I often get questions about my setup and the software I use. Most of the time, it’s something like, “How do I make my desktop look cool like yours?” So, here’s a page detailing everything I use daily.
My motivation behind choosing my operating system and software is to maximize efficiency and work seamlessly. I aim to use my computer “at the speed of thought,” which is why I prefer minimal yet powerful tools. This setup works best for me, but it may not be for everyone.
Software
For my operating system, I use Arch Linux (btw). It’s the only Linux distribution that truly gets out of my way and lets me focus on my work. While the initial learning curve can be steep, it’s minimal, customizable, and absolutely worth the investment.
Hyprland is my window manager—basically, “how I make my desktop look cool.” A tiling window manager is essential for my workflow, and Hyprland, being Wayland-based, provides smooth animations along with efficiency. Previously, I’ve used other setups, but Hyprland fits my needs best.
Waybar serves as my status bar at the top.
For my terminal, I use foot because of its speed, customization, and support for images in Wayland. My shell is Zsh, enhanced with plugins for syntax highlighting and auto-completion, making it even more productive.
I use Thorium as my web browser. It’s Chromium-based, offering great speed and efficiency while avoiding the telemetry and bloat of other browsers. It’s my go-to for everything web-related.
For browser extensions, I keep things minimal:
- uBlock Origin to block ads and trackers.
- Vimium for vim-like keybindings.
Applications
I use Neovim for all of my coding. Vim notoriously has a steep learning curve, but as with most things, I think the payoff is worth it.
VSCodium is my secondary code editor for when I want to show my code to other, they shocked when they see my setup :( . It’s essentially VS Code but without Microsoft’s telemetry, making it a great open-source alternative.
For file management in the terminal, I use Yazi. It’s fast, highly customizable, and supports image previews, making navigation much smoother.
For note-taking, I use Obsidian. I haven’t been using it for very long, and I’m still exploring its features, but so far, it’s been great for organizing knowledge efficiently.
For reading books, I use Foliate, which provides a clean and distraction-free experience.
For Telegram, I prefer 64gram, as it’s lightweight and efficient.
For office work, I use WPS Office, which offers great compatibility with Microsoft Office formats.
For email, I use Thunderbird. While it has its quirks, it’s still the best email client available on Linux.
For an application launcher, I use Tofi. I previously used Rofi, but I had some issues with it on Wayland. Tofi is simpler, highly customizable, and works flawlessly. I also use it as a power menu.
Theme
- I use the Tokyo Night and Catppuccin color scheme for just about everything.
- For my terminal font, I use JetBrains Mono. Of course, I also use Nerd Font icons.