What Fits My Brain (and What Didn’t)

I've tried a lot of tools over the years, not because I was chasing trends, but because I was learning how I think. I wanted to see what helped me build faster and what made me stop to think about the tool instead of the work. Turns out there's a difference between "this is the future of development" and "this actually helps me ship things."

After building enough apps, I noticed the tools that lasted are the ones that keep out of my way. They don't try to be clever. They help me stay in flow, think clearly, and get real results.

How I Think

I like structure that’s easy to read and name. I like seeing results instantly. I don’t like magic or hidden layers. Everything should sit close to the code, design, data, movement, flow. If I can do it without leaving the environment I’m already in, even better.

What I Tried and Why It Didn’t Stick

Svelte Feels like learning a whole new way to say something I already know. I get why people like it, but it didn't match how I think about building apps. Sometimes "less boilerplate" just means "different boilerplate."

Vite Fast, yeah. But dev-server speed isn’t my problem. I already get that inside Next.js. Adding more setup doesn’t make the work better.

Figma Good for team visuals, but slow for solo building. Designing in the browser is faster. Tailwind gives me instant feedback. I don’t need to plan boxes before I draw them.

Backend languages (PHP, Ruby) I used to love PHP. It was my first real language. But once I could build APIs and server-rendered pages in Next.js, I didn’t need the extra layer.

Overbuilt workflows Linting stacks, commit rules, and build scripts, all good until they break focus. Nothing kills productivity like spending 20 minutes fixing a linter that's supposed to save you time. I keep what helps, nothing more.

What Fits My Brain

Next.js (React) One system for pages, APIs, and rendering. It matches how I think about structure and flow.

Tailwind + design tokens + components Visual speed, predictable structure. I can think in layers instead of pixels.

Python When JS hits a limit, I pull in Python. It’s flexible and direct.

Framer Motion + CSS animations Framer for expression, CSS for speed. I use both depending on the goal.

AI agents Useful when I need to offload repetitive work or think through something complex. I use them when it makes sense, not every day.

Prisma Still around. It’s convenient, but not essential. I could live without it.

Scripts and aliases Small shortcuts that protect attention. The kind of stuff that adds up over time.

One editor I know well The less I think about my setup, the more I build.

Why It Works

My stack works because it fits how I think. Clear naming. Fast feedback. No hidden magic. Everything connects without layers in between.

The goal isn't minimalism or cleverness. It's focus. If something slows that down, it doesn't last.

I don't need more tools. I need tools that think the way I do. The tech industry will keep releasing new frameworks every six months and claiming each one is revolutionary. I'll be over here actually building things with the tools that already work.