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Angela Swift
Angela Swift

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8 Must-Have Software for Programmers on Mac

Here are 8 essential applications that every programmer should consider installing on their new Mac, along with a brief overview of their features.

1. Video Recording and Streaming: OBS Studio

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Features:

  • Allows users to customize their streaming setup by choosing between different capture modes like displaying a virtual webcam or selecting specific windows or areas to stream.
  • Offers a comprehensive yet user-friendly interface for configuring stream settings, allowing granular control over audio, video, and encoding parameters.
  • Enables the creation of an unlimited number of scenes and seamless transitions between them, enhancing the overall streaming experience.

2. Video Player: IINA

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Features:

  • Customizable interface themes for a personalized viewing experience.
  • Adjustable default behaviors and UI elements to suit individual workflows.
  • Control over subtitle loading preferences, giving users the flexibility to choose whether subtitles are loaded automatically.
  • Configurable keybindings for a tailored and efficient video playback control scheme.
  • Fine-grained adjustments for video, audio, and subtitle settings, allowing users to optimize playback quality to their liking.

3. Online Video Downloader: Downie 4

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Features:

  • Downloads online videos from various platforms to local storage for offline viewing.
  • Streamlined downloading process by simply dragging and dropping video links onto the Downie interface or pasting them directly into the application.
  • Automatic video detection and download option presentation upon link input, simplifying the user experience.

4. Development Environment: ServBay

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Features:

  • Comes pre-configured with multiple programming languages, database components, and a wide array of extensions, eliminating the need for manual compilation and setup.
  • Enables the use of unregistered domains and TLDs for local development, complete with free SSL certificates, simplifying the testing process.
  • Provides native support for HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 protocols, as well as the latest PHP 8.4, ensuring compatibility with modern web development practices.
  • Facilitates team collaboration by offering a unified development environment, allowing team members to share work and stay synchronized throughout the development lifecycle.
  • Maintains a clean system footprint by storing all software packages and data within the /Applications/ServBay directory, enabling easy backup, migration, and uninstallation when needed.

5. File Compression: Keka

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Features:

  • File compression and extraction with support for password-protected archives, enhancing data security.

6. Screenshot Tool: CleanShot X

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Features:

  • Versatile screenshot capture modes encompassing full screen, selected area, specific windows, and even menus, catering to diverse capture needs.
  • Provides a comprehensive set of annotation tools for enriching screenshots with text, shapes, highlights, and other visual elements.
  • Supports direct upload of captured screenshots to cloud storage services like iCloud or FTP servers, facilitating convenient cross-device access and sharing.

7. Vector Graphics Editor: Sketch

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Features:

  • Professional-grade, lightweight vector drawing application on par with industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop, well-suited for designing websites, user interfaces, icons, and more.
  • Highly regarded among web and mobile designers, particularly for its intuitive interface and powerful features tailored for mobile app design workflows.

8. 4K Dynamic Wallpaper: Dynamic Wallpaper

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Features:

  • Brings your desktop to life with an extensive library of stunning 4K ultra-high-definition video wallpapers, adding a visually immersive element to the macOS experience.

Top comments (2)

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pengeszikra profile image
Peter Vivo

As macbook pro 13 with touch bar fanatic - shame on decider who is removign that great feature from mac - looks interesting this list. Maybe I am using my mac to development. My priority lit:

I also used few years ago the sketch. I like it and the pricing concept:
Mac-only licence :: Yours to keep, forever

But instead using designer app, I like to write layout in pure html.

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headshopnl profile image
Headshop.nl

Nice!

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