't slowed down yet. I prefer portability over screen size since I do a lot of work from kitchen counters and coffee shops.

At my desk, I run dual 27" 4K monitors with the Mac in clamshell mode, plus a Logitech MX Keys keyboard and MX Master 3 mouse - a setup that hasn't changed in years.

I'm also getting more done on my phone than ever - currently a Pixel 10 Pro. I've been eyeing Nothing phones lately; their quirky-meets-minimal design ethos is appealing.

E-paper devices have been in and out of my bag this year. A friend gifted me a Daylight Computer, which I use for reading and notes. I also briefly had a Boox Palma 2 - a _sublime_ phone-sized e-reader I loved until its fragile screen broke. Glad I paid for the extended warranty.

## My Software Stack

The biggest change from last year? My software stack changes regularly now. I've flipped between IDEs, switched note-taking apps, and dabbled with AI tools across the spectrum - from ChatGPT and Gemini, to Copilot and Cursor and Claude Code, to fully-local models via Ollama.

The takeaway: flexibility beats loyalty. Tools are changing fast, and it's worth trying new ones to see what fits.

Here's what I'm _currently_ using:

### Claude Code

[Claude Code](https://claude.com/product/claude-code) lets me stay in the role I'm best at: planner, architect, reviewer, unblocker. I spend less time executing and more time shaping the work. Critically, it doesn't replace my judgment - it multiplies it. [I've been reviewing code for years](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/ai-is-your-intern-not-your-boss), and Claude keeps me reading code and providing active feedback. I'm not writing zero code, but I am writing a lot less.

### MCPs (Model Context Protocol)

MCPs are the quiet unlock. They connect Claude Code to real systems instead of isolated prompts - repos, tickets, docs, logs, all linked. This is what turns AI from a clever assistant into something that can reason alongside you.

### Obsidian

I take [**loads of notes**](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/unlock-productivity-with-networked-note-taking) - meetings, calls, books, friends, articles, you name it. I switched from Logseq to [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/) this year due to an ongoing macOS bug that made Logseq painfully slow. Obsidian is fine, but it suffers from Notion's curse: it's too easy to get distracted perfecting your setup instead of using the tool.

### Raycast

[Raycast](https://www.raycast.com) replaces Spotlight on macOS. It's more than a launcher - I use it for translations (English ↔ Spanish), looking up Tailwind classes, finding Lucide icons, and dozens of other small utilities throughout my day.

### WisprFlow

[WisprFlow](https://ref.wisprflow.ai/mike-bifulco) is a voice-to-text tool that runs locally on your Mac. Talk to your computer and it turns into text. I'm a fan of multimodal input; I spent years on the Google Assistant team waiting for seamless switching between typing and talking. WisprFlow delivers that, and it understands code-speak surprisingly well. Say "users slash mike" and it outputs `users/mike`. I use it constantly now for thoughts while walking, rough designs, notes to myself, and messages to teammates.

### Linear

[Linear](https://linear.app) is still the backbone of planning for my team. It's where our shared understanding of the work plan lives. It's also where we share context with LLMs via MCPs, meaning Claude Code can read and update Linear tickets as work gets done. This helps documentation happen automatically instead of as an afterthought.

### The product stack

The way we build software at [Craftwork](https://craftwork.com) is changing too. We use TypeScript for most of our code now, steadily moving away from Ruby on Rails. The app lives in a monorepo: Next.js, React, TypeScript, OpenAPI, tRPC, and Postgres. We also rely on a handful of third-party tools: PostHog for analytics, Render for hosting, Sentry for errors, Stripe for payments, and Twilio for voice/SMS.

## The secret sauce

This is the year I started viewing my 20+ years of writing code as a replaceable commodity. Thanks to LLMs, the difference between an engineer and a 10x engineer is [no longer code](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/next-great-engineering-skill-is-context-not-code). It's context, collaboration, and communication, with humans and machines alike.

Many devs struggle with this. I share my tools and workflow because I find it helpful when others do the same, but ultimately the tools are worthless without the people. Bring humanity, creativity, and humility to your work. Invest in yourself.


My 2026 Developer Tech Stack


## The Big idea

The right tools don't just save time-they amplify your focus and flow, making it easier to do your best work. This is what I'm using to stay productive in 2025.

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## This is how I get things done

My work as an engineer and founder is split between two main activities:

1. Building products and features
2. Building the systems and processes that allow me to build products and features (I spend more time here each day)

I tend to stick with tools that amplify my productivity, help me get stay organized, and ones which don't get in the way when I'm finding flow state.

The best tools find their way into my workflow without much hassle.

## Princples for choosing tools

While I never consciously set hard rules for choosing the tools I use, I have found some consistent principles of what I look for in a tool:

1. **Simplicity:** I prefer tools that are simple to use and understand. I don't want to spend time learning how to use a tool - I want to spend time getting things done.
2. **Portability:** I prefer tools that are easy to set up and move between devices. This means that cloud sync is a huge plus for me - if my work laptop ever gets launched into the sun, it should be easy to set up a new machine and get back to work.
3. **Reduced key ~man~ tool risk**: Developers are notorious for customizing the hell out of their tools, often to a fault. I don't ever want to feel like I _can't_ get things done on someone else's computer. My team does lots of pair programming - and I never want to feel lost on someone else's machine because without _my dotfiles_.

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## These are the tools I use in 2025

Alright, let's get into it. This is the tech stack I'm using in 2025:

### Hardware

- **Laptop: Macbook Pro 14"** - Up until a few weeks ago, I was using a 14" 2021 M1 Macbook Pro. I recently swapped to a 2023 variant with an M3 chip. These computers have been, without a doubt, the best I've ever used. I've switched between Windows and MacOS over the years - we're in an era where hardware is what makes the difference. These MFs are fast, and the battery life is incredible.

- **Phone: Pixel 9 Pro** - Hot take: I'm not a huge fan of some of the UX on IOS. My Pixel takes _stunning_ photos, and integrates with all the things I love for home, work, and play. Even still, I switch between Android and IOS every few years, because I believe it's helpful to know and understand what both options are like. It's a great way to keep learning and stay informed.

### Tools

- **Note-taking: Logseq** [LogSeq](https://logseq.com/) is a fantastically simple, privacy-first, markdown-based note taking app for building knowledge graphs. I switched to LogSeq last year from RoamResearch, and have been very happy with the experience. If you've tried Notion and haven't quite gotten along with it, I'd recommend giving LogSeq a try.

- **Email: Superhuman** - [Superhuman](https://superhuman.com/ti?utm_medium=body-rec) is a stunningly email client designed with efficiency in mind. It works _with_ my Gmail accounts, and lets me triage, filter, and respond to emails confidently - and without distraction. Their design team has done an incredible job of creating a product that's both beautiful and functional.

- **Swiss-army knife:Raycast** - [Raycast](https://www.raycast.com/) integrates with MacOS as a replacement for Spotlight (the little window that pops up when you hit command + Space on most Macs). It's more than just a launcher - I use it for launching apps, translating english &harr; spanish, checking fligth statuses, and countless other utilities during my workday.

### Devtools

- **IDE: Cursor** - [https://www.cursor.com/] is a fork of VS Code that is highly customized for AI-assisted coding. I have it customized with a set of prompts for each of my projects, and to index docs for libraries I use. While it's not a replacement for _thinking_ - it's like having a _very good_ pair programmer at your side all day. An instant productivity boost.

- **HTTP Client: Bruno** - I started using [Bruno](https://www.usebruno.com/) last year for testing and integrating with APIs. It's similar to Postman, open-source, and includes some really cool features, like a native git integration, so you can share your API specs with your team.

- **Design: Figma** - I've been using Figma for years, and over the past year have started using their layout tools to prototype interfaces as I build (shout out to my pal [Drucial](https://drew-white.dev/) for getting me up to speed on autolayout!). I believe design is a _critical_ skill for any engineer, and right now, Figma is the best tool for the job.

- **Project Management: Linear** - [Linear](https://linear.app/) is _the_ project management tool that we use at Craftwork for keeping our ever-changing backlog in order. It's like Jira, but with all of the garbage ripped out and replaced. If you haven't used it before, give it a try.

..and more. There's _definitely_ more that I use day to day - I'll share a follow-up post soon with details about the stack I use for _building_ products - the frameworks, libraries, and SaaS products I use to build Craftwork, this site, and APIs You Won't Hate.

### Your tools should work as hard as you do.

Superhuman keeps your inbox in check, so you can focus on building. Stay productive in 2025: prioritize, reply, and save 4+ hours a week. Thanks to Superhuman for giving Tiny Improvements readers their [first month free](https://superhuman.com/ti?utm_medium=sponsor-callout&utm_source=mikebifulco-com).

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## What did I miss?

Is your favorite tool missing from the list? Did I miss something that's critical to your workflow? The best way for me to find out is by sharing - slap the reply button and let me know what I'm missing.


My 2025 Developer Tech Stack

Your tools should work as hard as you do.

My 2026 Developer Tech Stack

My 2025 Developer Tech Stack

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