Tools for Productive Development

Feb 15, 2023·2 min read
by Anthony Coffey

Software development can be complex and time-consuming. Here are some tools that can help you be more productive:

  • Workflow: Familiarize yourself with keyboard shortcuts for the terminal and the IDEs that you use. For example, the refactoring features available in WebStorm are insane time savers.

  • Optimize: Don't just do your work; as you are working, think about how you could optimize your workflow with bash scripts or keyboard shortcuts. There is also a whole load of other tools that make life easier. Use them often and always be on the lookout for more, especially tools that can automate the more mundane and tedious aspects of your work!

  • GitHub Copilot: AI powered code completion tool that has personally saved me a ton of keystrokes. Sometimes it's suggestions are not helpful, but when they are it is honestly impressive and a huge time saver.

  • ChatGPT: Like writing code with C-3PO and R2 by your side. No, seriously... Can help you debug or generate code based on questions and prompts. I'm not even kidding, give it a try and see for yourself! This chatbot has become a new favorite in my toolkit, and it has saved me a ton of time and increased my productivity tenfold!

  • CI/CD tools: CI/CD tools allow you to automate the process of building and testing your code when changes are made. This can help you catch bugs early and make the development lifecycle a lot less painful. Popular CI tools include Jenkins, Travis CI, and CircleCI.

  • Collaboration tools: Collaboration tools can help you work more effectively with your colleagues. Tools like Slack, Trello, and Jira can help you communicate, track progress, and manage tasks more efficiently.