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Best Developer Tools for Mac in 2026
IDEs, editors, and tools that developers love
124 apps•121 free•Updated January 2026
Essential developer tools for macOS — from code editors and IDEs to Git clients, API testing tools, and database managers. Every app installs with a single Homebrew command. Whether you're building web apps, mobile apps, or backend services, these are the tools that professional Mac developers rely on daily. We've tested each one for performance, stability, and workflow integration so you can skip the research and start coding. Bundl makes it easy to set up your entire dev environment in minutes instead of hours — pick what you need, generate a single install script, and get straight to work on a freshly configured Mac.
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WindsurfFree
AI-powered code editor by Codeium
ZedFree
High-performance multiplayer code editor
Visual Studio CodeFree
Open-source code editor by Microsoft
GhosttyFree
GPU-accelerated terminal emulator written in Zig
WarpFree
Modern, Rust-based terminal with AI
iTerm2Free
Replacement for macOS Terminal
AlacrittyFree
GPU-accelerated terminal emulator
KittyFree
GPU-based terminal emulator
WezTermFree
GPU-accelerated terminal with multiplexer
BrunoFree
Open source IDE for exploring and testing APIs
HoppscotchFree
Open source API development ecosystem
OrbStackFree
Fast, lightweight Docker & Linux on Mac
Docker DesktopFree
App for building, sharing, and running containerized apps
OpenLensFree
Open source Kubernetes IDE
ngrokFree
Secure tunnels to localhost
ProxymanFree
HTTP debugging proxy
InsomniaFree
HTTP and GraphQL Client
PostmanFree
API platform for building and using APIs
TablePlus
Modern, native database management tool
GitHub DesktopFree
Simple collaboration from your desktop
DevPodFree
Open source dev environments anywhere
.Net RuntimeFree
Developer platform
.Net RuntimeFree
Developer platform
.NET SDKFree
Developer platform
.NET SDKFree
Developer platform
.NET SDKFree
Developer platform
.NET SDKFree
Developer platform
(Deep) HIARCS Chess ExplorerFree
Chess database, analysis and game playing program
4K Slideshow MakerFree
Slideshow maker
4K TokkitFree
Download TikTok videos and accounts
4K Video DownloaderFree
Free video downloader
4K Video Downloader PlusFree
Free video downloader
4K Video to MP3Free
Convert any video to MP3
5KPlayerFree
Play 4K/1080p/360-degree video, MP3/AAC/APE/FLAC music without quality loss
7777Free
Remote AWS database on local port 7777
8x8_workFree
Communications application with voice, video, chat, and web conferencing
Ace LinkFree
Menu bar app for playing Ace Stream video streams in an external media player
acreomFree
Personal knowledge base for developers
Actual ODBC Driver PackFree
Connect to enterprise databases using common desktop applications
AdapterFree
Converts video, audio and images
Adobe Digital EditionsFree
E-book reader
Advanced REST ClientFree
API testing tool
AgentkubeFree
AI-powered Kubernetes IDE
Agisoft Metashape Professional EditionFree
Process digital images and generate 3D spatial data
Agisoft Metashape Standard EditionFree
Process digital images and generate 3D spatial data
AideFree
Open-source AI-native IDE
AiderDeskFree
Desktop GUI for Aider AI pair programming
AigcPanelFree
AI video, audio and broadcast generator
Aimersoft Video Converter UltimateFree
Video converter app
Air Video Server HDFree
Tool to stream videos to Apple devices
AirtableFree
Spreadsheet-database hybrid cloud collaboration
AiryFree
YouTube video and MP3 downloader
AlfaviewFree
Audio video conferencing
AlifixFree
Refreshes aliases and identifies broken aliases
Android NDKFree
Toolset to implement parts of Android apps in native code
Android SDK Command-line ToolsFree
Command-line tools for building and debugging Android apps
Android SDK Platform-ToolsFree
Android SDK component
Anka Build Cloud ControllerFree
Anka virtual machine orchestrator GUI & API
Anka Build Cloud ControllerFree
Anka virtual machine registry & API
Ankama LauncherFree
Video game launcher
Anypoint StudioFree
Eclipse-based IDE for designing and testing Mule applications
Apache CouchDBFree
Multi-master syncing database
ApidogFree
API development platform
Apidog EuropeFree
API development platform hosted in Europe
ApifoxFree
Platform for API documentation, debugging, and testing
ApipostFree
Platform for API documentation, debugging, Mock and testing
Aptana StudioFree
IDE for web development
Aquafold Aqua Data StudioFree
Database IDE with data management and visual analytics
ArchipelagoFree
Terminal emulator built on web technology
ArctypeFree
SQL client and database management tool
Arduino IDEFree
Electronics prototyping platform
Arduino IDEFree
Electronics prototyping platform
AroundFree
Video calls designed for energy, ideas and action
AsciidocFXFree
Asciidoc editor and toolchain to build books, documents and slides
Assinador SerproFree
Validate and sign documents using digital certificates
atemOSCFree
Control BMD ATEM video switchers with OSC
AthasFree
Lightweight code editor
Atlassian SourceTreeFree
Graphical client for Git version control
Atlassian SourctreeFree
Graphical client for Git version control
Atuin DesktopFree
Runbook editor for terminal workflows
AU LabFree
Digital audio mixing application
AutoFirmaFree
Digital signature editor and validator
Aviatrix VPN ClientFree
VPN client that provides SAML authentication
AvidemuxFree
Video editor
AVItoolsFree
Graphical interface for a variety of video file processing tools
Axure RPFree
Planning and prototyping tool for developers
Banana Cake PopFree
IDE to interact with GraphQL servers
BankID Security Application (Sweden)Free
Swedish personal electronic identification (eID) system
BBEditFree
Text, code, and markup editor
BBEditFree
Text, code, and markup editor
BcutFree
Professional video editing software by Bilibili
BDInfoFree
Collect video and audio technical specifications from Blu-ray discs
Beekeeper StudioFree
Cross platform SQL editor and database management app
BetwixtFree
Web Debugging Proxy based on Chrome DevTools Network panel
BeutlFree
Video editor
BikeFree
Record and process your ideas
BilibiliFree
Official bilibili video streaming and sharing platform
BinoFree
Video player
Bitwig StudioFree
Digital audio workstation
Blisk BrowserFree
Developer-oriented browser
bloopFree
Code search engine
BluefishFree
Open source code editor
BoopFree
Scriptable scratchpad for developers
Boostnote.NextFree
Markdown note editor for developers
BracketsFree
Open-source code editor for web-development
BuildSettingExtractorFree
Xcode build settings extractor
CacherFree
Code snippet organiser
CalDigit Thunderbolt Docking Station UtilityFree
Utility to disconnect all drives connected to a Caldigit dock
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station USB Charging & SuperDrive Support DriverFree
Improved Apple device support
CamtasiaFree
Screen recorder and video editor
CapacitiesFree
App to write and organise your ideas
CapCutFree
Video editing and image design platform
CaptainFree
Manage Docker containers from the menu bar
CaptoFree
Screen capture/recorder and video editor
Carbide CreateFree
CAD/CAM software for CNC routers
CatLightFree
Action center for developers
cd toFree
Finder Toolbar app to open the current directory in the Terminal
cd_toFree
Finder Toolbar app to open the current directory in the Terminal
CharlesFree
Web debugging Proxy application
CharlesFree
Web debugging Proxy application
ChatboxFree
Desktop app for GPT-4 / GPT-3.5 (OpenAI API)
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Best Developer Tools Apps for Mac in 2026
The landscape of developer tools for Mac in 2026 is a vibrant and rapidly evolving ecosystem, driven primarily by advancements in artificial intelligence, the increasing prevalence of cloud-native architectures, and a renewed focus on developer experience. With Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, and even M4 chips) now firmly established, developers are demanding tools that are not only powerful and feature-rich but also performant and natively optimized for the macOS environment. This year, the emphasis is on integration, intelligence, and efficiency, allowing developers to streamline workflows and focus more on innovation rather than boilerplate. AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a foundational component of modern developer tools. AI coding assistants, code completion, debugging, and even automated testing are becoming standard features, deeply embedded into editors and IDEs. Tools like Cursor and advanced versions of VS Code leverage AI to offer context-aware suggestions, refactoring, and even natural language-to-code generation, significantly boosting productivity. This shift is reshaping how developers interact with their codebase, moving towards an 'AI-first' development paradigm. Cloud-native development continues its meteoric rise, making robust containerization tools and API clients indispensable. Docker and OrbStack lead the charge in container management, offering seamless integration and superior performance on Apple Silicon. API clients like Postman and Insomnia are evolving with AI-native capabilities, enhanced collaboration features, and broader protocol support to handle the complexities of modern microservices and serverless architectures. The demand for efficient API testing, documentation, and lifecycle management is driving innovation in this space. Collaboration remains a cornerstone of software development, especially with the prevalence of remote and hybrid teams. Tools offering real-time co-editing, shared terminals, and integrated communication are seeing widespread adoption. VS Code Live Share and JetBrains Code With Me enable developers to pair program and debug collaboratively, transcending geographical boundaries. Version control clients like Fork and GitKraken are enhancing their visual capabilities and team features to make complex Git operations more intuitive and collaborative. Performance and native macOS integration are key differentiators. Developers are increasingly gravitating towards applications built natively for macOS or heavily optimized for Apple Silicon, avoiding the overhead often associated with Electron-based apps. This pursuit of speed and responsiveness is evident in the rise of terminals like Zed and Alacritty, and the continued popularity of iTerm2. When choosing developer tools in 2026, developers should look for seamless AI integration, robust cloud-native support, powerful collaboration features, and native macOS performance to build the most efficient and future-proof development environment.
Current Trends
AI-Native Development Environments
AI is no longer an add-on but a core component of development environments in 2026. Tools are embedding large language models (LLMs) for intelligent code completion, automated code generation from natural language, smart refactoring, and AI-driven debugging. This trend is moving beyond simple suggestions to active participation in the coding process, enabling developers to write code faster and with fewer errors, fundamentally changing the development paradigm towards an 'AI-first' approach.
Cloud-Native Tooling Integration
The proliferation of cloud-native architectures necessitates developer tools with deep integration into containerization, orchestration, and serverless platforms. In 2026, tools are offering seamless management of Docker containers, Kubernetes clusters, and direct connections to cloud services. This integration aims to minimize context switching, allowing developers to build, deploy, and debug cloud-based applications directly from their local environment with greater efficiency.
Real-time Collaborative Coding
With distributed teams becoming the norm, real-time collaborative coding tools are essential. This trend focuses on enabling multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, sharing editors, terminals, and debugging sessions. Tools are improving beyond basic co-editing to offer richer, more integrated communication and synchronized development experiences, mimicking the productivity of in-person pair programming but across geographical distances.
Enhanced DevSecOps Integration
Security is shifting left, becoming an integral part of the development lifecycle rather than an afterthought. DevSecOps tools in 2026 are deeply integrated into CI/CD pipelines, providing automated vulnerability scanning, dependency analysis, and policy enforcement directly within developer workflows. This ensures that security issues are identified and remediated early, reducing risks and compliance burdens while maintaining development velocity.
Getting Started with Developer Tools Apps on Mac
1
Set Up Your Core Environment
Begin by installing Homebrew, the essential package manager for macOS, which simplifies the installation of most developer tools. Next, choose a primary code editor like Visual Studio Code for its versatility and vast extension marketplace, or Zed for speed. Install a robust terminal emulator such as iTerm2 or Warp to enhance your command-line experience with advanced features and customization.
2
Master Version Control
Install Git if it's not already on your system (often comes with Xcode Command Line Tools). Then, choose a Git client that suits your style: Fork for power users, GitKraken for visual learners, or GitHub Desktop for seamless GitHub integration. Familiarize yourself with basic Git commands and workflows through the GUI client, focusing on committing, branching, and merging.
3
Embrace Containerization
Download and install a containerization solution like OrbStack or Docker Desktop. OrbStack is highly recommended for Apple Silicon Macs due to its native performance and efficiency. Learn the fundamentals of building, running, and managing containers. Experiment with containerizing a simple application to understand its benefits for consistent development environments.
4
Explore API and Database Tools
For API development, install Postman or Insomnia to efficiently test, design, and document your APIs. Familiarize yourself with sending requests, handling responses, and managing environments. For database management, TablePlus offers a clean, native interface for connecting to and querying various databases. Practice connecting to a local or remote database and performing common operations.
5
Integrate AI and Collaboration
As you become comfortable, integrate AI-powered tools like Cursor for advanced code assistance or explore AI extensions within VS Code. For team collaboration, experiment with features like VS Code Live Share to co-edit and debug in real-time. This final step significantly enhances productivity and enables more efficient teamwork in modern development workflows.
Our Recommendations
In 2026, the Mac developer tools ecosystem is defined by a powerful synergy of performance, intelligence, and collaboration. Apple Silicon has propelled the demand for natively optimized applications, delivering unparalleled speed and efficiency. The pervasive influence of AI is reshaping how developers write, debug, and test code, making AI-native tools like Cursor and AI-enhanced environments like VS Code indispensable. Cloud-native development remains a central focus, with robust containerization solutions like OrbStack and advanced API clients such as Postman leading the charge. Collaboration features, integrated deeply into editors and version control systems, facilitate seamless teamwork across distributed environments. For an optimal Mac development setup, prioritizing tools that offer native performance, strong AI integration, and robust collaborative capabilities is key. The best tools are those that simplify complex tasks, accelerate workflows, and adapt to the evolving demands of modern software engineering. The future of Mac development is intelligent, integrated, and incredibly efficient.
Must-haves:
Frequently Asked Questions
Mac continues to be a top choice for developers in 2026 primarily due to Apple Silicon's exceptional performance, power efficiency, and seamless integration with macOS. The Unix-based foundation provides a robust command-line environment without the complexities of WSL on Windows. Furthermore, the ability to develop for all major platforms – iOS, macOS, Android, and web – from a single machine offers unmatched versatility. The vibrant ecosystem of high-quality, native developer tools and the strong community support also contribute to its appeal.
About the Author
Senior Developer Tools Specialist
Code Editors & IDEsTerminal EmulatorsVersion Control Tools
Alex Chen has been evaluating developer tools and productivity software for over 12 years, with deep expertise in code editors, terminal emulators, and development environments. As a former software engineer at several Bay Area startups, Alex brings hands-on experience with the real-world workflows these tools are meant to enhance.
12+ years in software development · Former senior engineer at tech startups