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Code by Pawpu

Uses

Tools I rely on to design and ship software

The hardware and software I use day to day as a senior software engineer. Setup changes over time; this page reflects what I currently rely on for product work, system design, and writing.

Laptop

  • Primary laptop

    Windows development machine suited for full-stack work across Node.js, Java, and browser tooling. Used for daily coding, reviews, and local AWS-oriented workflows.

Monitor

  • External display

    Single ultrawide or dual-monitor layout for code + docs/API references side by side. Prioritizes readable density over decorative setups.

Keyboard & Mouse

  • Mechanical keyboard

    Tactile switches for long coding sessions with low fatigue.

  • Ergonomic mouse

    Reliable pointing device for design reviews and long debugging sessions.

Editor

  • Cursor

    Primary IDE for context-aware editing, refactoring, and AI-assisted debugging inside real codebases.

  • VS Code

    Fallback editor for lightweight edits and environments where Cursor is unavailable.

Extensions

  • ESLint + Prettier

    Consistent formatting and linting across TypeScript and JavaScript projects.

  • GitLens / Git tooling

    History and blame context during reviews and incident investigation.

  • Error Lens

    Inline diagnostics to catch issues before commit.

Terminal

  • Windows Terminal + PowerShell

    Primary shell for git, Node tooling, and local services.

  • Git CLI

    Branching, rebases when needed, and PR preparation from the terminal.

Theme

  • Dark theme

    Low-glare dark UI for long sessions. Prefer high-contrast text over heavy glow aesthetics.

Desk setup

  • Focused desk

    Clean desk with laptop, external display, keyboard, and notebook for system design sketches. Minimal clutter keeps context switching low.

Software

  • Claude

    Architecture exploration, tradeoff analysis, and long-form technical writing support.

  • GitHub

    Source control, code review, and project tracking.

  • Figma (as needed)

    Reading design specs and collaborating with design partners.

  • Postman / HTTP clients

    API exploration and contract verification.

  • AWS Console + CLI

    Serverless debugging, queue inspection, and deployment verification.