Most of the tools here will revolve around linux, and most every one of them I wish I had heard of earlier.

Editors

• Visual Studio Code (if you just want something that works)
• IntelliJ for Java / Kotlin
• Spacemacs: the best of both Emacs and Vim, with loads of easy to install layers, from markdown to coq.
• Neovim: A forked version of vim, which is mostly just the same.

Linux

Distros

• Arch Linux (if you have the time, inclination, and friends available for configuring and debugging)
• Ubuntu (if you want stability)

Command-Line Utilities

• sl: the steam locomotive
• fish: terminal as an alternative to bash.
• zsh: terminal alternative with backwards compatibility.
• k2pdfopt: format pdfs better for E-readers.
• unzip: does literally one thing.
• feh: an easy way to display a photo
• transset-df: change opacity on a window.
• ImageMagick: an all-in-one utility for doing everything from screenshots with import to making videos from images.
• tree: prints out a directory tree from the current working directory.
• screenfetch: displays system information.
• htop: command-line task manager.
• ripgrep: faster version of grep written in rust.
• udiskie: mount USBs in a better way.
• network-manager: the only nice way to do wifi.
• redshift: make your screen less blue at night.
• elinks: read the browser in your computer.
• youtube-dl: for grabbing videos or sound from youtube.
• r2: for decompiling.
• GraphViz: for drawing graphs (vertex-edge).

Using the Computer

• i3-wm: for tiling windows.
• i3status-rs: better i3status bar.
• compton: compositor for transparency, vsync, and more.
• dunst: notifications in the background.
• rofi: better way to open applications.
• greenclip: have access to clipboard history.
• termite: terminal emulator. If not available, try terminator or konsole.

Disabling the CAPS-LOCK key with xmodmap

Assorted Applications

• thunderbird: read mail. Allows a lot of simple use for filtering.
• calibre: organize books, articles, and news. Exports to e-readers.

Plugins and Extensions

• Vim keybindings in a web-browser CVim, Vim Vixen, etc.
• Tree style tabs, along with disabling the tab bar on top.
• ublock for add block.
• rainbow parenthesis so you can actually read lisp.
• powerline so you can have a cool little arrow at the bottom of vim, terminal (with zsh), or i3status-rs.

Emacs

• org mode: for better linking between files than Markdown. Great for notes.
• AucTex: LaTeX is now a readable language in emacs.
• treemacs: nice way to browse files.
• magit: the best way to use git. Beats terminal any day.

Programming Languages

• LaTeX for formatting anything written: resumes, homework, projects, slideshows with Beamer.
• xelatex for extra fonts.
• Python, but more importantly,
• numpy, scipy, matplotlib, jupyter,
• BeautifulSoup,
• Pillow,
• requests.
• R for anything statistics related.
• Racket for anything computational.
• Haskell if you want your program to be a beautiful butterfly.
• Sagemath