Front-End Developer Toolbox (Software Edition)
Tags: webdev, productivity, codenewbie, beginners
Published: 2020-06-27 16:31:43

There is so much front-end developer software out there to choose from and finding your cup-of-tea is a battle in and of itself. Like any master craftsman that has countless tools at their disposal they will still rely on the trusty **toolbox**. They carry in it a select number of items that they know can be used in any situation and get them out of any pinch.

So here I am sharing my toolbox with you. I have rounded up the 5 different software assets that I find essential to my daily workflow. 

Enjoi!

*Disclosure Statement: Not all of the software tools mentioned are free of charge and available for both Windows & Mac. Your career is worth investing in.*

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![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/8qkhshfkm2fqph1k1mch.png)

##1: PhpStorm

Don't let the name fool you. This html/css/javascript/php IDE developed by the kind people at [**Jet Brains**](https://www.jetbrains.com/) is a powerhouse. From groovy customization to deployment configuration and beyond, whatever you need to get done PhpStorm will do it for you.

*Cost: US $89.00/yr. Cost decreases over time*

*Availability: macOS, Linux, Windows*

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![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/v19iwnb8c7ux47v9nmox.png)

##2: SourceTree

Their mission is simple. [**Sourcetree**](https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/) simplifies how you interact with your Git repositories so you can focus on coding. If you fear the command line as I do then SourceTree is your side-kick in the battle with version control. Available for Windows & Mac, SourceTree will have you saying *Sayōnara!* to the command line.
 
*Bonus: Their UI is as slick as Johnny Bravo's pompadour.*

*Cost: Free*

*Availability: macOS, Windows*

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![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/8oa91itdww9sd6xvymm5.png)

##3: Transmit

The people at [**Panic**](https://panic.com/) are cooking up some pretty radical things. Among those is the handy file transfer app [**Transmit**](https://panic.com/transmit/). Transmit handles the classics — FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and S3. But it also includes other could services such as Backblaze B2, Box, Google Drive, DreamObjects, Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, and Rackspace all in a familiar UI. 

P.S. They have their own code code editor [**Nova**](https://panic.com/nova/) coming out soon!

*Cost: US $45.00*

*Availability: macOS*

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![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/58181be6vm58wbf462mu.png)

##4: Prepros

[**Prepros**](https://prepros.io/) is your friendly web development companion. Don't mistake its kind appearance for lack of grit. Not only does this workhorse compile everything from Sass, Less, Stylus, Pug/Jade, Haml, Slim, CoffeeScript and TypeScript, but it also transpiles your JavaScript, reloads your browsers and makes it really easy to develop & test your websites so you can focus on making them perfect.

*Cost: US $29.00*

*Availability: macOS, Linux, Windows*

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![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/vkzkui0qyzrcom5nuqqp.png)

##5: Local by Flywheel

This software can be described as a top tier ergonomic setup: You didn't know how bad you needed it until you got it. Simply put [**Local**](https://localwp.com/) is a fuss-free way to develop WordPress sites locally. [**Flywheel**](https://getflywheel.com/) not only gave us delightful managed WordPress hosting but they over achieved and gave us a tool that can install Wordpress in one-click, contains staging/production environments, hot-swappable PHP environments, plus many more awesome dev treats.

Do yourself a favor and give it a whirl.

*Cost: Free/Pro Pricing*

*Availability: macOS, Linux, Windows*

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##Recap

Well there you have it! I hope you found the tour of my trusty Front-End Developer Toolbox enjoyable, or at the least compelling. It's important to note that these tools are what help **Me**. My hope is that what I shared might help **You**.

What tools do you use on a daily basis that ease your workflow? 


-Hector C. *Supplier of Gloriousness*