Recently, I purchased a MacBook Air as my personal computer. As a software engineer, and since this laptop will help me advance my knowledge, I am going to document the process. My current needs revolve around PHP and JavaScript.
Getting Started
After you enter the language, region, timezone, Apple ID and all these stuff, you should update macOS to get the latest security updates and patches.
Install Useful Apps
First thing I do, is to install the browsers. I recently switched to Firefox from Google Chrome but, of course as a software engineer, you need all the browsers (for testing purposes). That’s why I installed Firefox, Chrome, Safari (preinstalled) and Opera.
Command Line Tools & iTerm2
Mac comes with the default Terminal, but iTerm2 is essential for a much better terminal experience (split panes, custom color schemes, and fast search).
Before diving into shell customizations, you need to install Xcode Command Line Tools. Open Terminal (or iTerm2) and run:
xcode-select --installZsh & Oh My Zsh
macOS uses Zsh as its default shell. To make it infinitely more usable with custom themes, auto-suggestions, and tab completion, install Oh My Zsh:
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"Once installed, you can configure your ~/.zshrc file to add your favorite plugins like git, zsh-autosuggestions, and zsh-syntax-highlighting.
Homebrew & Package Management
Homebrew is the missing package manager for macOS. You’ll use it to install command-line utilities, applications, and dependencies down the line.
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"After the installation finishes, make sure to add Homebrew to your PATH as instructed in the terminal output.
Git
Although macOS comes with Git pre-installed via Xcode tools, it’s best practice to install the latest version via Brew and configure your global settings:
brew install git
# Configure global git options
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"Docker & Container Management
Docker
Since modern PHP and JavaScript development heavily relies on containerized environments (running MySQL, Redis, PostgreSQL, or local Node.js servers without bloating your Mac system files), having Docker set up is essential.
Herdr
While Docker runs in the background, keeping track of running containers, logs, and environments from the CLI can get tedious. That’s where Herdr comes in.
Herdr
While Docker runs in the background, keeping track of running containers, logs, and environments from the CLI can get tedious. That’s where Herdr comes in.
Herdr provides a clean, native desktop GUI to manage your containerized setup. I use it alongside Claude to monitor and visualize multiple autonomous agents working in real time, giving me quick access to container statuses, live logs, and background environments without burning through heavy system resources.
Code Editors & AI Tools
PHPStorm
For heavy PHP, Laravel, and full-stack JavaScript work, PHPStorm is the heavy hitter. It offers deep code completion, database tools, built-in testing, and refactoring features out of the box.
- Download PHPStorm and sync your settings/keymaps.
- Enable the command-line launcher so you can open projects straight from iTerm2 using
phpstorm ..
Google Antigravity
For AI-assisted workflows and autonomous coding agents, Google Antigravity is installed as the agent-first platform. Built for multi-agent workflows and complex automation, it allows delegation of background tasks while working alongside traditional editors.
Design & Knowledge Management
Sketch
As a developer, having a design tool installed is crucial for inspecting UI mocks, exporting assets, and checking padding or typography specs before translating them into frontend code. Sketch is the native macOS standard for this.
Obsidian
For personal knowledge management, documentation, and daily engineering notes, Obsidian is my tool of choice. Because it stores everything in plain Markdown files locally, it stays fast, future-proof, and fits right into a developer workflow.
Summary Checklist
Here is a quick overview of the setup:
| Category | Tools Installed |
|---|---|
| Browsers | Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera |
| Terminal & Shell | iTerm2, Zsh, Oh My Zsh, Git |
| Containerization | Docker, Herdr |
| IDEs & AI | PHPStorm, Google Antigravity |
| Design & Notes | Sketch, Obsidian |