10 Best Software Development Tools Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 27 tools reviewed.
With so many different software development tools available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to create, test, debug, and maintain your software applications but need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of different software development tools with various teams and projects, with my picks of the best software development tools.
What are Software Development Tools?
Software development tools are applications and platforms that assist in creating, testing, debugging, and maintaining software. These tools encompass a wide range, including integrated development environments (IDEs), code editors, compilers, debuggers, version control systems, and testing frameworks. They support various tasks in the software development lifecycle, providing functionalities tailored for efficient programming and project management.
The benefits of using software development tools include increased efficiency and productivity in the software development process. They help in improving the quality of code, reducing errors, and streamlining collaboration among development teams. These tools automate repetitive tasks and provide a structured environment for managing complex software projects. They are crucial in maintaining project timelines, facilitating effective communication, and ensuring that software meets the required standards and functionalities.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Software Development Tools
You can use the simple overviews of each tool below to understand how each tool stands out from other software development tools.
Visor is a project management tool that offers a bi-directional integration with Jira, enabling the import of over 75 Jira field types for comprehensive data management and visualization. This capability positions Visor as a top choice for users seeking to create custom views and effectively manage projects within the Jira ecosystem.
Why I picked Visor: I chose Visor after determining its unique ability to provide custom views and robust Jira integration. What makes Visor stand out is its capability to connect with various SaaS applications, allowing for a unified workspace that caters to diverse project management needs. I believe Visor is the best tool for Jira integration and custom views because it not only ensures that data stays in sync with nested Jira information but also supports bi-directional integration, enabling teams to manage and share reports that reflect complex Jira hierarchies effectively.
Visor Standout Features & Integrations
Features include include API, dashboards, data export/data import, data visualization, external integrations, Gantt charts, multi-user, project management, task scheduling/tracking, resource management and third-party plugins/add-ons.
Integrations include Jira, Salesforce, and HubSpot.
Visor starts at $9 per user per month and has a free plan available.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Free plan for 2 workbooks & 5 views each
- Free unlimited viewer-only accounts
- Live support via phone & video call
Cons:
- May cost extra for monthly integration sync credits
- Unlimited audit trail locked to highest plan
GitHub
Best for automating build, test, and deployment workflow with secure CI/CD
GitHub is a Git repository hosting service that provides web-based coding and collaboration capabilities developers use to build, test, and deploy applications.
Why I picked GitHub: Trusted by millions of users across the globe, GitHub is an outstanding tool that is designed for collaboration. GitHub boosts productivity and offers features for high-quality software development. GitHub’s unlimited repositories, open source community, automation capabilities, and version control system increase developer velocity and help your team to work together efficiently.
GitHub’s built-in security features make the tool stand out. The platform enables you to secure your code in minutes and stay compliant with regulations. With GitHub Actions, you can automate your build, test, and deployment processes with super-secure CI/CD. It has an AI-powered solution, GitHub Copilot, that makes development 55% faster.
GitHub Standout Features and Integrations
Features include collaboration capabilities, built-in security, a complete dev environment, code scanning, workflow automation, unlimited repositories, and version control.
Integrations include Slack, GitKraken, Atom, Disbug, Jira, Azure Boards, Codetree, Nessus, and GitHub Scanner.
GitHub costs $3.67 per user/month and offers a free plan for individuals and organizations.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Great documentation
- Good collaboration features
- Reliable backup
- A wide range of integrations
- Large open-source community
Cons:
- A steep learning curve
- The subscription fee can add up fast
- Security risks
Bitbucket Cloud, optimized for developers using Jira, is the native Git tool in Atlassian’s Open DevOps solution that offers outstanding Jira integration and built-in CI/CD.
Why I picked Bitbucket: Millions of developers build on Bitbucket because of its outstanding capabilities, including ease of collaboration across multiple teams. This powerful Git solution enables you to seamlessly manage your Jira issues using the built-in Jira user interface. As a result, it helps minimize context-switching.
Bitbucket has code review features, which help you find and resolve issues before deploying your software. With the in-built CI/CD and Bitbucket Pipelines, you can increase developer velocity by automating workflows.
Bitbucket Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a built-in Jira interface, code review capabilities, automated deployments, automatic security scans, automated issue tracking, and collaboration capabilities.
Integrations include Jira, IronGit, Makerflow, Mergetastic, Fleep, Atlas Bot, Bucket Board, CircleCI, CloudCannon, and Code Dog.
Bitbucket costs $15/month for 1 - 5 users and offers a freemium plan.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Ease of collaboration across multiple teams
- Shipping of high-quality codes
- Flexible pricing
- Teams that integrate Jira release faster
Cons:
- Lacks some features that top alternatives have
- Users encounter configuration challenges sometimes
- The support platform needs to improve response time
Linx is a low-code development platform used by software teams to build and deploy APIs, automation, and other software solutions.
Why I picked Linx: Linx is a top no-code development environment that allows you to build software solutions without requiring code, frameworks, or infrastructure. The platform has built-in tools for the management and monitoring of what you create.
Linx enables you to develop complex applications with smart editors, pre-built templates, and familiar coding concepts. It integrates with any stack. So, you can increase development speed by importing resources from your databases.
Additionally, Linx has outstanding and easy debugging processes and a wide range of plugins. As a result, developers get rid of issues easily and accelerate development with pre-built components.
Linx Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a low-code editor, workflow automation, integrations, built-in management & monitoring, APIs & microservices, pre-built templates, and code debugging.
Integrations include Google Drive, Microsoft Excel, Gmail, GitHub, MySQL, Microsoft Azure, Xero, MongoDB, Adobe Analytics, and Amazon EC2.
Linx’s pricing starts from $49 per month with a free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Low-code IDE
- Easy visual debugging
- Smart editors
- Works with any stack
Cons:
- The UI needs some improvements
- Limited pre-built solutions
Apache NetBeans provides a code environment and smart tools for building applications in multiple languages.
Why I picked Apache NetBeans: It has outstanding features that allow you to implement code refactoring easily and highlight source code syntactically and semantically. Apache NetBeans offers wizards, templates, and editors that help speed up development and enable the use of multiple languages.
Apache NetBeans can be run on OSs that support Java - it’s cross-platform. In other words, it can be installed on popular operating systems like BSD, Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux. Moreover, the concept of Write Once, Run Anywhere applies to the Apache dev environment.
Apache NetBeans Standout Features and Integrations
Features include cross-platform tools, code refactoring, editors, wizards, and templates.
Integrations include DataMelt, CSS, JRebel, Zulu Enterprise, Java, PHP, Payara Enterprise, JavaScript, C++, and XRebel.
Apache NetBeans offers customized pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Lightweight runtime
- Simple user interface
- Great community support
- Cross-platform
Cons:
- It’s slow to load sometimes
- Learning how some features work takes time
AWS Cloud9, a top integrated development environment (IDE), provides all the tools you need to write, run, and debug your code - using a browser.
Why I picked AWS Cloud9: It offers a complete dev environment, including a code editor, debugger, and terminal. Cloud9 supports popular coding languages, making it easy for users to start projects without the need to install files or run extra configurations.
AWS Cloud9 is cloud-based. There is no need to install a local IDE. This allows your team members to work from anywhere. Cloud9 enhances collaboration since your teams can work together in real-time. With a few clicks, team members can share the dev environment and stay in touch in real-time with a messaging feature.
You can speed up development with some time-saving features, such as code hinting, step-through debugging, and code completion.
AWS Cloud9 Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a code editor, debugger, support for multiple programming languages, and collaboration in real-time.
Integrations include DronaHQ, SaaS customer intelligence 360, NewGenEducationApp, Ataccama ONE, Privitar, VidPowr, TouchBase, AWS, Python, and CSS.
AWS Cloud9 offers customized pricing and allows users to get started for free.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Free AWS training
- Comprehensive dev environment
- Code with browsers - like Google Chrome
- Autocomplete feature
- Build applications with ease
Cons:
- It takes time to get used to the interface
- Documentation can be hard to understand
- Constant connection to the internet is required
App Builder is a low-code platform that helps software teams to build enterprise apps faster using pre-built app templates and drag & drop features.
Why I picked App Builder: It gets rid of the complexity that comes with UI design and streamlines the entire software building process. App Builder makes fast app development possible with high-end tools, including 60+ UI controls.
App Builder allows you to deliver your app 80% faster - using customizable templates and responsive screen layouts. The platform is compatible with popular design tools like Sketch, Figma, and Adobe XD. You can import your designs and turn them into an HTML code with a few clicks.
App Builder Standout Features and Integrations
Features include WYSIWYG drag & drop capabilities, pre-built templates and starter layouts, 60+ UI controls, high-speed RAD development, integrations, and real-time source code preview.
Integrations include Fitter, Stacker, GoodBarber, AppSheet, Interfaces by Zapier, Softr, Tadabase, Typebot, Amazon Honeycode, and Kaspr.
App Builder’s pricing starts from $1,095 per developer.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Fast development
- Production-ready code
- Low-code features
- What you see is what you get
Cons:
- Subscription is expensive
- Not suitable for users that want to improve their coding skills
New Relic provides engineers with the capabilities required to monitor, debug, and improve their software or entire stack.
Why I picked New Relic: This all-in-one tool combines 30+ capabilities to enable you to monitor your stack. New Relic extends its functionalities with 530+ integrations. The platform is data-driven and provides the solutions your team needs to monitor and solve software performance issues.
New Relic has a flexible pricing model that allows you to only pay for what you use. And offers 100 GB of free data ingest per month. It provides the insights you need to plan, develop, and deploy. With multiple tools built into one platform, New Relic enables you to fix things faster with one connected experience.
New Relic New RelicStandout Features and Integrations
Features include backend monitoring, Kubernetes monitoring, mobile monitoring, model performance monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, log management, error tracking, network monitoring, vulnerability management, and browser monitoring.
Integrations include Guided install, Java, WordPress, MySQL, Tomcat, PHP, Django, .NET, Kafka, and ActiveRecord.
New Relic offers an “only pay for what you use” pricing model and allows users to get started for free.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Fast resolution of issues
- A comprehensive observability tool
- A wide range of capabilities
- 530+ integrations
Cons:
- A complex pricing model
- It’s difficult to predict how much you are going to spend
Trusted by many, Visual Studio is a comprehensive development platform that offers a wide variety of tools for coding, debugging, and deploying applications.
Why I picked Visual Studio: It is one of the most complete IDEs with three major solutions: Visual Studio for Windows, Visual Studio for Mac, and Visual Studio Code. Visual Studio Code is a source code editor that is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Visual Studio Code is ideal for JS & web developers and comes with an extensive range of extensions to support other languages and runtimes. Microsoft Visual Studio provides outstanding capabilities, such as compilers, code completion features, and graphical designers.
It is a very fast IDE that enables you to code faster on any platform/device. There are collaboration tools to enable your team members to work together in real-time. Best of all, you can identify and resolve issues before they happen.
Microsoft Visual Studio Standout Features and Integrations
Features include IDE for Windows, IDE for Mac, code completion tools, compilers, extensions, issue tracking, and graphical designers.
Integrations include Microsoft Teams, TeamSupport, Targetprocess, Time Doctor, Condenvy, Flock, LambdaTest, TMetric, ClicData, and BrowserStack.
Microsoft Visual Studio starts at $45 per month and offers some free tools to individuals.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- A comprehensive IDE
- It’s easy to start and run a fresh project
- Real-time collaboration
- High developer agility and productivity
- Cross-platform tools
Cons:
- Licensing is a bit expensive
- Code compilation error alerts can be misleading sometimes
- It lags sometimes
Jira is a leading project management tool that developers use to plan, automate, and track software development processes.
Why I picked Jira: It has project management features that help developers to stay organized, work fast, and collaborate effectively. The project planning capabilities help you break ideas into easy-to-manage chunks across teams.
Jira Software’s Open DevOps takes care of necessary automation and integrations while your team focuses on developing, deploying, and managing applications. This solution sets the foundation for DevOps right and helps you focus on things that matter.
Jira Standout Features and Integrations
Features include customizable templates, complete visibility in the DevOps process, No-code automation, Issue management, tracking & reporting, and reliable security.
Integrations include ScriptRunner, Jira Misk Custom Fields (JMCF), Deep Clone, BigPicture, Zephyr Scale, Xporter, Worklogs, Asset Management for Jira, and Calendar for Jira.
Jira costs $7.75 per user/month with a 7-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrations
- Easy bug tracking
- Highly customizable
- Good security
Cons:
- Not as intuitive as some top Jira alternatives
- Steep learning curve - for some features
The Best Software Development Tools Summary
Tools | Price | |
---|---|---|
Visor | From $9/user/month | Website |
GitHub | Starts at $3.67/user/month | Website |
Bitbucket | From $3/user/month | Website |
Linx | Starts from $49/month | Website |
Apache NetBeans | Free to use | Website |
AWS Cloud9 | Customized price upon request | Website |
App Builder | Starts from $1,095/developer | Website |
New Relic One | Offers an “only pay for what you use” pricing model | Website |
Microsoft Visual Studio | From $45 per month | Website |
Jira | From $7.50/user/month (billed annually). | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOther Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best software development tool list:
- New Relic One
Best for data-driven monitoring and software performance optimization
- Microsoft Visual Studio
Best IDE for .NET and C++ developers on Windows
- Jira
Best issue and project tracking tool for agile teams
- Codenvy
Best for providing a secure and zero-configuration cloud-native software development environment
- Dreamweaver
Best website design tool for developing and managing dynamic websites
- Azure
Best for providing the latest AI models and complete dev tools
- Zoho Creator
A low-code application development tool that enables developers to design, build, and deploy business solutions.
- TestRail
Test case management, test planning, test execution, and reporting & analytics solutions for QA teams.
- Studio Creatio
A no-code tool that uses workflow automation, integrations, and AI/ML models to help developers build applications with just a few clicks.
- DHTMLX
Helps developers to boost development speed with JavaScript UI libraries.
- Quixy
Drag-and-drop no-code app development and business process management capabilities for users across industries.
- GeneXus
Streamlines how developers build, maintain, and evolve software systems with deterministic code generators and AI-powered tools.
- GW Apps
A no-code platform that helps citizen developers and IT teams to build web applications faster and manage their data & business processes properly.
- Bootstrap
Provides developers with a feature-rich front-end toolkit for developing fast, responsive websites and web apps.
- UltraEdit
Highly configurable text editor designed for customers ranging from individual programmers and startups to large enterprises.
- CodeCharge Studio
Provides visual, rapid web application development and reporting capabilities for software development teams.
- Delphi
A cross-platform software development environment that provides developers with the tools to design, develop, debug, and deploy native apps 5X faster.
- Retool
Provides drag & drop app building blocks for developers in companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 500s.
- Embold
Code review & quality monitoring, refactoring support, and security & compliance solutions for developers and QA teams.
- CodeLobster
Offers free cross-platform IDE that streamlines and simplifies the development process for PHP/HTML/CSS/JavaScript developers.
How I Selected The Best Software Development Tools
Perhaps you're wondering how I selected the best software development tools for this list. To build this top 27 list, I evaluated and compared a wide range of software development tools with positive user ratings.
After determining my long list of top choices, I further honed my list by using the selection criteria below to see how each platform stacked up against the next one. I also drew on my years of software development experience to pinpoint the features that add a lot of value.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best software development tools for this article:
User Interface
Every tool on this list has a responsive, simple, and intuitive user interface. The tools have well-designed interfaces, making it very easy for new users to navigate. The navigational buttons are super responsive and strategically positioned to aid ease of use. In addition, the interfaces are aesthetically appealing.
Usability
No matter how powerful a tool is, it won’t be very helpful if users are struggling to apply the features. I picked programming tools that are not sophisticated or too technical to use.
Developers need tools that streamline coding and make development less cumbersome. As a result, all the tools on the list are simple to use. You don’t need weeks of tutorials to get started. It’s easy to figure out how the tools work and get started with projects.
Software Integrations
Software development is vast and requires the use of many tools & frameworks. One of the challenges developers face is using many tools at the same time. Shuttling between tools is mentally tasking and time-consuming. The solution to this problem is integration.
Integrating other tools with your major software development program enables you to have access to your toolset from one platform. It gets rid of the need to move from one tool to another when building software. Consequently, I looked out for tools that can be integrated with a wide range of software development programs and productivity tools.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, three important factors were considered: affordability, flexibility, and transparency. As you go through my list of the best 10 software development tools, you are sure to find tools that suit your budget and project.
People Also Ask
Here are a few popular questions answered for your convenience!
What are the Key Features of Software Development Tools?
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Conclusion
If you are looking to build successful, high-performing software, your choice of software development tools plays a vital role. The tool you use significantly determines the quality of the software, how fast you deliver it, and the cost of development.
Settle for a software development tool that has all the capabilities needed for your project. A good tool has a comprehensive dev environment, future-fit technologies, compatibility with multiple OSs, integrations, and more. That said, carefully explore the tools above to find the one that suits your needs and budget.
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