Tips & Tricks

Last updated: 2026-08-05

🚀 Productivity Boosters

1. Menu Bar Quick Switch

The fastest way to switch projects:

  1. Click the Dev WorkDir icon in your menu bar
  2. Hover over a recent project
  3. Choose “Open in [Editor]” or “Run”

No need to open the main window. Most of the time, you can do everything from the menu bar.

2. Right-Click for More Options

Right-click (or Control-click) on any project card for quick actions:

  • Open in specific editor
  • Run different scripts
  • Show in Finder
  • Move project
  • Add/remove from favorites

3. Keyboard Shortcuts

  • ⌘N — Create new project
  • ⌘O — Add directory
  • ⌘, — Open Settings
  • ⌘W — Close window (app stays in menu bar)
  • ⌘F — Search projects

4. Custom Templates

Create templates for your go-to project setups:

  1. Go to Settings → Templates
  2. Click “Add Custom Template”
  3. Choose a base template or start from scratch
  4. Add your custom setup steps, dependencies, or configurations
  5. Save and use it anytime

Perfect for:

  • Your personal starter kit with all your favorite packages
  • Work-specific project structures
  • Monorepo templates

5. Project Todos = Your Side Project Backlog

Don’t let ideas get lost:

  1. Select any project
  2. Go to the Todos tab
  3. Jot down ideas, bugs, or next steps
  4. They stay with the project, always

Pro tip: Use todos to capture “vibe ideas” when you’re working on something else. You’ll come back to them later.

6. Environment Variables Per Project

Stop copying and pasting env vars:

  1. Select a project
  2. Go to Environment Variables
  3. Add your key-value pairs
  4. They’re automatically injected when you double-click to run

Great for:

  • API keys for side projects
  • Database URLs
  • Feature flags

7. Dotfiles Quick Access

Need to check your .zshrc or .gitconfig?

  1. Look at the Dotfiles section in the sidebar
  2. Click any config file to preview it
  3. No more opening hidden folders in Finder

8. Monorepo Sub-Project Quick Create

Working in a monorepo? Create sub-projects fast:

  1. Select your monorepo project
  2. Right-click → “Create Sub-Project”
  3. Choose a template
  4. It’s created inside your monorepo automatically

9. Double-Click Action Customization

Every project is different. Set the perfect action:

  • npm run dev for web projects
  • cargo watch -x run for Rust
  • python main.py for Python
  • docker compose up for Docker
  • Or just open in your editor
  1. Select a project
  2. Find “Double-Click Action” in the detail view
  3. Pick from detected scripts or enter a custom command

10. Workspaces with Multiple Directories

Organize different areas of your life:

  • ~/Projects/work — Work projects
  • ~/Projects/side — Side projects
  • ~/Projects/learning — Tutorials and experiments

Add all of them to Dev WorkDir. Switch between directories in the sidebar.

💡 Lesser-Known Features

Git Worktree Detection

If you use Git worktrees, Dev WorkDir automatically detects them and shows the worktree name. Perfect for parallel development.

Auto-Detect New Projects

When you create a new project in Finder or Terminal, Dev WorkDir picks it up automatically. Just refresh (or it auto-refreshes).

Large File Optimization

When previewing files, Dev WorkDir handles large files gracefully — no freezing or slowdowns.

Project Move with Metadata

When you move a project between directories, all your settings (todos, env vars, double-click action) move with it.

🎯 Workflow Ideas

The Vibe Coder Flow

  1. Get an idea
  2. Menu bar → Create Project → pick template → 30 seconds
  3. Double-click to run
  4. Start coding in your AI editor
  5. Add todos for things to come back to
  6. When you’re done, close everything — it’s all in Dev WorkDir for next time

The Side Project Manager Flow

  1. Add all your side project folders
  2. Each project has its own todo list
  3. Use the menu bar to jump between them
  4. Never forget which project had that great idea again

The Monorepo Flow

  1. Add your monorepo root
  2. See all sub-projects at a glance
  3. Jump into any sub-project instantly
  4. Create new sub-projects in one click

Got a tip we should add? Let us know!