Perhaps you’ve been in the web development game for years and are continuously looking for ways to be more efficient. Or maybe you’re newly graduated and need advice on the best resources to get you started in your career. Either way, it’s crucial to stay up to date on the top tech tools that can help you achieve success.
Below, we’ve compiled a shortlist of some of the best free web developer resources on the market, their noteworthy features, who will benefit most from using them, and why should you give these tools a try. Let’s find out!
For coding: Sublime Text
Sublime Text is consistently rated as one of the best text editors for coding on a Mac. You can edit code, markup, or prose on a sophisticated interface that earns high marks for its intuitive, colour-coded design. It’s lightweight and flexible, so you won’t run into any lagging performance issues, but it’s also powerful enough to work on large files.
Best features:
- Colour coding and syntax highlighting make it extremely easy to read, edit, and review code.
- Auto-complete feature is smart and context-aware.
- Tab multi-select makes switching between files effortless.
- Shortcuts are extensive, intuitive, and save a lot of time.
- Supports many programming languages, allowing you to keep HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code in a unified file.
- Customizable and supports many third-party plugins.
Sublime Text isn’t necessarily the most robust text editor out there. However, it certainly doesn’t lack any significant features, and the context-aware auto-complete feature is great for reducing repetitive typing.
In summary, it’s powerful where you need it to be and helps you get the job done without complications.
For wireframing and collaboration: Figma
Figma combines design, collaboration, and prototyping tools and rolls them all into one delightful package. Suitable for beginners and experienced developers alike, it’s the ideal tool for working as a team. In addition, it’s an attractive, comprehensive way to build UI, UX, graphic design, or web development projects.
Best features:
- Collaboration is a breeze. Use sticky notes and diagrams on the live FigJam whiteboard. Team members can even edit simultaneously.
- Simple drag-and-drop editor is fun to use.
- Manages assets and pages in a single, sharable file.
- Extensive plugin integration makes the platform flexible and powerful.
- Auto layout tool eliminates tedious fiddling.
The free version of Figma only supports one project. However, you are allowed unlimited drafts and unlimited collaborators. So if you’re just starting out or would like to experience the full force of the program before buying, Figma has you covered.
Do you want to spend less time on busy work and more time on high-level UI/UX brainstorming? Then Figma might just be the only design tool you need.
For open-source web design: Bootstrap
Bootstrap the world’s most popular open-source front-end developer framework. If you want to build fast, mobile-first, responsive websites, then you need to use Bootstrap.
Best features:
- Extensive themes and pre-built components reduce build time.
- Powerful JavaScript plugins enable cross-platform integration.
- Mobile-first design system works beautifully across all devices.
- Huge library of open-source SVG icons.
- Easy to set up and understand.
Bootstrap has a massive free library of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Everything is centred around making your web design workflow faster, easier, and more responsive.
No more issues with scaling across different devices. No more creating precise lines of code from scratch. Instead, Bootstrap simplifies web design so that you can focus on communicating the core vision.
For task automation: Grunt
If you aren’t using a task runner, you’re probably wasting hours every week on repetitive tasks like compilation, minification, linting, unit testing, and other mundane details. Grunt helps you reclaim those hours through JavaScript task automation.
Best features:
- Simplifies your workflow and doesn’t require a lot of effort.
- Saves a lot of time on daily tasks as well as the entire development process.
- Hundreds of different plugin integrations allow you to automate almost anything.
- Improves efficiency and reduces human error due to repetition.
- Mature community and tons of use cases.
Who doesn’t wish they could pass off monotonous tasks to someone else? Automate those tasks with Grunt, and compile your front-end assets with ease.
For everything else: Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow is the place to get answers. Its website claims that “every developer has a tab open to Stack Overflow.” That’s most likely true.
While it’s not a ‘tool’ like the others on this list, it’s one of the essential resources for any developer, data scientist, or system administrator. This online community is free to join and is guaranteed to have the information you’re looking for.
Best features:
- Definitive online resource for web development.
- Quality of information is high as a result of being voted on by the community.
- Ask new questions if you can’t find the answer you’re looking for.
- Increase productivity and get to market faster, without solving every problem on your own.
You won’t always have the answer when a bug pops up and you’re unsure how to fix it. Don’t stress. Instead, utilize the knowledge and experience of the Stack Overflow developer community. You won’t be alone. Developers like you have been helped over 45 billion times. If you’re not already familiar with the free web developer resources presented above, be sure to check them out. Mastering these tools will give you valuable knowledge and experience to help you get to the next step in your career.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of web developer contracts available on Oomple. We match talented professionals with top companies in need of on-site or remote freelancers. By 2027, experts estimate that around 50% of workers will be freelancers. So, it’s important to be prepared and brush up on all of the most in-demand hard and soft skills.
If you’re ready to get to work, visit our Jobs page on Oomple. Whether you’re looking for consultant work, freelance jobs, or you’re a full-stack developer looking for long-term job placement; we can connect you with a company that matches your goals. We’re a marketplace that believes in giving people access to opportunities. So join our community of professionals and show the web development world what you can do!