The job of a web developer is a comprehensive spectrum. Expectations in different companies, competitions, and classifications are very diverse.
A web developer should have a higher level of programming knowledge than a web designer. This programming is not classic programming as in the work of programmers but is specific and narrowly specialized in the languages and technologies used in creating websites.
Web developers oversee programming and implementing client-side languages within websites. These languages are very popular and very attractive, especially from the aspect of graphical interpretation. They achieve interaction between the user and the website, graphic animation, and dynamics in the content display.
The job of a web developer is based on knowledge of programming languages and technologies and is initially based on JavaScript, XML, jQuery, AJAX, and JSON. All these languages are implemented by the web developer within the code previously created by the web designer.
We can say that the job of a web developer is the second level in the hierarchy and classification of web occupations.
Therefore, the web developer must know how to facilitate an already complex job. Here are some excellent tools for that!
WP Reset
It’s difficult to give a simple yes or no answer on whether you need WP Reset without knowing the details of your situation. It is great for debugging, resetting, maintaining, and testing WP sites. But before any serious work, make sure you have WP Reset’s Emergency Recovery Script installed. You never know if you will end up in a situation where you cannot log in to WP admin with full administrator privileges. Also, your job as a developer will be trivial if you encounter the white screen of death on the whole site. This script helps you fix every problem you meet.
Emergency Recovery Script is a single-file PHP script. It does not require additional WordPress files or functions to work. Instead, it analyzes your WordPress installation independently and gives you over 12 tools to help fix the most difficult issues on your website.
Chrome DevTools
Chrome Developer Tools is a resource that developers, especially those who deal with the front-end, the web application interface, use daily. We assume that most readers already know the basic functionalities of this resource. You probably know what a Console tab is, and you know how to change HTML and CSS when you test something, monitor the Network tab, and the like.
But have you done anything beyond that so far? The Elements tab is the part you often use when you change HTML and CSS for testing purposes. In addition to the Elements tab, you also have the Console tab, one of the most used tabs. You most often use it when tracking errors, doing a debug process, and the like. One of the exciting things you may not have used so far is the Preserve log option. If you check this option, when you go to another page of your web application, you will be able to follow all the actions performed on the other pages. Another standard tab that can make your work easier is the Source tab, which you can use when debugging JS through a browser or looking to see if an old JS file is still loading.
Sketch
If you’re a Mac user and you are into development and design, it is time to step away from the famous Photoshop and try something new and “better”. Photoshop is not ideal for designing a graphical interface (UI). These are alternatives on the market that are unfortunately less used – Adobe XD, Figma, Affinity Designer, and Sketch!
Sketch is very easy to use, and you will grasp the basics very quickly. It is an excellent tool with a bunch of options, especially for UI design and vector drawings. Sharing and exporting graphics is incredibly easy, and you can share them on many pages/web pages. It has excellent integration with other applications and plugins, and best of all, it is an affordable tool. The license costs $99, which is 7x less than a Photoshop license. Web designers and web developers adore it!
Sublime Text
Sublime is a commercial text editor that you should try for many reasons, just some of them are add-ons that facilitate coding (Emmet), small size, speed (perhaps the fastest editor on the market), extensibility, schemes and themes, mini map, the ability to arrange elements on the screen, and a portable version of the same (only for Windows users).
Another great feature is the “Goto” function, which becomes valuable only when you have many open files and thousands of lines of code. Otherwise, it is just a handy accessory you will not use. And we must mention just one more thing, and that is a distraction-free mode. For all those to whom Facebook, Twitter, and other things are a distraction from work – start this mode, and you will solve all temptations. Sublime Text will remove anything that might bother you from the screen, expand the desktop to full screen, and “make” you focus on work. An excellent thing for all developers and those who like to write – various WordPress bloggers buy this editor precisely because they can write their texts without hindrance. At the same time, they immediately get a very modern editor for all other needs.
Even though it is a commercial program, it does not mean you have to buy it to use it. You will also not be deprived of some of its options, as is the case with other commercial solutions; instead, an advertisement will appear from time to time. We should note that the program works on all platforms (OS X, Linux, Windows).
SASS
The simplicity of CSS has always been one of its main features. CSS code is just a long list of rules that consist of selectors and the styles that apply to them. But as websites or applications become larger and more complex and are applied to a broader range of devices and screen sizes, code complications occur. In these situations, there is a need to keep the simplicity of CSS. In response to this request, a new CSS syntax has been created to facilitate the management of complex CSS files. It is accomplished by using pre-processors (programs that run on your computer or server) that translate the new enhanced syntax into the old classic CSS that browsers understand.
This syntax is called SASS, short for “syntactically awesome style sheets”. Unlike regular CSS, SASS is a scripting language with expressions, functions, variables, conditional logic, and loops. You do not have to use all of these to receive benefits from SASS, but they are always available to you. In situations where you encounter large and complex projects, you will make repetitive CSS code much easier to encode and maintain.
GitHub
GitHub is Internet hosting for software development and version control based on Git software. It provides developers with a web-based graphical interface, desktop, and mobile integration. GitHub gives its users access to private repositories and free accounts, typically used as hosts for open-source software projects. According to GitHub reports from April 2016, they have more than 14 million users and 35 million repositories, making them the biggest source code host in the world.
The most significant advantage of this tool is that a whole team of programmers, developers, and web designers can work on one project, simultaneously monitor development, and correct mistakes in progress. To be able to create or modify existing private repositories, you must have a registered account.
Conclusion
Expectations from developers have increased significantly in recent years, primarily due to strengthening browsers and comprehensive frameworks that raise the bar to a high level. A good developer is no longer someone who only knows how to make a sticky navigation menu and pop-ups. But, they are a person who is expected to possess a diverse set of skills – logic, creativity, precision, and flexibility. An excellent developer is one who, in addition to all this, knows how to make their job easier by using the tools available on the market, reducing working hours, and increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, be among the great developers and put the tools we have selected for you on your list of mandatory tools.
