In the spring of 2025, I gave up on Linux, sold one of my two Dell workstations, and replaced it with a Mac Studio. Having used an iMac back in 2009 for app development, the return to Apple’s ecosystem has, once again, paid off. Since I handle most of my programming and web design on GhostBSD, I’ve configured the Mac primarily for LMStudio and audio production, where it excels.
Affinity Suite
I initially purchased Affinity Photo for Windows and was pleasantly surprised when Serif offered me a smooth upgrade path to the full Affinity Suite when I bought a Mac earlier this year. It’s refreshing to see a company that values customers by providing flexible upgrades and subscription-free pricing. The Photo 2, Designer 2 and Publisher 2 apps are powerful, intuitive, and professional. All in all, Serif’s approach and software quality have earned my respect and loyalty.
Brave
I use Safari for web design but prefer Brave for casual browsing due to its robust ad and tracker blocking right out of the box. It feels fast, secure, and private without needing extensions or complex tweaks. In addition, I turn off most settings to enjoy a smooth, uncluttered experience. Brave quietly protects my privacy and speeds up browsing, making it an excellent daily driver for everyday internet use.
LMStudio
LMStudio is my preferred app for running local large language models (LLMs) like qwen3-coder 30B and others. It’s intuitive, lightweight, and supports a server mode that allows me to integrate Morpheus FastAPI for local text-to-speech (TTS) tasks alongside general AI workflows. LMStudio makes it easy to experiment with cutting-edge models without relying on cloud services, a perfect fit for my Mac Studio.
LocalWP
Over the years, I’ve used dozens of apps but few have impressed me as much as LocalWP. Whoever conceived and built this gem deserves serious credit. Running a local mirror of WordPress sites is an absolute breeze. Just install LocalWP, spin up as many sites as you need, and you’re ready to develop, test, and experiment without touching a live server. For local WordPress development, there’s simply nothing better.
Pixelmator Pro
The only good thing about Pixelmator Pro is that I was able to install it for free. Apple remembered my original purchase from nearly 15 years ago when I used an iMac for development. While it took some time to get used to, and I occasionally needed AI assistance for basic tasks like cropping, it does have standout features. My favorite is the background removal tool, which works impressively well. That said, for most editing tasks, I still prefer using GIMP.
UTM
On Linux, I relied on virt-manager for virtualization, so I was amazed to discover UTM on macOS. It runs ARM64 versions of Ubuntu and Debian with impressive speed and stability. What really stands out is how easy it is to set up a bridged network, making VM integration seamless. UTM has become my go-to solution for virtual machines on the Mac, simple, fast, and stable.
VsCodium
VsCodium is my go-to code editor for development work. I appreciate its clean interface and extensive extension ecosystem. Whether I’m writing scripts, debugging, or managing projects, VsCodium delivers a smooth and efficient coding experience on macOS.