Free Tools for New Developers

We all know the feeling when you’re just starting out and there’s a million tools with a million uses, but which ones should you use? Here is a brief list of some of the most recommended free tools for developers who are just starting out.

Give it a Name - Business Name Generator

A name inspiration tool for your next project. Using AI word recognition to produce relevant name suggestions and checks multiple domain extensions for each idea.

Communities – DigitalOcean Community

It’s not uncommon to have questions while you’re working on a project. For developers and those working alongside them, DigitalOcean provides a community where you can ask questions, provide answers and discuss various aspects of your project with other professionals out there. You can also search their extensive library of tutorials, cheatsheets, and quickstarts.

Team Up – GitHub

The Team Up calendar is a useful way for groups to keep track of the schedule, optimize productivity and make sure that things like meetings and projects are set up accurately. It’s a great app for keeping everyone on track.

Communicate – Slack

Slack makes communicating with your coworkers quick and easy. You’ll be able to easily hold conversations with your team members about various projects, upload documents and even connect other services in order to create the most efficient environment for getting your work done.

File Sharing – Dropbox

Dropbox keeps all your files in one place on the internet, allowing those who you choose to share the files with access for the sake of reviewing, editing and more. It’s a great way to make sure everyone you work with has the files they need to get to work!

Code Sharing – CodeShare.io

While you’re working with other developers, it’s going to be useful to be able to look at the same code in an easy way. Using CodeShare.io, you can all see the same code as it’s created so that you can collaborate easily and any mistakes can be fixed quickly!

Libraries – Libraries.io

Libraries.io provides you a place to easily search for frameworks, packages and other tools that you may need for your projects. With over 3 million different packages, you’ll definitely be able to find the software and tools you need no matter what you’re working on.

Project Management – ASANA

Asana is a key piece of software for delegating tasks and keeping track of the projects that are assigned. It’s an easy way to make sure that each person is receiving the correct work. You can even track the completion rates of each project and see when projects are due.

Documentation – Dropbox Paper

Using Dropbox Paper, you and your team can generate projects together. The software provides excellent tools for task management, the ability to provide feedback right on the spot and even work with some fantastic tools like Sketch, Invision and more.

Developer Documentation – DevDocs

Devdocs.io is a great place to find a range of API documentations in one place. This makes using those documentations much easier, and you get the benefit of an open source that is absolutely free. It even offers curriculum for those who have limited experience with coding.

Icons – FontAwesome

From time to time, you might find that your project needs icons. However, finding free, open source icons that work for the topic of your project isn’t always easy to do. FontAwesome seeks to fill that need, offering a wide variety of free, easy-to-use icons for all your needs.

Mockup – Zeplin

Zeplin is the perfect middle man between designer and developer. Zeplin converts your design document into a pixel perfect mockup with all the necessary CSS markup. It’s a true time saver tool that’s easy to read and follow for devs.

API – Zapier

Another great way to find the APIs you need is through using Zapier. Here, you’ll find more than 1,300 APIs for apps, designed to be easy to locate and use. Zapier also creates workflows made up of multiple steps using these APIs, known as Zaps, to make your work easier.

Speed Test – Google Pagespeed Insights

Naturally, you’ll want your web pages to function quickly and efficiently on just about any device. The speed test offered by PageSpeed Insights allows you to test out your web page and make sure it’s running smoothly and quickly on a wide range of devices.

Mobile & Browser Testing – BrowserStack

Not only do you want to make sure your web pages work quickly on any device, you’ll also want to ensure that they are well-designed and functional for every different device and browser out there. Using BrowserStack, you can make sure no browser or device presents a problem.

Inspiration – CodePen

Codepen is a great way to share and enjoy developer projects that are made to delight, entertain and inform. It’s a great place to take the tediousness out of code and enjoy what that code creates while you learn what kind of code can result in different things.

Cheat Sheets – Dev Hints

Through DevHints, you’ll be able to find cheat sheets for just about all of your coding needs. It’s a great place to check out when you need examples, variables and quotes for different pieces of coding. When you’re curious about a bit of code, this is the place to be!

Security – LastPass

When you have a number of accounts in various locations, it can be so easy to forget which password applies to which account. With LastPass, you can keep track of those passwords in a safe way. It’s designed to remember your passwords and even generate strong ones for you. You can even securely share your password with teammates who also have the app on their browser.

Frontend Checklist – Frontend Checklist

When you need something to check through your code, Frontend Checklist is a fantastic option. It allows you to run a check through the code on your web page, and it will alert you as to whether or not that code is correct.

Writing Comments – CSS-Tricks

This is a great tool to use when you’re in need of some information on comments and how they work in code. You’ll be able to access information on why good comments are important, and what you can do to create them within your own code.

Check Accessibility – ANDI

ANDI is a free piece of software that you can use to check your code and web pages for their accessibility. That way, you can ensure that what you’re creating is fully accessible to others before it’s actually out in the world. This is just another great way to solve potential problems early.