What are the tools that a modern developer really needs to learn? Tools are changing every year, with new tools being introduced to the market and old ones falling out of favor. Here are a few of the best solutions.
Amazon Web Services
Most developers today are going to be using cloud-based services, and Amazon Web Services are undoubtedly the largest. Professionals who are developing for cloud-based environments or simply need the additional number crunching power may want to try out an AWS account early.
Atom
A fully free and open source source editing system, Atom is backed by GitHub’s Electron cross-platform engine and is fast, simple, and clean. Atom is a solid all-around text-editor for those who want an open source product that can be used anywhere and has a small resource footprint.
Chrome Developer Tools
Chrome developer tools give developers the ability to take a look at their CSS and HTML changes in real-time. These tools already come built into the standard edition of Chrome and they’re completely free. Many front-end developers find them very useful for troubleshooting and testing.
GitHub
GitHub is the developing community’s choice for version control. Through GitHub, you can upload all of the different versions of your programs and make sure that no version of your application is ever lost. That’s how it works for a solo developer. For multiple developers, GitHub is even more useful. GitHub makes it easy for large teams to work on a single project, and that’s why it’s become incredibly popular with the open source development community. Employers today often look at a developer’s GitHub account to determine their level of skill and how active they are within the community.
Microsoft Azure Cloud
As noted, AWS is the largest cloud-based service today, but it’s not the only one. Microsoft Azure Cloud is right on its heels, and it’s often used for enterprise use today. Developers who are going to be developing enterprise-grade technology or working closely with Microsoft’s products and APIs may want to get used to Microsoft Azure as well.
NetBeans IDE
There are many IDEs designed to be used for specific languages, and these IDEs are perfectly tailored to C, Java, and other developers. But NetBeans IDE is one of the most popular IDEs (and most often used in college) because it supports nearly every common programming language. NetBeans is an easy to use environment that allows for easy customization, even though it may not be as slick, modern, or advanced as some of the other choices available today. For developers and programmers just getting started, the NetBeans IDE is a good place to begin.
SSH and Terminal Services
SSH services are required for those communicating with Linux/Unix servers, whereas terminal services are going to be required for those communicating with Windows technology. Developers should get used to the ability to remote into a system and control it, as it’s likely they’re going to have to do it quite frequently.
Sublime Text
If you want a modern text editor, Sublime Text is a good option. It is a commercial product, which means that it does come with a cost (unlike Atom), but it’s also a system that is going to be used by a lot of professional environments. It’s a robust platform with all the modern features developers have come to expect.
Though a developer certainly can do without fancy tools (in fact, a solid developer can probably work in Notepad editing text files), tools can make a developer’s life far easier. The above tools are tools that most employers would expect a developer to already be familiar with. If you’re looking for a job in software or development, you can look at the job listings at Software Specialists today.