{"id":2694,"date":"2025-04-27T22:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T19:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/?p=2694"},"modified":"2026-02-19T19:33:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:33:38","slug":"the-setup-i-trust-from-servers-to-plugins-and-creative-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/the-setup-i-trust-from-servers-to-plugins-and-creative-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"The Setup I Trust: From Servers to Plugins and Creative Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this article, I\u2019ll share all the Plugins, Server, and Software I personally use for building a Website. These are my essential tools \u2014 my \u201cmust-haves\u201d \u2014 and purely my own suggestions. I hope this article will help you discover something new that you might not have known before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the tools listed include Affiliate Links. If you decide to purchase any of them through my links, it would mean a lot and would help me continue providing new articles and guides for everyone.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the hosting provider.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

When I first started building websites \u2014 about 6-7 years ago \u2014 I went with a shared hosting plan from GoDaddy. Back then, as a beginner, it seemed like a good choice. Later on, as I gained more clients, I switched to a Dedicated Server from OVH. OVH provides very high-quality and reliable servers but they are on the expensive side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About two years ago, I discovered Chemicloud<\/a><\/strong>, thanks to a recommendation from someone in the Bricks Community. At that time, I was actively searching for a more affordable but reliable option. I was skeptical at first, but after checking their services, I couldn\u2019t believe the value they offered at those prices. I decided to try their Reseller Grow Plan<\/strong>, which basically gives you a WHM with cPanel<\/strong>, full security with Imunify 360, and 30-day backups with JetBackup \u2014 all included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"ChemiCloud<\/a>\"servers,plugins,tools,seopress,adobe,setup\"\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The server runs LiteSpeed Webserver<\/strong> and allocates 1 Core and 2GB RAM per cPanel account. It\u2019s based on CloudLinuxOS<\/strong>, which isolates each account with its own resources. Until last year, I hosted 12 clients on it \u2014 all sites built with Elementor, including two small WooCommerce stores (one with 8 products, and the other with around 260).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The server handled everything perfectly, and I\u2019ve been amazed at how fast and helpful Chemicloud\u2019s support is. Their ticket system is also very user-friendly. In my experience, 1 Core and 2GB RAM, combined with the right plugin setup and LiteSpeed, is the best formula for a fast and stable website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Must-Have Tools that I use across all my websites:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
\"bricks<\/a>

Bricks Builder<\/h3>
PREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

Bricks Builder unlocked my imagination like no other builder had before. The performance, the speed of the interface, and the sheer creative freedom it allows\u2014there are truly no limits to what you can design with it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"next<\/a>

Next Bricks <\/h3>
PREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

If I want to take a client\u2019s website a step further with better design elements and animations, I use Next Bricks. I\u2019ve talked about it in another article where I also compare it to Motion Page.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"code<\/a>

Code Snippets<\/h3>
FREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

I always install this on all sites to add custom PHP functions without using a child theme. I feel much safer using Code Snippets. Probably 90% of you already know it. It\u2019s simple and reliable.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"vividbackup<\/a>

WPVivid Backup<\/h3>
FREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

It keeps backups for up to 7 days (free version) and supports most popular cloud platforms (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.). Its migration tool has never failed me.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"jetengine<\/a>

JetEngine <\/h3>
PREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

JetEngine allows you to create custom fields, custom post types, and more. Many people prefer ACF, but I\u2019ve heard concerns about Jet Engine\u2019s code quality. I personally haven\u2019t noticed any issues. JetEngine also offers a few more features compared to others, and it\u2019s very competitively priced.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"seopress<\/a>

SEOPress Pro<\/h3>
FREMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

For about three years, I used RankMath back when it was completely free. Last year, I discovered SEOPress \u2014 it\u2019s lighter, more affordable, and has a really nice UI for quick SEO edits directly from each page.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"security<\/a>

Security Optimizer<\/h3>
FREE<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

This plugin adds basic security features. I first saw it when a client hosted their site on Siteground, but you can use it on any hosting. Before, I used a combination of Activity Log, Two-Factor Authentication, and WP Hide. Now, Security Optimizer covers all that and more \u2014 plus weekly activity email reports and instant IP blocking.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"pressidium<\/a>

Pressidium Cookie Consent<\/h3>
FREE<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

The best free cookie consent plugin I\u2019ve found. It\u2019s built on open-source code from GitHub, it\u2019s lightweight, minimalistic, and covers all basic needs. The only downside: you need to manually list the cookies. But it even supports translations for different languages.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"litespeed<\/a>

LiteSpeed Cache<\/h3>
FREE<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

If you\u2019re on a LiteSpeed Server, this is a no-brainer. It provides excellent caching, page optimization, CDN integration, object caching, and even free image WebP conversion. If you don\u2019t have a LiteSpeed server, there are alternatives, but I haven\u2019t tested others personally.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"translatepress<\/a>

TranslatePress<\/h3>
FREEMIUM<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>

If you\u2019re on a LiteSpeed Server, this is a no-brainer. It provides excellent caching, page optimization, CDN integration, object caching, and even free image WebP conversion. If you don\u2019t have a LiteSpeed server, there are alternatives, but I haven\u2019t tested others personally.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Software I use on my computer:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

XnConvert (Free) (MacOS & Windows)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best tool I\u2019ve found for batch image conversions. You can easily rename and number images in batches, and it supports tons of formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Get it here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

HandBrake (Free) (MacOS & Windows)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the best free programs for video compression. If you need lightweight videos for your site, HandBrake is a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Get it here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

ShareX (Free) (Windows)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take screenshots often, you probably already know ShareX. It\u2019s packed with small, super useful tools. Sadly, it\u2019s not available on MacOS. On Mac, I use ColorSlurp for finding HEX color codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Get it here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u0391dobe Suite (Paid Only)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For photo, video, and graphic editing, I stick with Adobe. I mainly use Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Adobe XD. I\u2019ve tried exploring alternatives like DaVinci and Figma, but I\u2019m too used to my Adobe workflow for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Get it here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now let\u2019s take a look at the hardware I use:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apple Mac Mini M2 Pro<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around two years ago, I made the switch from Windows to Mac. It was a huge change for me, but luckily it turned out to be one of the best decisions I\u2019ve made. Truth be told, Windows does handle certain things better \u2014 like the File Manager \u2014 but with the Mac Mini M2 Pro<\/strong><\/a>, I have an ultra-compact machine that runs everything at top speed with total stability. It has never crashed or frozen on me. Goodbye, blue screens of death \u2014 haha!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LG UltraWide 49\u201d Monitor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I moved to Mac, I also decided to say goodbye to my dual Samsung 24\u201d monitors and invest in a single LG 49\u201d UltraWide<\/strong><\/a>. At first, the new workflow felt a little strange, but now I can say it was a smart move. This IPS panel with 144Hz refresh rate delivers great quality and a much smoother experience. Check out a quick video tour of my desk setup here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony A7 Mark III<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For content creation, I use the Sony A7 Mark III<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s a hybrid, reliable camera that works beautifully for both photography and videography. There are thousands of reviews out there if you want to dive deeper into it. I\u2019ve had mine for over four years now, and it still delivers outstanding results every single time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DJI RS 4 Gimbal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, I upgraded my gimbal, moving from the RS 2 to the RS 4<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s a solid upgrade, with a super smooth transition from landscape to portrait mode, automatic axis locks, a responsive touchscreen, and a new design that splits into two pieces, making it much easier to transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are all the tools I currently use to offer complete, high-quality solutions to my clients. This article may get updated over time as I add more tools to my workflow.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These are my essential tools \u2014 my \u201cmust-haves\u201d \u2014 and purely my own suggestions. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"13","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% %%sep%% %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"These are my essential tools \u2014 my \u201cmust-haves\u201d \u2014 and purely my own suggestions.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2694"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2694\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonblackeye.com\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}