The Developer One of the best things about becoming a developer is that the tools of the trade are almost entirely free. You don't need expensive software licences to write and ship professional code. The tools listed here are used daily by junior and senior developers alike, start using them from day one.
1. VS Code (Visual Studio Code)
What it is: A free, open-source code editor from Microsoft. It's the most widely used code editor in the world by a significant margin.
Why it matters: VS Code has an enormous extension marketplace, excellent Git integration, an integrated terminal and built-in support for virtually every programming language. It's fast, customisable and has one of the best developer communities of any tool in existence.
Get it: code.visualstudio.com
Key extensions to install: Prettier (auto-formatting), ESLint (JavaScript linting), GitLens (enhanced Git) and the extension for your specific language (Python, JavaScript, etc.).
2. Git
What it is: A version control system, a tool that tracks changes to your code over time.
Why it matters: Git is non-negotiable in professional development. Every team uses it. It lets you save snapshots of your work, undo mistakes, collaborate with others without overwriting each other's code and manage different versions of a project simultaneously. Learning Git early saves you from losing work and prepares you for your first job.
Get it: git-scm.com, Git comes built into macOS and most Linux distributions.
3. GitHub
What it is: A website for hosting and sharing Git repositories.
Why it matters: GitHub is where your portfolio lives. Every project you build should be on GitHub, it's your CV as a developer. It's also where most open-source software lives and contributing to open-source is one of the best ways to build real-world experience. Free for individual use.
Get it: github.com
4. Chrome DevTools
What it is: A set of developer tools built directly into Google Chrome (and available in other browsers).
Why it matters: DevTools is how you inspect and debug websites. You can inspect the HTML structure of any webpage, see what CSS is applied to any element, debug JavaScript, monitor network requests, test performance and emulate mobile screens. Open it with F12 or right-click → Inspect. You'll use it every single day as a web developer.
5. Postman
What it is: A tool for testing and exploring APIs.
Why it matters: When you're building backend APIs or integrating with third-party APIs (payment gateways, weather data, maps, etc.), you need a way to send requests and inspect responses without building a full frontend. Postman makes this easy. It's the standard tool for API development and testing across the industry.
Get it: postman.com, free for individual use.
6. GitHub Copilot (Free Tier)
What it is: An AI coding assistant built into VS Code that suggests code as you type.
Why it matters: Copilot doesn't write code for you, it accelerates you. It's excellent for boilerplate, remembering syntax and exploring how something might be structured. GitHub offers a free tier. As a beginner, use it as a learning aid, not a crutch, always understand the code it suggests before using it.
7. Figma
What it is: A browser-based design tool for creating UI mockups and prototypes.
Why it matters: You don't need to be a designer to use Figma. Knowing how to read a Figma file and translate a design into code is a genuine skill employers value in frontend developers. The free tier is generous enough for individual projects and learning. Many open-source design resources and templates are available for free on Figma Community.
Get it: figma.com
8. Vercel or Netlify
What they are: Free hosting platforms for deploying web applications.
Why they matter: Every project you build should be live on the internet, not just sitting on your local computer. Vercel (vercel.com) is the best choice for React apps and Next.js. Netlify (netlify.com) is great for static sites. Both connect directly to GitHub, so your site automatically redeploys every time you push code. Free tier is more than sufficient for portfolio projects.
9. The Terminal (Command Line)
What it is: The text-based interface to your operating system, built into every Mac, Linux machine and Windows (via WSL or PowerShell).
Why it matters: Developers live in the terminal. You'll use it to run code, install packages, manage Git, deploy applications and navigate your file system. The sooner you get comfortable here, the faster everything else becomes. Start with basic navigation: cd, ls, mkdir, touch and cp. Then learn npm/pip commands for your language of choice.
10. Stack Overflow
What it is: A question-and-answer website for programmers.
Why it matters: Every developer, junior and senior, uses Stack Overflow. It's where you go when you're stuck on an error or need to understand how something works. The secret is learning how to search effectively: include the error message, the language and the version. You'll often find your exact problem has already been answered. Over time, you'll start contributing answers too.
"The best developers are not the ones who never get stuck. They're the ones who know how to get unstuck quickly and these tools are a big part of that."
Bonus: Tools to Explore as You Progress
- Docker Desktop, containerise your applications (essential for DevOps)
- TablePlus or DBeaver, free GUI tools for exploring databases
- Jupyter Notebooks, essential for data science and AI work in Python
- ESLint + Prettier, keep your JavaScript code clean and consistent automatically
- Oh My Zsh, makes your terminal much more pleasant to work in (Mac/Linux)
Start Today
Don't wait until you're "ready" to set up your tools. Install VS Code, create a GitHub account and write your first line of code today. The setup is part of the journey.