Introduction
After years of experimenting, I have settled on a productivity stack that genuinely makes me faster as a developer in Singapore.
Code Editor: VS Code
My must-have extensions: GitHub Copilot for AI code completion, Error Lens for inline errors, GitLens for git history, Prettier for auto-formatting, and Thunder Client for API testing.
Terminal: Warp + Oh My Zsh
Warp with AI command search plus Oh My Zsh with Powerlevel10k theme. Key plugins: zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-syntax-highlighting, and fzf for fuzzy finding.
AI Assistants: Claude Code + Copilot
The biggest multiplier. Claude Code for complex tasks (refactoring, debugging, tests). GitHub Copilot for inline completion. AI eliminates mechanical coding so you focus on architecture.
Note-Taking: Obsidian
My second brain using Zettelkasten. Every idea gets atomic notes with backlinks. Essential plugins: Dataview, Templater, Excalidraw.
Automation: n8n Self-Hosted
Workflow automation on a $5/month VPS:
- GitHub issue to Slack + Obsidian note
- Daily standup from git commits
- Blog published to social media via Publer
- Server alerts to Telegram
Monitoring: Grafana + Uptime Kuma
Grafana with Prometheus for metrics, Uptime Kuma for uptime. Both self-hosted and open-source. Dashboard shows API response times, error rates, resource usage.
Time Management: Toggl Track
Track every session for self-awareness. Data showed 40% on communication, 35% on coding. Restructured into 3-hour deep work blocks with batched communication.
Philosophy
- Prefer open-source for control
- Automate anything done twice
- Measure everything
- Less is more — every tool adds overhead
Conclusion
Start with your biggest pain point, add one tool at a time, give each two weeks. Automate repetition, measure time, protect deep work, leverage AI.
What is in your stack? Reach out on the contact page.
