How to use unsupported macbooks for modern software development

#webdev #ai #programming #javascript

If you clicked on this, chances are either you own an old unsupported macbook or willing to buy one to kickstart your development journey.

Hey, that's a great decision in my opinion. If you don't have enough money to jump to a supported macbook, do not go for cheap Windows laptops. Instead consider an old macboook.

But why?

Coz macbooks have great displays. You will be starring at text for the rest of the journey so why not go for a better display?
Great keyboards (except the 2016-2017 models)
Great webcams, speakers and battery backup.
MacOS is optimized for these laptops and probability of you getting into OS related bugs are very low compared to Windows machine.
Looks skeek, well built, good hinge mechanisms, there's auto brightness for both keyboard and display and many more little quality of life things that none of cheap Windows laptops provide.
You can even install Windows alongside MacOS if there's something that isn't working for you in MacOS.

A note before going any further

Please do not buy unsupported macbooks for iOS or any apple application development. While you will be able to develop, you won't be able to publish those to appstore.

Here are some models that I recommend

2013-2015 models (super cheap)
2018-2019 models (if you can spend a little more)

Alright, Still in?

Cool, then from here on I'm gonna tell you exactly what you need to do once you get that old mac to set it up to get the best juice out of it.

Don't use Homebrew

For those who don't know MacOS is unix like OS but doesn't come with a package manager like other unix like OSes. Homebrew is one option but it only supports upto 3 latest MacOS versions and if yours aren't in that, every cli app you install will build from source. It is a nightmare. Don't install homebrew if you're even on the supported OS list as it will get unsupported soon after that you can't go any OS beyond that.

Instead go for MacPorts package manager. It supports versions as old as El Capitan (Even a 2012 model can go beyond that version).

As long as you're on a model later than 2013, you'll have no problem installing modern software development kits like Java 21, Node.js latest, C/C++ 17, Flutter 3.x.x, Python 3.x.x, Dotnet 9 and etc.

Macports -> https://www.macports.org

Keep the OS lightweight

While this things is pretty expected to know by anyone but added this anyways in case some might think that they would be able to run whole bunch of heavy applications. Only keep neccessary applications and do not app anything if that thing is provided by OS itself.

Some things you get from MacOS by default,

A simple screen recorder and screenshot tool
Voice recorder
A camera app
Notes taking app
Music and video players

Switch to CLI apps as much as possible

This is the most impactful trick and this also helps you to become a better software developer as well. Always stick to CLI apps as much as possible. There will be a steep learning curve but it's gonna reward you along the way. Belive me.

Some examples,

Use Git CLI instead of any GIT GUIs
Use terminal for files, and folder navigation.
Use things like grep, sed or awk for searching files
Use a terminal multiplexer to split the terminal instead of openning multiple terminal windows.
Use a terminal based text editor for coding (vim, neovim, helix or Doom Emacs)

Do not rice your terminal too much

I have seen that ricing the terminal too much also affects older macs to get slow even inside the terminal.

Notable performance culprits I have noticed,

Do not use Starship for your prompt. Use powerlevel10k. They are similar in customization but starship takes a lot of CPU power.

Use a GPU accelerated terminal emulator

There many. Choose something that fit's your liking. I recommend Alacritty or Kitty.

Alacritty -> https://alacritty.org
Kitty -> https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty

Use Turbo Boost Switcher

A third party free software that use can use to turn off turbo boost when doing normal work. (I only enable turbo boost when compiling fairly large software)