Tools I Use

Here's the setup I use to build automation tools and run InvisiblePuzzle. Updated November 2025.

Development Tools

Code Editor

  • Visual Studio Code - Fast, extensible, excellent for web development
  • Extensions: ESLint, Prettier, GitLens, Python

Languages & Frameworks

  • JavaScript/TypeScript - For web automation, APIs, and integrations
  • Python - For data processing, scripting, and automation tasks
  • Node.js - Server-side JavaScript runtime
  • Next.js - React framework for web applications
  • React - UI library for building interfaces

Version Control

  • Git - Version control for all projects
  • GitHub - Code hosting and collaboration

API Development & Testing

  • Postman - API testing and documentation
  • curl - Command-line API testing
  • Insomnia - Alternative API client

Database Tools

  • PostgreSQL - Primary database for most projects
  • MongoDB - For document-based data
  • Redis - Caching and session storage
  • DBeaver - Universal database management tool

Automation & Integration Tools

Platforms I Work With

  • Zapier - Quick integrations when custom code isn't needed
  • Make (Integromat) - More complex automation workflows
  • n8n - Self-hosted automation platform

Services & APIs I Integrate

  • Stripe - Payment processing
  • SendGrid - Email delivery
  • Twilio - SMS and communication
  • Airtable - Spreadsheet-database hybrid
  • Google Workspace APIs - Sheets, Docs, Drive, Calendar
  • Microsoft Graph API - Office 365 integration

Hardware

Computer

  • Dell XPS 15 - Primary development machine
  • Intel i7 processor, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
  • Windows 11 with WSL2 for Linux development

Peripherals

  • Logitech MX Master 3 - Wireless mouse
  • Mechanical keyboard - Custom build with Cherry MX switches
  • Dell UltraSharp 27" Monitor - 4K external display
  • Blue Yeti - USB microphone for calls
  • Logitech C920 - Webcam

Other

  • Synology NAS - Local backup and file storage
  • External SSDs - Additional backup storage

Software & Services

Communication

  • Slack - Team and client communication
  • Zoom - Video calls and screen sharing
  • Discord - Community and casual communication

Productivity

  • Notion - Documentation, notes, project planning
  • Obsidian - Personal knowledge management
  • Todoist - Task management
  • RescueTime - Time tracking and productivity insights

Design & Graphics

  • Figma - UI/UX design and prototyping
  • Canva - Quick graphics and social media images
  • GIMP - Image editing (open source alternative to Photoshop)

Browser & Extensions

  • Chrome - Primary browser
  • Firefox Developer Edition - Testing and debugging
  • Extensions: uBlock Origin, JSON Formatter, React DevTools

Hosting & Infrastructure

Web Hosting

  • Vercel - Next.js and static site hosting
  • DigitalOcean - VPS for custom servers
  • Railway - Quick deployments for Node.js apps
  • AWS - S3 for storage, Lambda for serverless functions

Domain & DNS

  • Namecheap - Domain registration
  • Cloudflare - DNS management and CDN

Monitoring & Analytics

  • Google Analytics - Website traffic analysis
  • Sentry - Error tracking and monitoring
  • Uptime Robot - Service uptime monitoring

Learning & Resources

Documentation

  • MDN Web Docs - JavaScript, HTML, CSS reference
  • Stack Overflow - Problem-solving and research
  • GitHub - Learning from open source code

Newsletters & Blogs

  • JavaScript Weekly - JS news and articles
  • Node Weekly - Node.js updates
  • Python Weekly - Python ecosystem news
  • Hacker News - Tech news and discussions

Books I Recommend

  • The Pragmatic Programmer - Software craftsmanship
  • Clean Code by Robert Martin - Writing maintainable code
  • Designing Data-Intensive Applications - Systems architecture
  • Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug - Usability principles

Business Tools

Finance & Legal

  • Wave - Invoicing and accounting (for small businesses)
  • Stripe - Payment processing
  • PayPal - Alternative payment option

Customer Management

  • Calendly - Meeting scheduling
  • Google Workspace - Email, calendar, docs
  • Notion - Client documentation and notes

Marketing

  • Mailchimp - Email newsletters
  • Buffer - Social media scheduling
  • Google Search Console - SEO monitoring

Why These Tools?

I choose tools based on three criteria:

  1. Reliability - They work consistently and don't break unexpectedly
  2. Value - Good price-to-functionality ratio
  3. Flexibility - They integrate well with other tools

I prefer open-source or self-hosted options when they make sense, but I'm pragmatic about using commercial services when they save significant time.

What About AI Tools?

I use AI assistants (like ChatGPT and Claude) for:

  • Quick research and learning
  • Code review and debugging help
  • Documentation writing
  • Brainstorming approaches to problems

But I don't use AI to generate production code wholesale. I review, test, and often rewrite AI-generated code to ensure it meets quality standards.

Questions About My Setup?

If you're curious about specific tools or want recommendations for your own stack, feel free to book a call or email hello@invisiblepuzzle.com.

Note: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I actually use.

Last updated: November 2025