Mark Jaquith

The tinkering and curation must go on. Here are the tools, software, and habits that I’m thinking about in 2024.

Web Frameworks

My rubric for web frameworks is:

• Content-based: Astro
• Low backend complexity: SvelteKit
• High backend complexity: Laravel

Astro

Astro remains the best static site generator tool. This team is absolutely cookie. More and more they’re moving into dynamic rendering as well. I continue to love that I can mix and match components from different frontend frameworks. Like Svelte, drop in a Svelte component. React, Vue, Solid? Whatever. Astro doesn’t care. It isolates them into “islands” and lets you decide whether they should just produce pre-rendered HTML, or be fully interactive.

SvelteKit

SvelteKit remain unbeaten as a web framework for low-to-medium complexity sites and apps. Svelte continues to make React seem outdated and clunky, and Svelte 5 is a lovely maturing of the software. SvelteKit has so many nice things built in — routing, static rendering, server-rendering, streaming responses, support for the edge. It feels modern and fun.

Laravel

Laravel is hands down the most capable “batteries included” web framework. Think of something… there is probably a first party, second party, or widely accepted third party solution for it, with amazing documentation and features. PHP remains a deeply weird language, but Laravel is on fire (and things are about to really accelerate there).

GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is still in use, although I’m starting to condider alternatives.

Mac Studio

My Mac Studio (M1 Max, 64GB RAM) still cranking. The later M chips are nice, but I think this machine is going to serve me for a good long while.

Tailwind CSS

Tailwind CSS is still the go-to way to write CSS. I would bet a lot of money that it will still be dominant in five years. The approach feels right, and scales well. And the Tailwind team is growing and working hard to solidify the Tailwind tooling.

Bouldering

I used to do indoor rock climbing more before COVID-19, but fell away. A bouldering gym opened closer to me recently, and I’ve been going a few times a week and having a blast. Rock climbing is a full body workout, but it’s also mentally stimulating. The vibe at every rock gym I’ve ever been to has been one of fraternity and support. Strangers will cheer your wins, and collaborate with you on how to improve on your failures. We’ve become so isolated, but rock gyms are places where you can find instant community.

TypeScript

TypeScript has been around a decade, but wow has it hit its stride. It is the best way to write JavaScript with type safety. There is an incredible community behind it, as well as the financial might of Microsoft. If you write JavaScript and haven’t gone all-in on TypeScript, now is the time. At first it feels like more work, but it saves you so much time. Along the way, you’ll learn ways in which you were making bad JavaScript assumptions, and you’ll start writing more defensive and resilient code.

Yoga

Practicing yoga is one of the few things that can completely get me out of my own head. Physically challenging, and spiritually cleansing, it has kept me grounded in times of stress. There are all types of classes available. Hot, power, flow, yin (stretchy), self-directed, tailored for pregnancy, etc. There is something really powerful about connecting with your body and breathing on a deep level.

ChatGPT

It’s not a fad. Large language models can produce compelling assistive experiences. I’m using ChatGPT daily to help me refactor code, explain a concept I’m struggling with, proof-read things I write, and more. Writing prompts is a skill; if you hone it, you can magnify your productivity a lot.

Linux Tech Tips Screwdriver

Years in the making, and worth the wait. This screwdriver from the fanatical perfectionists at Linus Tech Tips punches way above its price class. The gnurling is perfect. The ratchet is feather-light. You can store a ton of half-length bits in the handle (but also normal size ones). Customize your load-out, and get a screwdriver you don’t hate.

Philips SHP9500 Headphones

These headphones (affiliate link) are only $75 US. They sound like $600 headphones, and are incredibly light and comfortable. I cannot speak highly enough about these. They don’t touch my ears, and because they are so light, they can have low clamp force. I can wear these for hours and not get fatigue. They can be driven without an amp (but I have them going through an old Schiit Magni 3). Do note that these are “open” headphones, which means that sound will bleed out. They are not appropriate for a shared work environment. But if you have your own office, they’re great. The window that shows you the headband adjustment setting is a nice touch, making it easy to get a perfectly centered and reproducible fit.

Let me know what things are improving your life and share them with the world!