Complete MacBook setup guide for local development and playground — with essential tools, apps, and configuration commands.

🛠 System Setup Guide for macOS

📦 Prerequisites

Install Xcode Command Line Tools:

xcode-select --install

Install Homebrew (package manager):

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew update && brew doctor

⚙️ Zsh + Powerlevel10k

Install Zsh and plugins:

brew install zsh zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting
chsh -s /bin/zsh

Add to your ~/.zshrc:

source $(brew --prefix)/share/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
source $(brew --prefix)/share/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh

Install Powerlevel10k and fonts:

brew install powerlevel10k
brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font
echo 'source $(brew --prefix)/share/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme' >> ~/.zshrc
p10k configure

💻 Terminal Tools

Tmux

brew install tmux

Create ~/.tmux.conf:

set -g prefix C-a
unbind C-b
set -g mouse on
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1

(Optional TPM plugins):

git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm

Fuzzy Finder Suite

brew install fzf ripgrep fd
$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install

Add to ~/.zshrc:

export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS='--height 40% --layout=reverse --border'

🐳 Docker

Install Docker Desktop and helper tools:

brew install --cask docker
brew install lazydocker
docker compose version

🌱 Git

Install and configure Git:

brew install git lazygit git-extras

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
git config --global color.ui auto

Useful aliases:

git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit

LazyGit (Terminal Git UI)

LazyGit provides a simple terminal UI for Git commands. Launch with:

lazygit

Key bindings:

q - Quit
? - Help/Key bindings
c - Commit
P - Push
p - Pull
space - Stage/unstage files
enter - View file diff
m - Merge
b - Create branch
d - Delete branch

Create config file ~/.config/lazygit/config.yml for customization:

gui:
  showFileTree: true
  showBranchCommitHash: true
  showDivergenceFromBaseBranch: true
git:
  autoFetch: true
  autoRefresh: true

🧪 Languages & Package Managers

Node.js + npm (via nvm)

brew install node nvm
mkdir ~/.nvm
echo 'export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo '[ -s "$(brew --prefix)/opt/nvm/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$(brew --prefix)/opt/nvm/nvm.sh"' >> ~/.zshrc

Python + Conda

brew install python
brew install --cask miniconda
conda init zsh

Common usage:

conda create --name myenv python=3.11
conda activate myenv
conda deactivate

📝 Editors

brew install neovim vim
brew install --cask visual-studio-code

💼 Productivity Apps

brew install --cask rectangle
brew install --cask obsidian
brew install --cask keepassxc
brew install --cask displaylink

✅ Final Steps

source ~/.zshrc
zsh --version
tmux -V
docker --version
fzf --version
git --version