16GB vs 32GB RAM: 32GB is the new baseline for serious dev work

16GB chokes under multiple IDEs, Docker (4–8GB), Chrome (4–6GB), and local databases—you’ll hit swaps and beachballs. 32GB gives breathing room to keep everything open without micro-managing. For light scripting in one editor, 16GB might work, but for your stack, 32GB stops the headache.