Kickstarting a New Mac

Recently, I purchased a new MacBook Air. Since this is the second time that I set up a new Mac, I would like to share some useful, essential apps and tips.

Replace Spotlight

The very first thing to do is to install Raycast, which is more powerful than the built-in Spotlight search. It not only allows me to launch apps more quickly, but also handles my clipboard history, emoji and symbols, and facilitates quick calculations.

Currency converter.

Date and time calculator.

Unit converter.

Emoji and symbols picker.

Chrome’s Time

Safari is definitely not a good browser. Its late support for new web features and infrequent updates are annoying for cutting-edge web development. Therefore, Chrome is essential for a web developer. (Although it is the binge eater of RAM.)

Homebrew

Homebrew helps you install software packages easier. With Homebrew, in order to install an app, all you have to do is to search for your desired “Formulae” or “Cask” in Homebrew Formulae and run a single command. Once you start using it, you won’t be able to leave it .

Menubar Related

Ice collapse your menubar icons. Hot monitors your Mac’s temperature.

Terminal

Ghostty is an feature-rich terminal emulator. Here is my configuration:

background-opacity = 0.8
background-blur-radius = 50
window-height = 22
window-width = 74
theme = flexoki-dark
foreground = #dcdfe4
selection-background = #474e5d
selection-foreground = #dcdfe4
cursor-color = #a3b3cc
cursor-text = #dcdfe4
cursor-style = bar
palette = 0=#282c34
palette = 1=#e06c75
palette = 2=#98c379
palette = 3=#e5c07b
palette = 4=#61afef
palette = 5=#c678dd
palette = 6=#56b6c2
palette = 7=#dcdfe4
palette = 8=#282c34
palette = 9=#e06c75
palette = 10=#98c379
palette = 11=#e5c07b
palette = 12=#61afef
palette = 13=#c678dd
palette = 14=#56b6c2
palette = 15=#dcdfe4
window-step-resize = true

I use Starship as my terminal prompt. I didn’t customize it because it has a brilliant default configuration.

When everything in terminal is done, try Fastfetch, it’s showtime!

Quality of Life

AltTab

If you’re from Windows, you will need AltTab. It enables you to use Option + Tab, just like Alt + Tab on Windows.

Keka

Keka, perhaps the last archiver you’ll need, works with a wide range of formats and can be the replacement of the system archiver.

Wrapping Up

Here are all the apps introduced, in one picture: