8 Software Development Tools To Boost Your Productivity in 2022

Software developers are inherently lazy creatures by nature, always looking to save keystrokes and mental cycles wherever possible to spend more time with their families or on the golf course (or doing whatever it is that software developers do in their spare time).

The reality, however, is that productivity tools tend to be expensive and hard to justify based on pure ROI.

Fortunately, there are several free and open-source alternatives are available that can significantly increase your speed and improve your effectiveness as a developer.

Let's take a look at eight such software development tools that will help increase your productivity so that you can spend less time checking things off your to-do list and more time writing code that improves the lives of your users or clients!

Here we go!

1) Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow is an online programming question-and-answer forum with tag lines: Whether you're a coder, a designer, or just curious about how things work, ask away! It's great for asking specific questions that come up while you're working.

You can post your questions publicly if you'd like other users to see them or submit them privately if you want help from just one person. You can even set up email notifications for when someone answers your question. In addition to getting helpful answers, some people say they found their jobs through SO (something I've never heard of happening before)!

For example, here's one programmer who took advantage of his first job interview via SO by being honest about his skill level and saying he wanted to learn more skills to transition into full-time coding.

The result?

He got hired because his interviewer liked that he was open-minded and saw potential in him.

2) Slack

Slack has proven itself invaluable in our day-to-day workflow. If you're a programmer or software developer, then chances are you know all about it already, but for those who don't know—Slack is an application that allows teams of people to communicate with each other effectively in real-time.

The interface is clean and intuitive, making communication seamless. It's also free!

So what are you waiting for?

Sign up now, get on your team's Slack account and start using it for its intended purpose: communicating better with your teammates.

Don't use Slack to chat, though; there are many resources out there that will walk you through setting up useful bots (written by members of Slack's own staff) so that developers can build their own applications inside Slack (hint hint).

There's even integration with Salesforce and Google Drive if needed. This one app can make sure no message goes unnoticed by any team member.

3) Alfred App

It provides users with an efficient way of opening files, folders and websites through quick-access shortcuts known as workflows. For example, a workflow can be set up so that whenever you use a specific keyword combination in any application on your computer, Alfred will perform actions based on your instructions.

These actions can be just about anything—such as looking up a specific piece of information online or creating a reminder for yourself.

Workflows are also extremely useful when it comes to automation; they can help save a considerable amount of time by eliminating repetitive tasks. Since they're easy to create, workflows quickly become one of Alfred's most popular features.

4) Docker

Docker is software that lets you run a program on your computer or any other computer (like Google's Cloud) without having to install it on that computer. It also allows you easily share programs with other people, making collaboration easier.

With Docker, there's no need for a VM and multiple installs of different libraries and dependencies for each program. Instead, programs are put into containers that can run on any machine.

You don't have to worry about ensuring everything works on your local setup because it will just work by default. This efficiency comes at a cost: setting up Docker requires one or two extra steps compared to using virtual machines, but once you're set-up, it does save time.

5) Trello

Trello is an excellent tool for organizing teams and individuals. It's intuitive, easy to use, and visually appealing; you can use it on your computer or mobile device.

The most obvious advantage is organizing items into lists, but Trello has many other tools that make it useful for software development workflows.

For example, you can assign people or tasks specific lists or cards in an activity stream format. And like all good project management software, it allows you to see where progress stands at any time, making checking up on status or assigning new things more accessible than ever before.

You can share Trello boards with clients if they need access, so there are no complicated email threads between them and developers—everything is handled within Trello.

6) Asana

Asana is a project management tool that can be accessed from any device. It allows for collaboration and features such as task creation, discussion boards, checklists, and tags.

It is a helpful tool for projects of all types. You can use it across your team or individually to assign tasks. You'll need an account to see which products/features you have access to (if anything) with your WorkMail or WorkCalendar email accounts.

7) Axosoft

Axosoft has a little something for every software developer, from on-demand Scrum meetings with in-app voice and video chat to Git repository tools that allow you and your team to work quickly and efficiently.

In addition, Axosoft offers project management and time tracking functionality, so you can quickly gain insights into how your projects are performing. The best part: all of these tools are included in Axosoft's enterprise subscription plan.

8) Feedly

When you're a busy developer, it can be challenging to keep up with all of your team's development-related news and articles. To help with that problem, use Feedly, which lets you subscribe to topics related to your industry.

Once you have a subscription list in place, use Feedly as an RSS feed reader. This way, you can read—and comment on—articles without being distracted by ads or other sites outside of your niche. This will ensure that you stay up-to-date on recent trends while still focusing on high-priority projects or tasks.

Final Words!

Programming is a necessary skill set in software product development. If you're looking for ways to get better at coding or otherwise hone your programming skills, try out one of these 8 software development tools, whether you're a developer looking for an edge or someone with an idea for a startup who wants to learn how to build it yourself.

These are some of my favorite tools for software development, but there are many more. If you have any recommendations for other software dev tools, please let me know.