Dev Tools

This section highlights the recommended desktop tools for developing modern software. It is also important to make sure that these tools are setup and configured correctly.

Code Editor/IDE

VSCode

I recommend VSCode as this is open source, completely free and backed by Microsoft. It is the most popular IDE/code editor available today. Avantages includes GIT integration, advanced debugging, intellisense and loads of extensions. VSCode can be configured for linting and code formatting settings to maintain a consistent coding style amongst all coders.

Download VSCode

Sublime Text

Sublime Text is another popular text editor with advanced editing features, it is very powerful yet light weight with loads of plugins. Costs $80 per user license.

Download Sublime Text

Dev Environment

Laragon

Laragon is the ideal dev environment setup for Windows desktop, it contains LAMP/Django/Node/NPM with MySQL/Mongo enviroments.

Download Laragon

XAMPP

XAMPP is another popular dev environment for Windows but for PHP/MySQL environment.

Download XAMPP

Terminal/CLI

Another part of your dev toolkit is the terminal window or CLI (Command Line Interface). The most common language used is BASH and can be configured for shortcuts etc using .bashrc and .bash_profile.

GitBash

Gitbash is a terminal program for Windows which offers SSH/SCP (Secure Shell with OpenSSH), BASH and GIT features. It ships with GIT for Windows.

Download GitBash Text

ConEmu

ConEmu is a handy, comprehensive, fast and reliable terminal window for Windows. It ships with Laragon.

Download ConEmu

SSH

Secure Shell (SSH) is a cryptographic network protocol for operating network services securely over an unsecured network. Typical applications include remote command-line login and remote command execution, used mostly connecting to remote web machines. OpenSSH is the main standard today for SSH. To use SSH and connect to remote servers, you need to setup a public/private key pair by using commands ssh keygen.

These are specifically Windows SSH Software which is only used when you want to connect with other non-OpenSSH tools.

Download Putty/Pagaent/Plink

WinSCP

Popular SFTP and FTP client for Microsoft Windows. Copy files between a local computer and remote servers using FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP, WebDAV or S3 file transfer protocols.

Download WinSCP

GitBash

Gitbash offers SSH/SCP features. It ships with GIT for Windows.

Download GitBash Text

Browsers

It is very important when developing web applications that it is tested in the most popular browsers today.

Chrome

Download Chrome Text

IE Edge

Download IE Edge Text

Firefox

Download Firefox Text

Safari

Download Safari Text

As well as browsers, it is also important to test to on recent Windows, Macs desktops and iOS, Android devices.