Every developer tools list has 50+ entries and half of them are things the author used once. This isn't that list. These are the tools I genuinely open every working day. If a tool isn't here, I either don't use it daily or I stopped using it.
Code Editor: VS Code (Still)
I've tried Cursor, Zed, and Neovim. I keep coming back to VS Code. Not because it's the best at any one thing, but because it's good enough at everything and the extension ecosystem is unmatched.
Extensions I can't live without:
- GitHub Copilot — AI autocomplete. Saves me 30-40 minutes daily on boilerplate.
- ESLint + Prettier — Format on save. Non-negotiable.
- Tailwind CSS IntelliSense — Autocomplete for Tailwind classes. Essential if you use Tailwind.
- Error Lens — Shows errors inline instead of making you hover. Catches bugs faster.
- GitLens — Git blame inline. "Who wrote this?" is answered instantly.
- Thunder Client — Lightweight API testing without leaving the editor.
Settings I've tuned:
{
"editor.fontSize": 14,
"editor.fontFamily": "JetBrains Mono",
"editor.fontLigatures": true,
"editor.minimap.enabled": false,
"editor.formatOnSave": true,
"editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
}
Minimap off is controversial. I find it useless visual noise. Fight me.
Terminal: Warp
Switched from iTerm2 to Warp 6 months ago. The AI command suggestions are useful maybe 20% of the time, but the real win is command blocks. Each command and its output is a discrete block you can copy, share, or reference. It's how terminals should have always worked.
API Client: Insomnia
I used Postman for years. Switched to Insomnia because it's faster, simpler, and doesn't require an account to use basic features. For quick API testing, Thunder Client in VS Code handles it. For complex workflows with environments and chaining, Insomnia.
Database: TablePlus
GUI database client for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and Redis. Clean interface, fast queries, visual table editing. I use it daily for checking production data and debugging queries.
Worth the $99 license? Absolutely. The free tier (limited tabs) is enough to evaluate, but the paid version pays for itself in the first week.
Design: Figma
I'm not a designer, but I need to read designs, export assets, and sometimes create quick mockups. Figma is the standard. The Dev Mode feature that shows CSS values and spacing is genuinely useful for developers.
Tip: Learn Figma's Auto Layout. It maps directly to CSS Flexbox concepts, making the translation from design to code nearly 1:1.
Git GUI: Fork
For complex git operations — interactive rebase, cherry-picking, resolving merge conflicts — a visual tool beats the command line. Fork is fast, free, and shows the commit graph in a way that makes branching strategies intuitive.
For simple operations (commit, push, pull), I use the terminal. For anything involving multiple branches or conflict resolution, Fork.
Browser DevTools: Chrome + React DevTools
Chrome's built-in DevTools are the most powerful debugging tool available. The features I use daily:
- Network tab — Debugging API calls, checking response times
- Performance tab — Finding render bottlenecks
- Application tab — Inspecting localStorage, cookies, service workers
- Lighthouse — Quick performance/SEO/accessibility audits
React DevTools extension adds component inspection, props/state viewing, and profiling. Essential for React development.
Deployment: Vercel
For Next.js projects, Vercel is the obvious choice. Preview deployments on every PR, instant rollbacks, and zero-config for most projects.
The killer feature: Preview deployment comments. Every PR gets a unique URL that stakeholders can test before merging. This single feature has prevented more bugs than any test suite I've written.
Communication: Slack + Loom
Slack for async text communication with clients and teams.
Loom for anything that's easier to show than explain. Bug reports, feature demos, code walkthroughs. I record 2-3 Looms per week. Clients love them because they can watch on their own time and rewatch parts they didn't understand.
Note-Taking: Obsidian
Markdown-based, local-first, and extensible. I use it for:
- Project notes — Requirements, meeting notes, decisions made
- Code snippets — Reusable patterns I've solved before
- Daily journal — What I worked on, blockers, tomorrow's plan
The key is keeping it simple. No fancy plugins, no elaborate folder systems. Just markdown files organized by project.
AI Assistant: ChatGPT + GitHub Copilot
Copilot for inline code completion while typing. It's best at boilerplate, test cases, and pattern continuation.
ChatGPT for higher-level questions: architecture decisions, debugging complex issues, and understanding unfamiliar codebases. I use it as a rubber duck that talks back.
Important caveat: Never copy-paste AI code without reading every line. AI assistants are confidently wrong often enough that blind trust will introduce bugs.
Monitoring: Sentry
Error tracking in production. When something breaks at 2 AM, Sentry tells me exactly what happened, which user was affected, and the full stack trace. The free tier handles most solo developer needs.
Password Management: 1Password
Every API key, database credential, and client password lives in 1Password. The CLI integration lets me pull secrets into environment variables without storing them in .env files.
The Anti-List: Tools I Stopped Using
- Docker Desktop — Switched to OrbStack. 5x faster on macOS.
- Postman — Required login for basic features. Moved to Insomnia.
- Notion — Too slow for quick notes. Moved to Obsidian.
- Jira — Overkill for solo and small team work. GitHub Issues + Projects is enough.
Conclusion
The best toolkit is the one you actually use consistently. Don't adopt tools because they're trendy — adopt them because they solve a real friction point in your daily workflow. Start with defaults, and only change when the pain is real.
Curious about my development workflow or want to discuss tools? Let's connect — I'm always happy to nerd out about developer productivity.