This blog entry contains a list of applications and instructions how to install them for setting up a Mac as a development machine. Some applications need to be installed manually, for the rest I recommend using Homebrew - a package manager for Mac OS X. If you plan to start with a fresh Mac OS X install, follow the instructions on Apple Support.

Setting up brew

Open a terminal and install the Command Line Tools for Xcode that are needed for the Homebrew installation 

xcode-select --install

Install Homebrew:

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

Disable Analytics that are sent to Google:

brew analytics off

To extend the amount of available packages (especially GUI applications), also install homebrew-cask:

brew tap caskroom/cask

Check if the system setup is correct:

brew doctor

Now you are ready to install all other applications using a simple command on the shell. Brew also takes care of updating them.

Update existing applications

Replace the installed applications by newer versions:

brew install bash ctags git openssh python

Communication

Skype 

brew cask install skype

Programming

Go Golang programming language 

brew install go

Graphviz Graph Visualization Software useful for Golangs profiling visualization 

brew install graphviz

Mercurial 

brew install mercurial

Node.js and useful apps for it 

brew install nodejs
brew install flow gradle watchman

Android Studio 

brew cask install android-studio

Python 3 

brew install python3
pip2 install virtualenv
pip3 install virtualenv

Visual Studio Code 

brew cask install visual-studio-code
code --install-extension casian.plsql
code --install-extension codezombiech.gitignore
code --install-extension DavidAnson.vscode-markdownlint
code --install-extension hnw.vscode-auto-open-markdown-preview
code --install-extension jebbs.plantuml
code --install-extension joaompinto.asciidoctor-vscode
code --install-extension mitaki28.vscode-clang
code --install-extension ms-python.python
code --install-extension ms-vscode.cpptools
code --install-extension ms-vscode.Go
code --install-extension PeterJausovec.vscode-docker
code --install-extension robertohuertasm.vscode-icons
code --install-extension streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker
code --install-extension wayou.vscode-todo-highlight
code --install-extension xaver.clang-format
code --install-extension yzane.markdown-pdf
code --install-extension zxh404.vscode-proto3

Protocol buffers version 3 protoc compiler 

brew install protobuf

System

fish - User-friendly command line shell 

brew install fish

iTerm 2 - Replacement for the built in Terminal 

brew cask install iterm2

appcleaner - Uninstall unwanted apps 

brew cask install appcleaner

KeePassXC - Password manager 

brew cask install keepassxc

NTFS-3G - Read-Write NTFS Driver 

brew cask install osxfuse
brew tap homebrew/fuse
brew install ntfs-3g

VeraCrypt - disk encryption 

brew cask install veracrypt

Commander One - dual pane file manager as Finder replacement 

brew cask install commander-one

Usability

neovim - modern VIM version 

brew install neovim
pip2 install neovim
pip3 install neovim
brew cask install vimr

Meld - A visual Two- and three-way visual diff and merge tool 

brew cask install meld

f.lux - makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day 

brew cask install flux

KeepingYouAwake - Menu bar utility to prevent your Mac from going into sleep mode 

brew cask install keepingyouawake

htop - an interactive process viewer 

brew install htop

Shortcat - Faster clicking without using the mouse 

brew cask install shortcat

Virtualization

docker - lightweight software container isolation, client 

brew cask install docker
mkdir -p ~/.config/fish/completions
curl -o ~/.config/fish/completions/docker.fish https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/docker/master/contrib/completion/fish/docker.fish

VirtualBox - operating system virtualization 

brew cask install virtualbox

Wine - runs Windows applications on non Windows systems 

brew cask install xquartz
brew install wine winetricks

Network

Google Chrome - My default browser to replace Safari 

brew cask install google-chrome

Firefox 

brew cask install firefox

Command-line tools for network access 

brew install axel curl ncftp nmap wget whois

VPN / Proxy tools 

brew install corkscrew
brew cask install tunnelblick

Syncthing - Decentralized file sync 

brew install syncthing
ln -sfv /usr/local/opt/syncthing/*.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents

dnscrypt - Circumvent DNS blocking of ISPs 

brew cask install dnscrypt

Multimedia

VLC - Multimedia player for videos 

brew cask install vlc

VOX - Slim audio player 

brew cask install vox

XnView MP - Image viewer 

brew cask install xnviewmp

ImageMagick - Image processing 

brew install imagemagick --with-librsvg

RawTherapee - Photo editor 

brew cask install rawtherapee

GIMP - Image editor 

brew cask install gimp

keycastr - keystroke visualizer 

brew cask install keycastr

HandBrake - video converter 

brew cask install handbrake

Office

LibreOffice - Free Office suite 

brew cask install libreoffice

Haroopad - Markdown editor 

brew cask install haroopad

Pandoc - Universal document converter 

brew install pandoc

Ghostscript - PostScript and PDF utilities 

brew install ghostscript

calibre - e-book library management 

brew cask install calibre

Fish shell configuration

Set fish as your default shell:

chsh -s /usr/local/bin/fish

Update fish tab completion data by starting a new Terminal with fish and executing:

fish_update_completions

Install oh-my-fish plugin management: 

curl -L http://get.oh-my.fish | fish

Install plugins based on your preference: 

omf install brew extract tab

Edit the ~/.config/omf/init.fish and adjust to your own needs: 

if status --is-interactive

set -gx fish_greeting ''
set -gx GOPATH ~/gocode
set -gx PATH $PATH $GOPATH/bin

end

Git configuration 

# Ignore file mode differences
git config --global core.fileMode false
# Better cross-platform line ending handling
git config --global core.autocrlf input
# fix go get redirect errors
git config --global http.https://gopkg.in.followRedirects true

Adjust Mac OS X default settings 

# Disable Game Center
launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.gamed.plist
# Avoid creation of .DS_Store files on network volumes
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true
# Disable autocorrect
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false
# Enable dark mode
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleInterfaceStyle Dark; killall Dock
# Ask for password screen lock delay
defaults -currentHost write com.apple.screensaver askForPasswordDelay -int 10
# Allow app installation from any source
sudo spctl --master-disable

Tune system settings 

brew install m-cli
m dock magnification NO
m dock prune
m finder showhiddenfiles YES
m finder showextensions YES
m finder showdesktop YES
sudo m gatekeeper disable
m notification showcenter NO

Remove not needed Applications 

sudo rm -rf /Applications/GarageBand.app
sudo rm -rf /Applications/iMovie.app
sudo rm -rf /Applications/iTunes.app
sudo rm -rf "/Library/Application Support/GarageBand"
sudo rm -rf "/Library/Application Support/Logic"
sudo rm -rf "/Library/Audio/Apple Loops"

Install DejaVu fonts 

wget http://sourceforge.net/projects/dejavu/files/dejavu/2.37/dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.37.tar.bz2
tar -xf dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.37.tar.bz2
cp dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.37/ttf/*.ttf ~/Library/Fonts/
rm -rf dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.37/ dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.37.tar.bz2

iTerm2 theming

Download iTerm2-Color-Schemes and unpack it. Import the unpacked schemes folder it into iTerm Preferences/Profiles/Colors settings. Try different themes or have a look at http://iterm2colorschemes.com/ for a gallery. I prefer the theme Solarized Dark Higher Contrast, which is based on Solarized. You can get the original Solarized theme at http://ethanschoonover.com/solarized/files/solarized.zip

Restore function keys

  • Apple Menu -> System Preferences -> Keyboard
  • Tick “Use All F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys”

Changelog

2018-02-12

  • A lot of updates

2017-02-28

  • VIM replaced by neovim

2017-02-05

  • Visual Studio Code added