How many monitors do you use for programming?

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Misaka_Undefined@reddit

for everyday programming, 1 laptop monitor 16 inch.

except when im in the office I use 1 monitor 32 inch 4K.

rarely use both at the same time.

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ItchyPlant@reddit

Either one ultrawide or two external, regular ones, with the same pixel density.

I never mix a laptop screen (with very high density) with any external monitors in the same setup. If I sit down somewhere with a single, regular monitor only, then even that single one is better or the laptop screen alone. (The latter is only for so efficient work.)

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100BottlesOfMilk@reddit

I'm the same, with the exception of front end work where I do usually use two even on my laptop unless I can't avoid it

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100BottlesOfMilk@reddit

One person doing the work and 6 people monitoring them do it

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Zesher_@reddit

Three. One for coding, one for documentation/specs about what I'm working with, and one for playing entertainment while I work. I could go without the third to be honest, but I still enjoy it lol

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HashDefTrueFalse@reddit

Over the years I've gone back and forth between 1-4. I've settled on 2 for the last few years, with one rotated 90 degrees to fit moar codes because I'm cool and 1337 etc. (It's actually fairly useful despite looking a bit silly.)

I know plenty of people who do 100% of their programming work on a single laptop, so definitely just a preference in this line of work.

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FriendlyStory7@reddit

1

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likzafaks@reddit

1 on my laptop, 1 external, anything more is unnecessary for me

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KAID3N@reddit

I'm genuinely surprised at the number of people saying one. Of course I understand there are limitations for some people, but am noticeably less efficient and enjoy my time far less when developing with one screen opposed to two. I don't gain much from the third screen but 1-2 is a massive jump up in terms of QOL for me personally. It may just be that I'm very accustomed to two monitors but I find I just waste so much time shifting my windows back and forth and swapping between tabs (this workflow is much better on a Mac with gestures imo).

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sandspiegel@reddit

I think it's one of these things where you only know how good it is when you have it. My one monitor setup was fine but then I had an opportunity to get a second one for cheap so I did and now I could never go back to a 1 monitor setup.

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David_Owens@reddit

Using virtual desktops is as good if not better than using multiple monitors. You don't have to move your head.

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Leverkaas2516@reddit

If I'm not moving my head, then I'm having to remember things as I switch among overlapping windows.

I HATE having to remember things just because there aren't enough pixels in front of me. Pixels are cheap now.

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Justeego@reddit

Yeah, especially in this era, most of the time the second vertical monitor is for AI chat, sometimes it's for the code when testing UI

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Ycen-Chan@reddit

One for Coding the other one is for Logs.

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LanceMain_No69@reddit

Just what I have. Either my trusty 27in 144hz 1440p gaming monitor, or my trusty ol laptop with a 15.6in 1080p 60hz display. 2nd one kinda huets but it does the job when im working remote from my girlfriends'.

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Informal-Chance-6067@reddit

Is your monitor an LG 27GL650F?

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LanceMain_No69@reddit

Old samsung odyssey g5.

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JalkianValour@reddit

7

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pythosynthesis@reddit

4

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neveralone59@reddit

1 32:9 with niri or sometimes sway

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SparksBun@reddit

Just 1

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memerijen200@reddit

A 34" 1440p ultrawide as my main monitor, and my laptop screen below it.

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Leverkaas2516@reddit

My ideal setup is 3. Two is workable. If I only have one, it better be pretty big.

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HolyPommeDeTerre@reddit

3, one for each eye.

1, but I have 5 desktop that I constantly switch

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SnooHamsters9370@reddit

2×27"

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cgoldberg@reddit

1

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grantrules@reddit

Same. I've had 4 screens before, but 1 is really fine. Virtual desktops are nice

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Plenty_Line2696@reddit

A second screen is great for a lot of dev work, there's so often two relevant windows in workflows and faffing around with alt+tab or virtual desktops isn't as seamless as simply having a second monitor.

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dmazzoni@reddit

I have been programming for 20 years and a lot of the time I couldn't afford or didn't have access to multiple monitors. I still did just fine.

I do like to use virtual desktops, though.

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cgoldberg@reddit

I used to use 3 CRT monitors at an old job. I just don't like switching views between monitors anymore, and anything besides an IDE and terminal is just distracting. I work perfectly fine on my 30" monitor or a 14" laptop.

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twokswine@reddit

Also 1, but it's 46"

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Plenty_Line2696@reddit

one 65 inch tv, though for most people I do think 2 regular screens is the sweet spot, with one turnable to landscape for coding.

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Both-Dragonfruit3154@reddit

0

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um0p3pIsdn@reddit

4

Laptop screen Smaller ultra wide Vertical Portable monitor below for Teams, etc

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cainhurstcat@reddit

3

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Rubicon_Roll@reddit

1 but its a 49" 32:9 Ultrawide

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rafaover@reddit

1 monitor, regular. 30inch. The other screen is my MacBook.

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unk214@reddit

6, I use one for development work and 5 for porn. Get on my level...

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ItchyPlant@reddit

I'm wondering what bodyparts of yours you develop with the help of that first monitor.

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ItchyPlant@reddit

Either one ultrawide or two external, regular ones, with the same pixel density.

I never mix laptop screen with very high density with any external monitors in the same setup. In that case, even one single external monitor is better or the laptop screen alone, for not so efficient work.

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AncientHominidNerd@reddit

I prefer 2 but resort to using 1 when I’m out. The second monitor is just for documentation or reference books. Using 1 is fine I just cmd+tab to switch apps.

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IchLiebeKleber@reddit

laptop + two external monitors

I don't put anything programming-related on the laptop screen, that's for things running in the background, so not sure if the answer to this is 2 or 3.

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Nicomak@reddit

2 and 4. (2 computers on my desk). It used to be 3/3.

And 2 at home, 1 pc.

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DonkeyAdmirable1926@reddit

Used to have three, but decided I prefer my laptop and simplicity

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Feeling_Photograph_5@reddit

A single 27" 4K monitor. I use four or five virtual desktops and I split some of those vertically.

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AdDiligent1688@reddit

I use several monitor lizards

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Error-7-0-7-@reddit

2

1 for the actual coding and the other for lofi/podcasts/googling things I forgot or dont know.

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arkt8@reddit

2: laptop 14" and external 27". Usually 14" with a browser for search docs and tmux in fullscreen in 27". Sometimes I feel the 14" distracting.

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SourceScope@reddit

At work i got 2 monitors plus my laptop (fairly sstandard)

Laptop for team communication

2nd screen for design, github, documentation etc

Primary screen for code

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mxldevs@reddit

Two.

One for programming.

The other for non-programming

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dmazzoni@reddit

Yep, that's what I do. One screen has all of my code, the other has email, slack, etc

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Pyromancer777@reddit

I want a wall of screens to satisfy my ADHD.

I always have 50 tabs open by the time I finish a project and bounce between things constantly

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SnooChipmunks547@reddit

1x 35” ultra wide, this was a down size from 2x 24 but sooooo much easier to look at and not chasing the mouse around.

A window manager to split the screen how I want gives enough space for focusing on 3/4 of the screen, with enough room as a utility bar on the left for smaller windows (outlook, teams, terminals)

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jampman31@reddit

2

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mattblack77@reddit

Two and it's a pain in the arse, because I always end up looking at the gap between the two.

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Noah__Webster@reddit

I've got three on my setup. One of the secondary monitors is in portrait.

If I'm working with anything frontend related, particularly web with hot reload, I keep it on the secondary landscape monitor. My IDE is on the main monitor, and the portrait monitor is like Chrome for docs/Google search.

If I'm not working on anything with a GUI, the landscape monitor has Chrome on it. Then the third monitor in portrait just has whatever. Usually my music.

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FX2000@reddit

Just one, it’s 55 inches though

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the-forty-second@reddit

4, with one being an ultra wide where most of the business happens. I’ve had up to 8 (still miss that setup some days).

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creed_1@reddit

I always like to have at least 2. Since most of my work is with databases and writing sql / plsql so I like having my database tables showing on a screen so I can look at them as I’m writing the queries and such

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caolhopsita@reddit

34" Ultrawide, just one. Auto window managers are a godsend for setups like this.

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_Ned@reddit

Gotta go 38 so windows are not squished vertically

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TapEarlyTapOften@reddit

2 and I make heavy use of tmux.

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gazpitchy@reddit

4

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OmegaMaster8@reddit

Usually 1. Having 2 monitor is even better

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DoughTheBoi@reddit

Two, one for code and one for browser, but one is manageable on a wm

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SirRHellsing@reddit

I don't have the desk space but 2 would be perfect

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SaxSalute@reddit

I use two monitors and also my MacBook on a stand off to the side. I think 1 works fine especially if you are new, but most pros use at least two, sometimes three, since it’s nice to have space for everything you use. For example, you might have a Figma design, a web app, a frontend codebase, a build terminal, maybe backend API definitions or even code as well… it takes up a lot of space. It definitely isn’t a problem to use one monitor to learn though.

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stevent12x@reddit

Been the opposite for me in my career. Started with three and quickly went down to two. Now I have one monitor and keybinds that allow me to quickly jump between virtual desktops without even thinking about it. One monitor is way more ergonomic and far less mentally tasking imo.

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carcigenicate@reddit

This is basically my setup. A typical monitor in the middle for my main task, wide screen on my right for dev tools and similar helper programs, and the laptop itself on my left with teams and email.

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Lurn2Program@reddit

I use 3 including a laptop. Editor on largest screen, terminal on vertical smaller screen and laptop for other stuff

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tardigrades_snuggle@reddit

2 plus the laptop. I’ve gotten away with a travel monitor and the laptop though. But if I’m working in VS Code and VS at the same time, I want at least something other than just the laptop screen.

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johnpeters42@reddit

Two. IDE on the left, SQL on the right.

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Anon197666@reddit

N+1 is always the correct answer in this situation. Currently have 3 plus laptop but don’t really use that screen except for music. 2 handle most of the code (db on 1, code on other) and the last monitor for email/teams/other useless annoying work stuff.

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illuminarias@reddit

1x 55" 4k or 1x 34" 1440p ultrawide + 1x vertical monitor on the side