Every few months, someone asks me what tools I use. I always give the same short list. Not because I haven't tried the alternatives — I have — but because these are the ones that have stayed through every project, every workflow change, and every "I'm switching to X" moment.
Figma
Still the center of the design process. I've tried every competitor. None of them match the combination of speed, collaboration, and component flexibility. The auto-layout system is genuinely good. I use it every day.
Notion
All project notes, client briefs, research, and invoices live here. I've tried dedicated project management tools. They're always either too simple or too heavy. Notion is flexible enough to adapt to how I actually work.
The best tool is the one you use without thinking about it.
Linear
For development work, Linear replaced Trello and everything else I tried. The keyboard shortcuts are excellent. The issue tracking is clean. The GitHub integration works the way you'd want it to.
Arc Browser
This one surprised me. I was skeptical. After two weeks I couldn't go back. The Space system changed how I manage client work. Each client gets a Space; research, references, and staging links stay contained. It's a small thing that makes a big difference.
