This is my personal stack
This is not a list of “the best tools”. It’s just my setup for work, learning, and testing ideas in 2025. It reflects how I like to keep things simple and under my control when it makes sense.
Client Side
On the client side, I keep things mostly Apple-first. It reduces friction and lets me focus on work instead of configuration.
I use macOS and iOS across my devices, with an iPhone as my main mobile device. For email and calendar, I mix Apple’s native apps with Google services. Notes live mainly in Obsidian, with Apple Notes for quick capture. Tasks are handled through Apple Reminders.
For browsing and development, I switch between Safari and Chrome, use Warp as my terminal, and VS Code as my main editor. Passwords and 2FA are handled through Apple Passwords. For LLMs, I regularly use ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude.
Self-Hosted and Cloud
A big part of my personal stack runs on my own infrastructure.
I run multiple containers on virtual machines in Oracle Cloud. Most services are self-hosted, mainly for learning, control, and long-term flexibility. This setup powers things like RSS, bookmarks, automation, monitoring, and various internal tools.
I’ll go deeper into the infrastructure, security, and automation pieces in the next posts. This first part is intentionally high level.
Why This Stack
This stack works for me because it stays boring where it should and flexible where it matters.
I try not to chase new tools unless they clearly help. When something stops being useful, I drop it.
What’s Next
This post is part of a short series. The next parts will cover:
- My personal infrastructure stack (cloud, containers, and observability)
- Productivity and automation stack – notes, tasks, and workflows
- Security and privacy choices
If you’re building your own personal stack, take this as inspiration, not a blueprint. The right stack is the one that quietly supports your life and work.