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Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

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131–140 of 532 posts

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#131

Remap the Caps lock button to escape.

I just disable it:

``` #!/bin/sh

# Disable capslock setxkbmap -option caps:none

# Better repeat rates # Previously set in lxdm.conf (arg=/usr/bin/X -ardelay 175 -arinterval 20 xset r rate 150 75 ```

I've added another hack in there that I absolutely love for free (:

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#132
I have such a simple setup but it's not for everyone. It also fails miserably if I'm working in an environment where I can't do almost everything I need to do from the command-line.

1) VIM with almost no special .vimrc

2) gnu screen (10 screens initialized via .screenrc)

- hotkeys Ctrl-Left (prev), Ctrl-Right (next)

- I tweak my $PS1 prompt so it will display which $WINDOW I'm on.

3) Not a tool, but a tip. Maintain a TODO list. I just open a text file and put some simple separators between projects I'm working simultaneously. But I go out of my way to ensure it's got everything I'm going to "DO". If I think of something, even if I'm not sure if I'll actually want to do it, I don't rely on my memory for ANY of it. If I'm not going to do it immediately I put it on my TODO list.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#134

I can't say enough good things about a multiple clipboard manager. Not only is it useful to copy/paste multiple items in sequence, but it's a game changer to be able to quickly retrieve a code snippet, or URL, or CLI command you used recently; and/or, to trivially stash one just in case you'll want it later. (Primary downside: using a computer without multiple clipboards feels broken. What do you mean it "forgot" the…

Windows 10's builtin clipboard history (Win+V) is one of the best things they've added tbh

(it's opt-in, in case anyone's wondering...)

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#135

Learn to touch-type properly. I'm not a shit hot typist or anything, but it does make hours on a keyboard more pleasant. And (hate me) I do judge other devs on it. If someone can't be bothered to invest a few tens of hours on such a key productivity enhancement then what does that say?

Since public schools closed, I've had my 3 kids (11, 8, and 8) practice typing 30 minutes every day. Easily one of my best parenting decisions ever. :)

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#136

I can't say enough good things about a multiple clipboard manager. Not only is it useful to copy/paste multiple items in sequence, but it's a game changer to be able to quickly retrieve a code snippet, or URL, or CLI command you used recently; and/or, to trivially stash one just in case you'll want it later. (Primary downside: using a computer without multiple clipboards feels broken. What do you mean it "forgot" the…

The searchable clipboard history in alfred app set to three months has been a complete game changer for me.

Pushing things that I may or may not need at some point into the clipboard has become subconcious. The type to search is a dream and can even be used without really looking.

I have no need for any actice code snippet managment/notes since anything that matters stays in the three month buffer.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#137

1. Learn how to touch type so you never again look down. 2. Learn emacs. 3. Learn how to use emacs in a tight code and test loop. Now you are invincible.

> 3. Learn how to use emacs in a tight code and test loop.

Came here to say this. Having a build delay for an average incremental change (edit a single file / compilation unit) be less than 2 seconds is extremely important for my productivity. Whenever I happen to do mobile development (this goes for both Xcode and Android Studio), having to wait 5+ seconds for the app to launch makes me lose focus.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#138

I can't say enough good things about a multiple clipboard manager. Not only is it useful to copy/paste multiple items in sequence, but it's a game changer to be able to quickly retrieve a code snippet, or URL, or CLI command you used recently; and/or, to trivially stash one just in case you'll want it later. (Primary downside: using a computer without multiple clipboards feels broken. What do you mean it "forgot" the…

Definitely agree. I've used a clipboard manager for years now, and I can't imagine going back. I always miss it when I'm not on my machine.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#139
I love continuous feedback.

I set up automation in my development to run quick tools like code formatting, linting, and unit tests together.

I'll use tmux to split my terminal into an editor window on the right, and on the left, I'll have a tool like watchman or entr watching for changes to my code, and running those tools e.g.

    find . -name "*py" | entr make continuous
I also have some conventions about my tmux windows. Window 0 is where my music client lives in pane 0, and usually I'll run things like homebrew updates in other panes there.

I have a tmux keybinding that sends the "Next song" key to window zero pane zero. No matter where else I am in that terminal session, that keybinding skips to the next song.

I have another pair of tmux keys that activate/deactivate a particular openconnect vpn connection in a new pane, with a pause so i can see it complete, then it goes away. Part of my tmux status line is a single character - a C or a D, that indicates that vpn connection status as connected or disconnected.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite developer-efficiency tips?

#140
I just started at Stripe last year, and I found myself perform many mechanical tasks like:

* Converting seconds-from-epoch to a human readable date

* Select an id and pull info about it

At first, I tried to perform these mechanical tasks with some crazy shortcuts. But remembering shortcuts for every little flow is heavy.

Eventually, I've built a programmable tooltip on Mac OS X for these mechanical tasks.

I'd love for you to try it!

https://github.com/tanin47/tip

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