Developers, how many monitors do you use for coding?
I am using 3 and you 👇
Here we go💪
Developers, how many monitors do you use for coding?
I am using 3 and you 👇
Here we go💪
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One wide-screen 49 inch.
setup.emanuelebartolesi.com
Is it good to work with? Is this windows or macos? Do you use a window placement tool?
I use Microsoft PowerToys to split the screen in three parts.
The main in the center and two bars on the sides.
I will write a blog post about my monitor setup here on dev.to
I have never seen anyone who has the same setup (49 SUW using power toys)... Which I have been doing for 2 years now and thought I may be crazy! I went from 4x 24" down to a single 49" SUW. Now I want to stack another 34" on top 😎
Ps, your setup is super awesome!!!
1
The constraint of 1 monitor and its real-estate forces me to be intentional about what I'm focusing on. More monitors lead to a lot of distractions for me (e.g. chat apps, browser tabs open to Twitter/YT/HN, ...etc).
i guess depends what you are coding, but as web dev i can't even imagine productive day with one screen.
Here's my workstation!
One
I've used multiple screens in the past, but always find I'm more productive with just one.
I'm on the same boat, even if I have 2 screens I tend to prefer using the one in front and ignoring the secondary screen!
2... I prefer having one screen for everything I'm primarily using (vscode, my browser, or my console if doing tdd) and a second screen for any of my command lines that are open but not immediately needed. I prefer alt/tabbing between two windows that are in my immediate view rather than looking left and right between things.
Any more than 2 monitors I find cumbersome and I don't make much use of them. I do have a third monitors at home, but it never gets used while doing any dev. If anything, it's for extras, like youtube.
I work my MacBook Pro 13inc M1 touchbar with extra monitor if work hard. But so many times 1 screen is enough. I like this machine for extreme mobility. I can coding with 8+ hours without power supply. Doesn't matter where I sit down, even I can share my mobile net. Extra: I use Touch Pad instead mouse, so it is really nomade way of coding.
My setup is a bit unconventional. I have my main workstation and a macbook.
I have 3 monitors on my main workstation where actually write my code. Then I have 2 more monitors, macbook and another monitor.
I'm currently working with React Native so the macbook mainly handles the emulation for iOS and Android if I don't need the physical devices.
I use VSCode's Remote Development extension to SSH into the macbook and work in the project folders from my Windows workstation.
TL;DR - I have 5 monitors.
Usually 3
My job is a lot of quick juggling so being able to have VS Code, RStudio, terminal(s), AWS, Stack Overflow, docs, Slack, Asana, and Spotify all on screen at the same time is pretty great
I'm frequently on the move though so working with just my laptop screen is something I'm also used to, it's just a slightly different workflow
Two. One for my browser/devtools and one for my editor (VSCode).
Me too
I'm equaly productive using one or many. Now in my current position/job I'm using just one: an "amazing" 18" with a low resolution... which is a huge pain! but job politics doesn't allow me to use a wider neither another one. So any way, I'm still trying toget used to it :(.
I'm a single monitor user 🖥
It's more ergonmic to have only a single one as you're not relying on moving your head around.
I currently have my 27" 4k as main one and laptop monitor for stuff like background videos, slack, mail, etc. I type on my laptop's keyboard and laptop's monitor is under my main monitor. This setup worked for me perfectly for almost 5 years now. Although, I want to try having another 27" 4k in vertical orientation for docs and reading stuff.
I'm an embedded developer. I find that the absolute minimum is two. I'm often sifting through datasheets, app-notes and other technical documentation as I'm working and when I'm restricted to a single monitor, my
altandtabkeys get a real work-out, and my productivity plummets.For the past while, I've been using a laptop with an external monitor and I have to say, this is one of the absolute worst configurations for my eyes and neck. the setup in this reply seems optimal to me: dev.to/2kabhishek/comment/1pdhi
Personally, I use 1 external monitor along with macbook air screen and that's it!
External monitor (24") for browser, UI preview, debugging, major tasks, terminal
Macbook Air screen for only VS Code
1 monitor and herbstluftwm. Used to have dual monitors but got tired of moving my neck. Once you get used to tiling window managers, the workflow stays the same if you're on the laptop at a coffee shop or at home.
1 due to space contraints. I don't have a set desk area so I rely on just the laptop screen. I've considered getting one of the small screens that slide out behind the laptop screen to have a bit more space.
4 - 6 depending if I have my laptop setup and open beside me. I find myself mainly focused on the large center one with my IDE and the bottom two for reference material and to view what I am working on. The top screen I tend to use as a whatever, a lot of the times it holds YouTube or whatever I am listening to, chat apps, etc… The laptop and small monitor I tend to not use much, when I do it will typically be a terminal running nodejs watch processes.
I work two jobs from home and find there can be overlap. This along with virtual workspaces allows me to organize things a bit.
I have to have 2 monitors, currently at work I have a 17" laptop and then a 28" Monitor.
At home I have the same PC monitor and have another not being used due to not having the desk space (printer is occupying it's space)
So yeah, minimum 2 screens for me.
Went from 1 normal (27 inch) screen to 1 normal + laptop (15 inch).
After that i bought the Odyssey G5 32 inch + my 27 inch (vertical) including my laptop screen. That was a total overkill and my laptop didn't like that many screens... (enough resources just noticed that it struggled more then usual)
Ended with the G5 + 27 inch and closed the laptop.. vertical screen is perfect for mobile development or discord, devtools, app etc..
I used to have to up 4 and have a laptop open. But today I usually only use 2.
I'm also someone who could easily work fine with just a laptop, as I usually use virtual desktops to keep things organized.
I found in the past I usually don't need that many windows to be productive, nor did I really use all that space. A main monitor for main tasks and a "secondary" monitor for secondary focus tasks is usually good enough. If I'm down to one monitor then everything has its own virtual desktop.
At some point you'll have extra monitor space and you will "do more" with that space just to fill it, even if that means "doing stuff" that isn't really that important to see at a glace as you would.
I am using 2. My MacBooks screen and an external 27" 4K monitor from LG.
Same here!!
I use one monitor because it save time and reduce neck pain.
One and MacBook
For coding, one. The middle one. The left one has Google Docs, email, JIRA, etc. The right one, Slack.
2
2
I generally prefer 2 Monitors for better multi-tasking and visibility.
5
My current set-up is a 34" Dell U3415W widescreen monitor alongside a Samsung 32" M7.
I only have my 15 inch laptop, no additional screen 😁
These days, I often use one (27"). I prefer two monitors as a minimum. Having a "sidebar" monitor is just too useful.
In my last job, I used a 32", two 24" and a 17".
Currently I'm using 2.
The main one for code editor + terminal only and secondary monitor usually for browser, music app, chat app, etc. (or everything except those two)
I used two, but now I am using 1 monitor due to space problem. I have 2 laptops (mine) with an HDMI switch and the company laptop with no monitor attached.
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I have never tried using more than one
Only one right now but want to use 2 in future one portrait screen for coding and second landscape for output preview ⛄
3 external + the laptop screen, so 4 I suppose :D
one
42,5" 4k
1 monitor + laptop screen. I find the virtual desktops feature helps keep me sane
2
2 is my upper limit. Anything above that is pointless in my use case anyway.
having only 2 decreases space , electricity consumption, heat emission and makes me more focus on tasks.
2, laptop + monitor
One monitor and my macbook.🙃
Used to have two monitors, but i found myself only using one and just putting unused windows there, it was useful when doing some live css refactoring/styling but not in the other cases.
I use a laptop and one external monitor at work. For my personal projects I just use my laptop.
It’s different from tasks. If I’m focused to 1:1 algorithm i prefer one small monitor.
Else I use my 32” curved 😅
I always wanted to have 3 but companies did not like that idea :)
One day.
For coding…1, but the other 4 monitors + laptop screen are useful for parking things and monitoring stuff! 🤣 (I’m not joking btw I run 5 monitors + laptop!)
1 x 15 inch display is more than enough for me since I'm using tiling window manager 😎
1 large monitor ususaly is enough
Home office: 1 super wide + 1 vertical
Work office: 1 super wide + laptop screen
There are never to many screens. As a web dev i always founds myself needed another one.
Idem 3 !
alert ("1")
alert("1")
1
hands are faster than eyes
2 Monitors usually I'm using, but normally one is enough for coding....
3! (2 external + my laptop)
One monitor for VSCode, second for the thing I'm working on, and my laptop for e-mails, video meetings and anything that isn't related to the first two monitors :)
1 for the IDE, 1 for the browser/devtools, 1 for the DB
I currently use 2. One for my editor and another for my browser/dev tools. A mobile device also comes in handy when styling the responsiveness of my site
Only one. At home it's an ultrawide 34", so it's like I was using 2 monitors. At office it's a 27". A bit small for me, so I'm using the virtual dekstop feature of Windows to organize apps
I code on my Apple watch. 🥲
Only one. On some occasions I use the laptop as a second but it does not convince me for something more permanent.
only one for now but plannning to expand my set up