7 More Mac Apps to Boost Development Productivity

I wrote a similarly titled article back in 2020 including a list of the main apps I use as a full-time developer. Since that was one of my most popular articles and the list of apps I currently use has changed a bit, I thought it would be helpful to write an updated blog post on this topic. Hope you enjoy!

1) Raycast ⚡

Raycast provides a collection of powerful productivity tools all within an extendable launcher. With its fast and customizable interface, you can search files, run commands, manage apps, and even extend functionality with community-built plugins.

I’ve known about Raycast for a while but was an avid Alfred user for years. I finally made the switch this year and have been happy with the results.

A dark-themed command bar with the input "Buy milk." Below, there are various options including "Create To-Do," "Create Snippet," and "Create AI Command."

🆓 Free | 🌐 Check out Raycast

2) Shottr 📸

Shottr is a lightweight screenshot tool designed specifically for macOS. Packed with features like pixel-perfect zoom, text recognition (OCR), and annotation tools, it’s perfect for developers and designers who need to capture and share ideas quickly.

Promotional graphic for Shottr, a screenshot measurement and annotation app for Mac, featuring a user interface with annotation tools and measurement display.

🆓 Free | 🌐 Check out Shottr

3) RunJS ▶️

RunJS is a fast and efficient tool for prototyping JavaScript and TypeScript. It serves as a playground or scratchpad, allowing you to write and execute code seamlessly. The output of your code is displayed side-by-side with the editor, providing instant feedback.

RunJS allows you to install npm packages, making it a good fit for testing and experimenting with libraries. It also allows you to save and organize snippets into a collection for quick and easy access.

Promotional graphic for RunJS, labeled as "The JavaScript playground for your desktop," featuring a code editor with JavaScript code that generates a tree pattern.

🆓 💰 Freemium | 🌐 Check out RunJS

4) Rectangle 🟦

Rectangle is an open-source, window management tool based on Spectacle (the deprecated window manager I mentioned in my last rendition of this post). Rectangle allows you to move and resize windows using keyboard shortcuts or snap areas. Macs still do not have this feature natively, making this a very handy tool.

Modal displaying a list of keyboard shortcuts for Rectangle

🆓 Free | 🌐 Check out Rectangle

5) Eagle 🦅

Eagle is a versatile digital asset management tool designed to help developers, designers, and creatives stay organized. With features like smart folders, tagging, and powerful search capabilities, it lets you effortlessly manage and categorize images, videos, fonts, and other design resources. Eagle streamlines your workflow, ensuring your inspiration and assets are always at your fingertips.

A collection in Eagle showing various 404 error page designs shown as thumbnails.

💰 Paid | 🌐 Check out Eagle

6) Bruno 🐶

Bruno is a lightweight, open-source, Postman alternative that aims to reinvent the API client. Some of its differentiators includes a native Git integration and offline-only capabilities.

Bruno interface with a sample GET request and corresponding JSON response.

🆓 Free | 🌐 Check out Bruno

P.S. Thunder Client is another alternative if you’re looking for an API client that you can use directly inside VS Code.

7) PixelSnap 2 📏

PixelSnap is a precision measurement tool that makes it effortless to measure anything on your screen. Ideal for developers and designers, it lets you quickly find distances between objects, dimensions of UI elements, or even gaps in layouts. With its smart snapping and intuitive interface, PixelSnap saves time and ensures pixel-perfect accuracy in your work.

A laptop screen displaying a measurement tool with an overlay showing "176x17 px." On the right, there's an icon with measuring tools and the text "Measure anything on your screen."

💰 Paid | 🌐 Check out PixelSnap 2

El Fin 👋🏽

I hope you will find these apps to be a helpful and productive addition to your workflow. Remember to check out my related article, 7 Free Mac Apps to Boost Development Productivity, for a list of other apps that you may want to add to your toolkit.

As always, thank you for reading, and happy coding!

7 More Mac Apps to Boost Development Productivity

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1) Raycast ⚡

2) Shottr 📸

3) RunJS ▶️

4) Rectangle 🟦

5) Eagle 🦅

6) Bruno 🐶

7) PixelSnap 2 📏

El Fin 👋🏽

Command Palette

Comments

Top Lists to Boost Development Productivity

5 Speech-to-Text Apps to Boost Productivity

More from this blog

1) Raycast ⚡

2) Shottr 📸

3) RunJS ▶️

4) Rectangle 🟦

5) Eagle 🦅

6) Bruno 🐶

7) PixelSnap 2 📏

El Fin 👋🏽