Essential Tech Tools for Developers in 2025: My Curated Toolkit

After 17+ years in the development industry, I've learned that the right tools can make the difference between struggling with mundane tasks and focusing on what truly matters: building great software. Here's my curated list of essential tools that have proven invaluable in 2025.

Code Editors and IDEs

Visual Studio Code Extensions (Still King)

While VS Code remains the dominant editor, these extensions are game-changers:

  • Cursor: AI-first code editor that's revolutionizing how we write code
  • GitHub Copilot: Essential AI pair programming
  • Thunder Client: REST API testing directly in VS Code
  • Error Lens: Inline error highlighting
  • GitLens: Supercharged Git capabilities

Alternative Editors Gaining Traction

  • Zed: Blazingly fast, collaborative editor
  • Neovim: For those who prefer terminal-based development
  • Fleet: JetBrains' modern IDE approach
// My essential VS Code settings
{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "source.fixAll.eslint": true
  },
  "typescript.preferences.importModuleSpecifier": "relative",
  "emmet.includeLanguages": {
    "javascript": "javascriptreact"
  }
}

Terminal and Command Line

Modern Terminal Experiences

  • Warp: AI-powered terminal with modern UX
  • Hyper: Electron-based, highly customizable
  • Windows Terminal: Finally, a great terminal for Windows
  • iTerm2: Still the gold standard on macOS

Shell Enhancements

  • Oh My Zsh: Feature-rich Zsh configuration
  • Starship: Fast, customizable prompt
  • Fish Shell: User-friendly with great autocompletion
  • Nushell: Structured data shell

Command Line Tools

# Essential CLI tools I use daily
brew install git gh exa bat fd ripgrep fzf tldr httpie jq

Development Workflow Tools

Version Control and Collaboration

  • GitHub CLI: Manage repositories from terminal
  • GitKraken: Visual Git client with powerful features
  • Sourcetree: Free Git GUI for complex workflows
  • Linear: Modern issue tracking and project management

API Development and Testing

  • Postman: Still the leader for API testing
  • Insomnia: Lightweight alternative with great UX
  • Bruno: Open-source, Git-friendly API client
  • Hoppscotch: Web-based API development environment
// Example API test with Bruno
meta {
  name: Create User
  type: http
  seq: 1
}

post {
  url: {{baseUrl}}/api/users
  body: json
  auth: bearer
}

auth:bearer {
  token: {{authToken}}
}

body:json {
  {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "john@example.com"
  }
}

Design and Prototyping

Design Tools

  • Figma: Collaborative design platform (industry standard)
  • Sketch: Still popular for macOS users
  • Adobe XD: Integrated with Creative Cloud
  • Penpot: Open-source design tool

Prototyping and Wireframing

  • Framer: Advanced prototyping with code components
  • Principle: Animation and interaction design
  • Whimsical: Quick wireframes and flowcharts
  • Excalidraw: Hand-drawn style diagrams

Database Tools

Database Management

  • TablePlus: Beautiful, native database client
  • DBeaver: Free, universal database tool
  • Prisma Studio: Visual database browser
  • MongoDB Compass: Official MongoDB GUI

Database Design

  • dbdiagram.io: Quick database schema design
  • DrawSQL: Collaborative database design
  • Lucidchart: Professional diagramming

Productivity and Organization

Note-Taking and Documentation

  • Notion: All-in-one workspace for teams
  • Obsidian: Knowledge management with linking
  • Logseq: Local-first, block-based notes
  • Craft: Beautiful writing and note-taking

Time Management

  • RescueTime: Automatic time tracking
  • Toggl: Manual time tracking with great reports
  • Forest: Focus app using Pomodoro technique
  • Freedom: Website and app blocker

Communication

  • Slack: Team communication (still dominant)
  • Discord: Great for developer communities
  • Zoom: Video conferencing standard
  • Loom: Quick screen recording and sharing

DevOps and Deployment

Container and Orchestration

  • Docker Desktop: Local container development
  • Orbstack: Faster Docker alternative for macOS
  • Kubernetes: Container orchestration (k9s for CLI)
  • Portainer: Docker management UI

Cloud Platforms

  • Vercel: Frontend deployment made simple
  • Railway: Full-stack deployment platform
  • Fly.io: Global application deployment
  • DigitalOcean: Developer-friendly cloud provider

Monitoring and Analytics

  • Sentry: Error tracking and performance monitoring
  • LogRocket: Session replay and debugging
  • Datadog: Comprehensive monitoring platform
  • Plausible: Privacy-friendly analytics
# Example Railway deployment config
version: "3"
services:
  web:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - DATABASE_URL=$DATABASE_URL

AI and Automation Tools

AI Assistants

  • ChatGPT: General AI assistance and code help
  • Claude: Excellent for code review and documentation
  • GitHub Copilot: AI pair programming
  • Cursor: AI-first code editor

Automation

  • Zapier: No-code automation between apps
  • IFTTT: Simple automation for personal use
  • GitHub Actions: CI/CD automation
  • n8n: Open-source workflow automation

Browser Extensions

Development

  • React Developer Tools: Essential for React debugging
  • Vue.js devtools: Vue application debugging
  • Redux DevTools: State management debugging
  • Lighthouse: Performance and SEO auditing

Productivity

  • uBlock Origin: Ad and tracker blocking
  • Bitwarden: Password management
  • Grammarly: Writing assistance
  • Dark Reader: Dark mode for any website

Mobile Development

Cross-Platform

  • Expo: React Native development platform
  • Flutter: Google's UI toolkit
  • Ionic: Hybrid mobile app development

Native Development

  • Xcode: iOS development (macOS only)
  • Android Studio: Android development
  • TestFlight: iOS app testing
  • Firebase: Backend services for mobile

My Daily Workflow

Here's how I typically use these tools in my daily workflow:

  1. Morning: Check Linear for tasks, review PRs in GitHub
  2. Development: Code in Cursor/VS Code with Copilot
  3. Testing: Use Bruno for API testing, Chrome DevTools for debugging
  4. Deployment: Push to GitHub, auto-deploy via Vercel/Railway
  5. Monitoring: Check Sentry for errors, Plausible for analytics
  6. Documentation: Update notes in Notion, create diagrams in Excalidraw

Tool Selection Philosophy

When choosing tools, I consider:

  • Integration: How well does it work with my existing stack?
  • Performance: Does it slow down my workflow?
  • Learning curve: Is the productivity gain worth the time investment?
  • Community: Is there good documentation and community support?
  • Cost: Does the value justify the expense?

Looking Ahead

The tools landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Key trends I'm watching:

  • AI integration in every tool category
  • Local-first applications for privacy and performance
  • Web-based alternatives to desktop applications
  • Open-source alternatives to proprietary tools

Remember: tools are meant to serve you, not the other way around. Start with the basics, gradually add tools that solve specific problems, and don't be afraid to switch when something better comes along.

The best tool is the one you'll actually use consistently. Focus on mastering a few essential tools rather than trying to use everything at once.