Adam Heins

Tools

A non-exhaustive list of tools I find useful. I typically use Ubuntu Linux, so these tools all work there.

Command line

  • eza – Replaces ls.
  • fd – A modern alternative to find.
  • fzf – A fuzzy-finder for files and directories.
  • mosh – A robust replacement for ssh.
  • ncdu – Disk usage analyser; replaces du.
  • neovim – A text editor; my config is here.
  • pass – A local password manager based on gpg.
  • pdfmerge – Merge, splice, and rotate PDF files.
  • qmv – Quickly rename files in a text editor.
  • restic – Fast and secure file backups.
  • ripgrep – A text search tool; replaces grep.
  • tmux – A terminal multiplexer.
  • unar – Universal unarchiver for zip, tar, and other formats.
  • zsh – A shell.

Graphics

  • Inkscape – A mature vector graphics editor.
  • ipe – A simpler vector graphics editor; useful for diagrams.
  • pinta – A simple raster image editor similar to Microsoft Paint.

Optimization

  • acados – Fast nonlinear model predictive control.
  • cvxpy – Model and solve general convex optimization problems in Python.
  • qpsolvers – Quickly test out different quadratic programming solvers in Python.

Python

  • uv – fast Python package and project manager.
  • pixi – when non-Python dependencies and binary compatibility are required.

zsh plugins