A developer's Mac collects tools quickly: editors, terminals, simulators, build caches, secrets, and a dozen windows. The useful question is not which apps are popular but which ones remove a step you repeat. This guide follows a working day, from writing code to shipping a build, and names the app in the Mac Directory catalog that helps at each step.
Facts about each app come from its catalog page, which reads the Mac App Store listing or the Homebrew cask, and from the maker's own site. Where a site does not give a price or requirement, this guide leaves it out rather than guessing.
Which app helps you write code?
Amp is a coding agent. Its Homebrew cask describes it as a "coding agent and development environment," and its download page offers beta apps for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. The Mac app requires Apple silicon and macOS 26 or later and keeps itself up to date. You can download it from the site or install it with Homebrew, and you sign in with your ampcode.com account. Having the same agent on a phone means you can check a long-running thread away from the desk.
If you want a general assistant that can call tools through MCP rather than a coding agent, see 5ire in the best AI apps for Mac.
Which app inspects binary files?
010 Editor is a hex editor and a text editor in one. Its maker calls it "the ultimate toolkit for working with text and binary data" and says it can edit more than 330 formats. The site offers a free trial and lists version 17.0 as current. The Homebrew cask describes it simply as a text editor.
This is the tool for the day a file will not parse: a corrupt archive, an unknown binary format, or a log with stray bytes. Most developers do not need it daily, but it saves an afternoon when they do.
Which app recovers disk space from Xcode?
Xcode keeps derived data, archives, device support files and simulators, and they add up. DevCleaner for Xcode is built for that cleanup. It is free on the Mac App Store, in the Developer Tools category, needs macOS 14.0, and shipped version 2.8.0 in November 2025.
If you only build for the web, skip it. If you build for Apple platforms, it is one of the few free tools in this guide that pays off the first time you run it.
Which app keeps secrets out of your shell history?
API keys in dotfiles and shell history are a common leak. The 1Password CLI lets scripts and terminals read secrets from 1Password instead. Its Homebrew cask describes it as a command-line interface for 1Password, and its developer documentation covers SSH and Git, SDKs and a section on security for AI. The documentation also announces a Credential Broker that gives CI/CD and other machine workflows short-lived access to secrets without managing service account tokens.
The desktop app, 1Password, is in the catalog too, if you do not already use it.
Which app ships a Mac app outside the App Store?
Amore handles distribution for Mac apps sold or shared outside the App Store. Its site says it covers "code signing, notarization, beautiful DMGs, over-the-air updates, and license sales," with Sparkle for updates. It installs with Homebrew (brew install amore) and has a command line: amore login, amore setup and amore release. Hosting is either managed by Amore or your own S3, according to its setup prompt.
The same page includes a prompt and an Amore skill for Claude Code, so a coding agent can run the setup for you. That fits well with Amp or any other agent you already use.
Which apps keep many windows under control?
A build, a simulator, a browser, docs and two editors make a lot of windows. Two free catalog apps help.
AltTab replaces the app switcher with a window switcher that shows every window, including minimized and hidden ones and windows on another Space. It is a free download, with search and extra styles in AltTab Pro.
Amethyst is a tiling window manager "along the lines of xmonad." It installs from its releases page or Homebrew, needs macOS 10.15 or later, and needs Accessibility permission.
If you would rather place windows by hand and open apps by shortcut, CMDKit snaps the front window to a region you draw and gives any app, folder or website a keyboard shortcut. The Ultra edition is $9.99 one-time after a 14-day trial.
How should I set up a developer Mac?
Start with the steps that cost you time this week:
- Writing and changing code. Try Amp if your Mac meets its requirements.
- Disk filling up after Xcode builds. Run DevCleaner for Xcode.
- Keys in plain text. Move them behind the 1Password CLI.
- Shipping a Mac app yourself. Set up Amore.
- Too many windows. Add AltTab and, if you like tiling, Amethyst.
- A file that will not open. Keep 010 Editor around.
| App | Step | Price or availability from its page or site |
|---|---|---|
| Amp | Write code | Beta apps; Apple silicon, macOS 26 |
| 010 Editor | Inspect binary files | Free trial |
| DevCleaner for Xcode | Clean Xcode data | Free on the App Store |
| 1Password CLI | Read secrets in scripts | Homebrew cask |
| Amore | Distribute Mac apps | Get started free |
| AltTab | Switch windows | Free download, Pro tier |
| Amethyst | Tile windows | Free download |
| CMDKit | Launch and snap | $9.99 one-time (Ultra) |
For AI tools beyond coding, read the best AI apps for Mac. For launchers and keyboard tools, read Raycast alternatives for Mac.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free app to clean up Xcode on a Mac?
DevCleaner for Xcode is free on the Mac App Store in the Developer Tools category. Its listing asks for macOS 14.0 or later, and version 2.8.0 shipped in November 2025.
How do I distribute a Mac app outside the App Store?
Amore says it handles the distribution toolchain: code signing, notarization, DMG creation, over-the-air Sparkle updates and license sales. It installs with Homebrew and has a command line for setup and releases.
What is a good hex editor for Mac?
010 Editor is a hex editor and text editor that its maker says can edit more than 330 formats. It offers a free trial, and the current version on its site is 17.0.
Which window manager suits a developer setup?
Amethyst is a free tiling window manager in the style of xmonad, installable with Homebrew. AltTab is a free window switcher that shows every window, including those on other Spaces.
Find an agent for the work you need doneBrowse the catalog and see what each package can access before you install it in your Claude workspace.
Browse the catalog