This year, I’ve been on a mission: use fewer tools, but make each one count. If it doesn’t speed up development, simplify my workflow, or just make coding more enjoyable, it doesn’t make the cut. Here’s what’s made the list in 2025.

TanStack Start

The biggest change for me this year? Moving from Next.js to TanStack Start. I’ve built a bunch of apps—personal and professional—and this framework quickly became my go-to. The developer experience is incredible, type safety is rock-solid, and building apps feels… well, fun again. Honestly, it’s hard not to gush about it.

Biome

I used to juggle ESLint and Prettier. Now, Biome does it all. One tool, less config, fewer headaches. Sometimes, the simplest upgrades are the most satisfying.

Bun

PNPM was great, but Bun has taken over as my default package manager. I’m also using Bun build for bundling before publishing to NPM. The speed is ridiculous, and it fits perfectly with my “fewer, bigger impact tools” philosophy.

Better Auth

With Lucia now deprecated, I needed a replacement. Better Auth turned out to be just as easy to use, with a strong ecosystem and no extra friction. Authentication should be simple—and now it is.

Polar

Stripe is powerful, but sometimes you just want something that works without extra hassle. Polar does that. Easy integration, less headache, more time to focus on what actually matters: building features.

The Takeaway

2025 has been all about refining my workflow. Fewer tools, but each one a game-changer. These five—TanStack Start, Biome, Bun, Better Auth, and Polar—have sped up my development, reduced friction, and reminded me why I love coding in the first place.