Setting up a new MacBook Air in 2025 for web development

To help automate the setup of a new MacBook Air in 2025, I use the following scripts:

Install homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Packages

brew install dockutil ffmpeg git imagemagick mas nvm yt-dlp

Casks

brew install --cask 1password android-platform-tools appcleaner cursor docker elgato-control-center elgato-stream-deck figma firefox google-chrome imageoptim iterm2 lastfm lunar microsoft-edge microsoft-office microsoft-remote-desktop microsoft-teams monitorcontrol obs plex powershell raycast sonos steam sublime-text visual-studio-code vlc

macOS Store

Some apps can be only installed (or have been previously purchased) through the MacOS App Store. The installation of mas allows for installing these via terminal.

mas install 1569813296 # 1Password for Safari
mas install 413857545 # Divvy
mas install 1607635845 # Velja
mas install 1288415553 # Wyze
mas install 497799835 # Xcode

Manual install

macOS changes

# Dock
dockutil --remove 'App Store'
dockutil --remove 'iPhone Mirroring'
dockutil --remove Calendar
dockutil --remove Contacts
dockutil --remove FaceTime
dockutil --remove Freeform
dockutil --remove Keynote
dockutil --remove Mail
dockutil --remove Maps
dockutil --remove News
dockutil --remove Notes
dockutil --remove Numbers
dockutil --remove Pages
dockutil --remove Photos
dockutil --remove Reminders
dockutil --remove Safari
dockutil --remove TV

dockutil --add /Applications/Firefox.app
dockutil --add /Applications/Cursor.app
dockutil --add /Applications/iTerm.app

# Screenshots
mkdir ~/Screenshots
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Screenshots

# Show hidden files
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

# Hide dock
osascript -e "tell application \"System Events\" to set the autohide of the dock preferences to true"

Manual steps

  • Rename computer
  • Enable SSH agent in 1Password

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