A computer monitor is more than just a screen for a software developer. For a developer, a computer monitor is a tool that helps them carry out their profession. With that being said, would it not make sense to improve or expand (get a second monitor) your toolkit to improve efficiency?
In this post, I am going to talk about how having a dual monitor setup can boost your productivity. Keep in mind that this is based on my own experiences and may not be the same case for you.
Split Screens for Coding and Research
When I write code, I tend to use references from my research (discovery phase). As a result, I would have one screen dedicated to an IDE (integrated development environment) and terminal, while the other screen has documentation, StackOverflow, man pages, and etc. I find it much easier to just look at the other screen and see the information I need than to alt-tab between windows.
Whenever I alt-tab back to reference materials I tend to need to go back a few times. What I mean is alt-tab to see the reference then switch back to IDE then forgot the reference again and repeat the cycle a few times. If that’s not you then that’s great and perhaps you won’t find a second monitor as useful.
Save Time from Window Management
With the extra screen real estate, it is possible to snap your programs to a section of the screen. I find that it helps save time with managing which app is on which screen and need to be switch on and off. Instead, each of the apps you use is already in place so there is no overhead of figuring out where and which screen the app is. For example, if I need to use the terminal I know to go to the bottom left corner of the main screen.
Sharing Screen Is Easier
My day-to-day involves pair programming. That means I might be pairing with someone next to me or remotely. When pairing remotely, it requires sharing a screen and that is where dual monitors really come in handy. I can share one screen for development with my pair and still have another screen available. I can use the other screen to do research, check work emails, or reply to slack messages while my pair is driving.
Deep Work Is the Same as a Single Screen
Focus is one of the main arguments against a dual monitor setup. It is seen as a distraction to have something else going on in another monitor. However, if you treat one screen as the main (development) and the other screen as a secondary for references, documentation, code samples, emails, Slack, and etc., once you reach a state of flow it is like you have one screen. Why is that? It is because all your attention will be on your main development screen.
So, if used properly a dual monitor setup provides the extra benefit of speeding up your process by saving you time from managing program windows and let you reference materials quickly.
I hope this post was helpful to you. If you found this post helpful, share it with others so they can benefit too.
What is your development setup like? Do you use one screen or more? How do you utilize your screen(s)?
To get in touch, you can follow me on Twitter, leave a comment, or send me an email at steven@brightdevelopers.com.