Best Mac Apps For Code

admin 10.08.2020

May 27, 2020 There is a rich library of the best Mac apps to compare to the best Windows apps.That’s especially true now that we have access to key iOs apps that. Jan 07, 2020 Atom is another fantastic, free text and code editor for the Mac. This one is not available in the Mac App Store, but is highly rated among programmers. It has a built-in package manager with wide support for a number of different packages. It integrates with HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Node.js and allows programmers to code across platforms.

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Which Mac should I buy to learn coding and programming?

Learning how to code is a great idea: programming and coding is an increasingly important skill to acquire. And coding and programming are increasingly part of the school curriculum, so it's something to consider when buying a Mac for your family - which Mac would be best as a machine on which to learn coding?

The first thing we'll say is this: get a Mac over all other kinds of computer. Trust us on this. If you want to learn to code, you want to buy a Mac. Read our guide: Why programmers think Macs are best for coding.

We have lots of guides to learning to code, and you can discover a lot by reading our Complete guide to coding & programming on Mac article.

Best Mac for coding: Power requirements

The good news is that you don't need a powerful, expensive Mac to learn programming.

Many newcomers think that because programming is an advanced part of computing, they need an advanced computer. Actually, the opposite is true. Programming enables you to work closely with the hardware of a computer, and as a novice you're unlikely to place any demands on it.

Advanced app developers may have bigger requirements. See our Best Mac for app development feature if you already know how to program, and are looking to develop apps professionally.

But newcomers don't need a high-end Mac. Learning to code is much less demanding than using software developed by professionals. Compared to other activities, like video editing or playing video games, coding is an absolute featherweight when it comes to hardware demands.

In fact, the activity you do around coding, such as watching video clips on training sites and using interactive websites like Codecademy, are all going to be more demanding than coding itself.

Coding doesn't have heavy data requirements either. Apple's Xcode developer environment takes up a hefty 10GB of storage space, but that aside the programs you write will tend to be quite small.

So you don't need speed, and you don't need storage. What do you need to learn coding on a Mac?

Read next: Macmini vsMacBookAir: Which is thebestcheapMac?

Best Mac for coding and programming: Types of Mac

Apple currently offers six different types of Mac (three laptops, three desktops):

MacBook
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Mac mini
iMac
Mac Pro

You can learn to code on any of these machines, but each one offers different advantages. The first question is whether you want to learn coding on a desktop or laptop.

Both are valid choices. Coding requires focus and concentration, so working on a desktop in a quiet room is a good idea. But you can do that just as well on a laptop, and still take your Mac with you when you need to work on the move.

Laptops are more expensive than desktops. The cheapest desktop (the Mac mini) starts at £399 while the cheapest MacBook is the MacBook Air (£749).

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Best Mac for coding and programming: Best laptop for learning to code

The new MacBook is a stylish machine, and its Retina display is gorgeous. But it is expensive and small.

The MacBook Air is a more cost-effective choice, offering a little more power for less money. We use a MacBook Air 11-inch to code, and it runs just fine. The additional screen estate on the 13-inch model is a good investment, though.

The MacBook Pro 15-inch is the best choice. The extra screen estate makes it easier to view two or more windows at the same time. This is handy for learning as you'll often have a text editor, or IDE (Integrated Developer Environment) open alongside a web browser or PDF document displaying a tutorial.

We are currently waiting for Apple to announce a new MacBook Pro range though, and expect the new model to have a flash interactive LED function bar. So right now is not a good time to buy a MacBook Pro, if you can hold out until after October 2016 you'll have much better options all around.

Best Mac for coding and programming: Best desktop for learning to code

One thing developers have in common, is that they all value large screens (and having lots of screen estate). You'll often find developers using two, or three screens at the same time.

With this in mind we're going to rule out the Mac Pro. It's expensive for what it offers anyway, but for a beginner learning to code the Mac Pro is a vast expensive and absolute overkill.

That leaves you choosing between a Mac mini and iMac. There's a big price difference between the two, and if you have a spare monitor, keyboard and mouse we see no problem with the entry-level Mac mini for learning to code.

If you want to other tasks, like run design software or play games then it's better to upgrade to the mid-range Mac mini model. It has a much faster processor.

If you don't have any of the parts required for a Mac mini, then it's better to get an iMac. Buy the entry-level 21-inch or 27-inch Retina display is our advice. The larger screen is gorgeous and well worth the money.

Best Mac for coding and programming: Conclusion

You can learn to code on any Mac, so the best Mac you can afford is the one to get. But don't feel pressured to buy the latest Mac. In fact, you can pick up a pretty good deal on the refurb store. We've been seeing entry-level Mac mini computers for £339 lately, which is a great entry point for newcomers.

If we had to pick any Mac to learn to code with, it'd be the iMac with 27-inch Retina display. The huge screen estate makes it easy to run many programs at once. It has all the power you need and is a joy to behold.

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For many of us, lists are necessary when it comes to getting things done. We end up with so many tasks during the day, it's hard to remember every single thing that needs to be done unless it's laid out in an organized list or project in front of us. This is especially true for those of us who are in front of our Macs all day long, so here are the best to-do apps for Mac to help you stay on task.

Things

Things is my personal favorite of the bunch. While it appears simple, it actually has a lot of powerful features but is still super intuitive and easy to use, even for non-power-users.

For one, you can easily capture new tasks into Things from anywhere, no matter what app you're in, thanks to the Quick Entry feature. I also love the fact that you can create 'Goals' and add projects into them, and you can see your progress from there. And when creating tasks, it's easy to add notes, make it recurring, assign a due date or deadline, add tags for organization and searching, create nested checklists, and flag priority items.

I've been using Things for a few years now, and it's my go-to app when it comes to staying on top of everything. This is especially true when you integrate your calendars into Things as well, so you get everything in your schedule at once.

OmniFocus 3

Best Mac Apps For College Students

If you want even more powerful features than Things, then you should look at the opposite side of the coin: OmniFocus 3.

OmniFocus 3 follows in the more traditional GTD (Get Things Done) format, which can take some time to learn and understand fully. But once you get the hang of it, OmniFocus 3 becomes incredibly powerful. There are a ton of ways for you to organize your tasks, such as location, project, context, priorities, people, and much more. There are now enhanced repeating tasks, so you can set things up like 'on the first weekday of each month.' OmniFocus 3 also supports attachments (graphics, video, audio), making it even more invaluable to those who need these things for their tasks.

OmniFocus 3 is free to download and try for 2-weeks. If you want to get the Standard version, it will be $50. There's also a Pro version that costs $100, though you can get it for $50 if you upgrade from Standard.

Todoist

Todoist is another great service to check out, and it's especially useful for those who like automation and insights.

With Todoist, you'll get your basic task management features, including a way to quickly add a task with a natural language parser. But the real magic with Todoist lies behind all of the app integrations, including IFTTT, Slack, Zapier, Amazon Alexa, and more. There are more than 60 of them to go through, so there are a ton of possibilities with what you can do with Todoist.

While Todoist is free to use forever, you can also upgrade to Premium for things like long-term goals and planning. But if you don't need the extras, then the free version should be fine.

Microsoft To-Do

Since Microsoft bought Wunderlist a while back, they've been using that to help develop their own task management software called Microsoft To-Do. And it just recently became available on the Mac.

With Microsoft To-Do, managing your tasks has never been easier. You can create as many lists as needed, and assign them all a color for easy recognition. All of your lists will become available on any device, as long as you sign in to your account. Your tasks can be broken down into more manageable steps if needed, and there is support for files and notes.

A unique feature is the 'suggested tasks,' which may help you remember things you'll otherwise forget. It's personalized just for you and is designed to help you stay focused. Microsoft To-Do also syncs with Outlook, giving you a seamless experience. And if you need to share your lists with friends, family, or coworkers, it's no problem!

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2Do

If you like the idea of GTD, but don't want to be over-intimidated by software like OmniFocus, then you should give 2Do a try. It's like OmniFocus, but much easier to pick up and use.

One of the best features of 2Do is the ability to create simple tasks, checklists, or even projects with sub-tasks. Every task item in these can have notes, attachments, and even multiple alarms (sometimes we need that extra push). 2Do also not just does lists, but there are smart lists, which utilize filters and custom views. There is tag support to make organization a breeze, as well as a ton more features.

I used 2Do (along with everything else here) a while ago and must say that it's definitely one of the more underrated to-do apps out there.

Any.do

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If sharing is a big priority for you when it comes to task management, then Any.do should be on the top of your list.

Any.do features a clean and smart design that is easy for anyone to pick up the app and start using it without fuss or hassles. You can share lists or even tasks themselves with others, such as your spouse, a family member, friend, or coworker. Any changes are pushed immediately, so you work together in real-time. The cloud syncing is fast and seamless, and there's also support for subtasks, attachments, notes, and more. Any.do can capture and do it all!

Best Mac Apps For Learning Code

Any.do is free to download and use, but there are more features in the Premium subscription. This includes unlimited access to moments, themes, files, and collaboration for $3 a month or $27 a year.

Your favorite?

These are some of the best to-do apps we found on the Mac App Store. What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

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Apple Sanlitun, Apple's newest store in China, is opening today

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Apple has announced that its newest retail store, Apple Sanlitun in Bejing, is opening to customers in the area later today.