SB

Uses

This is the stack I use to build and run products solo. I optimize for speed, low maintenance, and tools that earn back their cost. Not a list of the best tools in general — the smaller set I actually rely on, with notes on where each fits and where it does not.

Last updated: April 2026

Daily Build Stack

  • JetBrains IDEsWebStorm and IntelliJ for primary editing. Stronger refactoring and language intelligence than lighter editors when the codebase needs it.
  • VS CodeFor quick edits and extension testing where a full IDE is overhead.
  • Claude CodeAI coding assistance built into my daily workflow. Useful for scaffolding, debugging dead ends, and first-pass exploration. I treat output as draft material, not finished work.https://claude.ai/code
  • GitHub CopilotFallback AI assistant when Claude token limits are reached. Good enough to keep moving without switching context.https://github.com/features/copilot

Product Infrastructure

  • IONOS VPSDocker host for all self-hosted services. Owning the server makes sense when I know what I am running and want full control without PaaS pricing.
  • CloudflareDNS, CDN, Pages, Workers, Tunnels, and R2 — one vendor covering the full network layer. Fewer moving parts, lower cognitive load.https://cloudflare.com
  • GitHub ActionsCI/CD pipelines — lint, typecheck, test, deploy. Keeps the release path automated and boring, which is the goal.
  • GrafanaFull observability: dashboards, alerts, frontend monitoring, and VPS metrics. The managed cloud tier covers solo-scale without any ops overhead.https://grafana.com
  • DockerContainerization for all services. Makes local and production environments consistent enough to stop being a source of problems.https://docker.com
  • TwingateZero-trust network access to self-hosted services. More granular and manageable than a traditional VPN for solo infrastructure.https://twingate.com

Development Stack

Technology is a tool, not an identity.

  • TypeScriptType safety everywhere. The upfront cost pays back fast when you are the only one reading the code six months later.
  • Node.js / JavaScriptPrimary runtime and language for web and backend work.
  • PythonScripting, automation, and anything that does not need a full project setup.
  • BashServer management, automation scripts, and CI glue.

Tools

  • BitwardenPassword management stops being personal preference when you run domains, APIs, billing, and customer accounts alone. Operational hygiene.https://bitwarden.com
  • NotionFor durable docs and project reference. Too heavy for quick capture, but earns its place once something deserves structure.https://notion.so
  • Git + GitHubVersion control and remote host. No meaningful alternative at this point.https://github.com/boikolabs
  • Google WorkspaceEmail, calendar, and docs. Covers all business communication without needing to self-host any of it.https://workspace.google.com

Hardware

  • MacBook Pro i9Main development machine. Does not get in the way.