The job of a software developer is not an easy one, especially in senior positions. The expectations are high, the deadlines are always tight, and even the slightest mistake can derail the whole project. On top of all that, developers frequently work in large, geographically dispersed teams and may use a range of programming languages and technological frameworks.

To simplify their jobs and boost their productivity, developers depend on a long list of software tools that help them complete various tasks quicker and better. Whether it’s taking notes more effectively, writing code more prolifically, catching bugs more quickly, coordinating better with the rest of the team, or testing functionality and compatibility of the final product, access to optimal tools makes a big difference.

This article lists some of the best developer productivity tools currently in the market and clearly outlines what they bring to the table and how they improve the software development process.

List of 10 Best Productivity Tools

GitHub

As the largest online platform for developers, GitHub is the place to go when you need to exchange information with colleagues, seek solutions to difficult problems, or check your code for errors. The platform just launched its AI-driven coding assistant Copilot, potentially shortening the time needed to write functional and bug-free code.

AI Development Tool - GitHub Copilot

Development Tool – GitHub Copilot

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: free plan is available, Team plan costs $3.67 per user/month, Enterprise plan costs $19.25 per user monthly

User ratings:

Mantis Bug Tracker

If your primary goal is to track down as many bugs in your code as possible, Mantis BT should be a part of your toolbox. This is a powerful project management tool and issue tracker designed with software developers and their needs in mind. However, it’s not too complicated to learn and allows novice programmers to advance quickly with assistance from their colleagues.

Mantis Bug Tracker

Mantis Bug Tracker

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: free

User ratings:

Sourcegraph

Development teams can hit a whole another level of productivity by adopting a solution that makes it easier to navigate complex, voluminous code. Sourcegraph is a smart tool that shows its true value on large projects that require timely and accurate delivery, and it has been built upon an open-source foundation so compatibility will never be an issue.

Sourcegraph Interface

Sourcegraph Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: free (open-source)

User ratings:

Tabnine

Harnessing the power of modern AI solution for more productive code generation is a smart approach that is only becoming more and more effective. Tabnine lets you do exactly that, with an autocomplete function than suggests the next line based on previously entered code. This app can be extremely valuable to development teams that face a lot of pressure to complete the project quickly.

AI Development Tool - TabninAI Development Tool - Tabninee

Development Tool – Tabnine

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: Starter plan is free, Pro plan is priced at $12 per month for 1 user

User ratings:

CodeStream

This software might not be able to prevent developers from making mistakes, but it helps to discover and resolve any issues with code that might be blocking further progress. This tool allows team members and supervisors to review the work at every moment and streamline the workflow by connecting to external project management suites.

CodeStream Interface

CodeStream Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: Basic plan is free, Business plan costs $10 per user monthly, Enterprise plan costs $45 per user/month

User ratings:

Testsigma

Testing is a huge part of the software development process, and this tool automates it to a large extent, thereby saving valuable time and resources. By conducting all testing activities on the same platform, development teams can discover issues faster and react to them more vigorously. Testsigma deploys an AI algorithm to help detect errors and makes the testing process less labor intensive.

Testsigma Interface

Testsigma Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: Free plan is available, Pro plan costs $349 per month

User ratings:

Linear

If you are looking for a modern productivity tool designed for software developers, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover Linear. This solution allows organizations to plan projects from start to finish and proactively solve any issues that might arise along the way. Its elegant, smart-looking interface is very inviting and it lets even non-technical users control their projects with amazing precision.

Linear Interface

Linear Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: Free plan is available, Standard plan is offered for $8 per user monthly, Pro plan costs $14 per user per month

User ratings:

ReSharper

This tool helps Visual Studio and .NET programmers to maintain their work in perfect shape no matter how complex or demanding it may be. This tool greatly simplifies code editing and debugging, with high-end analysis of the code and automatic identification of errors. As one of the oldest coding assistant tools in the market, ReSharper can be trusted to deliver results.

ReSharper Interface

ReSharper Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

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SonarQube

Eliminating every error and successfully resolving all technical issues before the official launch is much easier with a tool like SonarQube. This is an enterprise-level code intelligence and quality assurance platform that can be used in combination with a wide variety of programming languages. It provides valuable insights and reduces the time needed to take the project across the finish line.

SonarQube Interface

SonarQube Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Downsides:

Pricing: Developer package starts at $150 per year, Enterprise package stars at $20,000 per year

User ratings:

Bugzilla

With this defect-tracking software, developers can discover all the bugs contained in their code and make sure they are successfully fixed. Bugzilla does a highly technical job but is very easy to control, as its key functions are developed in a smart and practical fashion. While not primarily a productivity tool, Bugzilla can still impact the final delivery schedule in a meaningful way.

Bugzilla Interface

Bugzilla Interface

Developer-friendly features:

Drawbacks:

Pricing: free (supported by donations)

User ratings:

Frequently Asked Questions about Developer Productivity Tools

Q1. Should software developers use general productivity tools or specialized solutions?

Development teams use a lot of different software tools and the decision which ones work the best on the current project is very impactful. It’s common for the team to use a mainstream project management solution while individual developers rely on more specialized apps that help with coding.

Q2. How much AI technology improves new-generation developer productivity tools?

Recent advances in Machine Learning are already being felt in the developer productivity software niche. Some of the apps described above have integrated AI functionalities and are capable of generating full lines of code based on the user’s instructions and contextual clues.

Q3. How much technical knowledge is required to use developer productivity tools?

It goes without saying that productivity tools intended for software developers require a higher level of technical proficiency than general-purpose apps. If the tool serves for coding assistance or debugging, in-depth knowledge of the relevant programming methodology and language may be required.

Final Words

Software developers are working in a very competitive field and need all the help they can get. Productivity tools of various kinds can have a demonstrably positive impact on the output quality as well as quantity, and should be seriously considered whenever a project is large or valuable enough. There are tools that support different phases of the development process, and it’s possible to use several of them in combination to great effect. Once the team learns how to leverage their best features, many issues that were previously hard to deal with might simply disappear.

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The Gemoo Team is committed to building products that help people effectively communicate and collaborate.