I have 15” MacBook and 12” iPad next to it. Usually have VSC + iTerm on main screen and browser with project on the side screen. But also browser on main screen with hexdocs, elixirforum and other docs.

15" laptop off to the side on a stand, with a 27" monitor centrally. I think of them as 3 zones - 1 the laptop screen, and then 2 on the external (roughly 2/3 - 1/3).

My most common window layout sounds the same as yours - editor + terminal on the main screen, and app off to the side, and docs at the ready to alt-tab to. I switch things around a bit though (always within the 3 zones) so whatever OS I’m using I always need some sort of tiling and keyboard shortcuts to move windows within & between displays. Most recently those have been PowerToys FancyZones on Windows (a fine example of Microsoft’s naming genius), Pop!_OS shell on linux. I think I used Moom last time I was on Macos.

I think it’s worth splitting this thread into it’s own. (@AstonJ )
I am using 34" Ultra-wide (5120x2160) with just VS Code on it split vertically like this: files tree, code file, test file, terminal/tests output and 13" MacBook underneath with Slack / Mail / Safari / etc. I tried different setups but always got back to this one.

Btw how’s 5120x2160 across 34" compared to Retina? Since retina I feel like I can’t watch anything with lower DPI coz it feels blurry. Not that I’m such a snob, but my eyes get tired quicker and I’ve noticed headaches too

Asking coz I’m thinking of wide screen display like that + mac mini. Thanks to covid I’m barely ever travelling with computer anymore.

Well, retina is just a matter of DPI versus the distance between your eyes and the display. So, it’s very nice and I consider that a retina. I have it around 50-60cm from my eyes. see: https://designcompaniesranked.com/resources/is-this-retina/

I have a MacBook Pro in clamshell mode with an LG5K monitor. Sometimes I use an iPad via sidecar if I feel I need a little more space.

If I am using MacVim I will use it in fullscreen mode with several windows/panes.
If I am using TextMate I will use it in a shared window occupying the right half, then the left is split by a browser and terminal (around 75/25).

Current setup is an 5k iMac with a 5k LG underneath it angled about 30deg off vertical. I like to keep the code in front on the iMac with everything on the screen below. I prefer this to side by side because it means my neck/back is always straight.

That’s really interesting Oliver! Do you have any photos? Are you ever tempted to use it as a touch screen?

Different strokes here I think. It works better for me to have an arrangement that affords a bit of movement. For that reason I keep mindful of not having my hands on the mouse or keyboard when I’m not using them, turning my body rather than swivelling my chair, etc. Works for me, but then bodies are different in very complex ways.

My home setup is a desktop with one 23" monitor and one old 17" monitor to the right. I generally keep vim open in a terminal on the small screen and browser on the larger screen to the left. Rarely have multiple windows on any one screen but switch workspaces. Usually a terminal open with spotify-tui playing music in one workspace. If I need multiple terminals they go in a workspace on the bigger monitor. I’d really like to go bigger on both monitors but it hasn’t felt necessary yet.