27 Best Software Development Tools Reviewed For 2024
10 Best Software Development Tools Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 27 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
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.
monday dev is a tool designed to enhance software development workflows. Tailored for development teams, it provides an intuitive platform for managing every aspect of the software development lifecycle, from planning and tracking to execution and delivery.
Why I picked monday dev: monday dev is unique in that it's a tool that focuses on the project and workflow management side of software development. It offers customizable workflows that adapt to various methodologies, including Agile and Scrum. Features such as automated task assignments, sprint planning, and progress tracking allow development teams to maintain visibility into every stage of the project.
monday dev Standout Features & Integrations
Features include real-time collaboration, visual project tracking, time tracking, workload management, custom dashboards, reporting and analytics, mobile access, timeline view, and dependency tracking.
Integrations include Slack, GitHub, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Dropbox, Zoom, Trello, and Asana.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Rule-based automation features for repetitive tasks related to development projects
- Integration with GitHub and Jira for pull request and issue tracking synchronization
- Highly customizable for different software development stages
Cons:
- Can't actually create and maintain software within monday dev
- Most administration and control features limited to enterprise 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:
- Large open-source community
- A wide range of integrations
- Reliable backup
- Good collaboration features
- Great documentation
Cons:
- Security risks
- The subscription fee can add up fast
- A steep learning curve
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:
- Teams that integrate Jira release faster
- Flexible pricing
- Shipping of high-quality codes
- Ease of collaboration across multiple teams
Cons:
- The support platform needs to improve response time
- Users encounter configuration challenges sometimes
- Lacks some features that top alternatives have
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:
- Works with any stack
- Smart editors
- Easy visual debugging
- Low-code IDE
Cons:
- Limited pre-built solutions
- The UI needs some improvements
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:
- Build applications with ease
- Autocomplete feature
- Code with browsers - like Google Chrome
- Comprehensive dev environment
- Free AWS training
Cons:
- Constant connection to the internet is required
- Documentation can be hard to understand
- It takes time to get used to the interface
Codenvy
Best for providing a secure and zero-configuration cloud-native software development environment
Condenvy is a cloud-based application development software that helps developers to build solutions and collaborate on projects from anywhere - without installing software.
Why I picked Codenvy: It provides a complete, Kubernetes-native development environment, which includes a code editor, debugger, profiler, and building manager. Condenvy provides everything you need to build and ship high-quality applications.
Codenvy is a future-fit coding platform with an integrated set of tools for administering builds, source code repositories, deployments, and testing. It uses cloud technologies (Kubernetes and containers) to offer users consistent, super-secure, and zero-configuration software development space.
Codenvy Standout Features and Integrations
Features include one-click developer workspaces, near-instant onboarding, enterprise integration, and collaboration capabilities.
Integrations include GitHub, Jira, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Azure, and BitBucket.
Codenvy offers customized pricing upon request.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy to manage and monitor workspaces
- Team members can contribute code from remote locations
- Speedy software development
- Collaborative Kubernetes-native tool
Cons:
- Premium support is only available for the paid plan
- Developers complain of occasional lagging
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:
- Cross-platform
- Great community support
- Simple user interface
- Lightweight runtime
- Easy to install
Cons:
- Learning how some features work takes time
- It’s slow to load sometimes
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:
- Cross-platform tools
- High developer agility and productivity
- Real-time collaboration
- It’s easy to start and run a fresh project
- A comprehensive IDE
Cons:
- It lags sometimes
- Code compilation error alerts can be misleading sometimes
- Licensing is a bit expensive
Azure, built by MicroSoft, provides innovative software dev tools that help software engineers build future-ready, super-secure cloud solutions.
Why I picked Azure: Microsoft Azure offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model, enabling users to only pay for the resources they provision. This flexibility allows you to have better control of your budget.
Azure integrates with ChatGPT through Azure OpenAI Service. You can use ChatGPT to build smart apps that offer conversational features, like writing assistance, contextual chatbots, summarization capabilities, and coding assistance.
Additionally, Azure provides the latest AI models, helping you to build custom machine learning models. The AI models include complex speech, vision, decision-making, and language models.
Azure Standout Features and Integrations
Features include complete dev tools, AI models, ChatGPT integration, load testing, and a wide range of Azure solutions.
Integrations include AzurePing, Cloud Explorer for Visual Studio, Cloud Combine, SQL Database Migration Wizard, Azure Blob Studio, Microsoft Azure Storage Connected Service, Graphic Engine VSExtension, Docker, and Azure Grid.
Azure offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model and a free account.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High availability
- Flexible pricing
- Scalability
- Data security
Cons:
- Requires high-level management and maintenance
- Needs high-level tech expertise
Dreamweaver, a product by Adobe, provides web design tools that enable developers to build websites for any browser or device.
Why I picked Dreamweaver: This software supports multiple languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more) and allows you to build web services for any browser or device. Dreamweaver has a good coding engine that enables fast and flexible coding of dynamic pages.
With the code hints feature and visual aids, you can significantly reduce errors and speed up the development process. There are customizable starter templates you can use to quickly build web pages, like e-commerce pages, HTML emails, About pages, and blogs.
Additionally, this tool is part of Creative Cloud. As a result, you can import resources from your Creative Cloud Libraries and Adobe Stock.
Dreamweaver Standout Features and Integrations
Features include multiple programming languages, flexible and speedy coding, a simplified coding engine, code debugging, customizable templates, multi-monitor support for Windows, integrations, and tutorials.
Integrations include Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Photoshop, Arlo for Training Providers, SalesCart, CSS, Diib, POS2Net, Adobe Comp, Adobe Stock, and OpenText xPression.
Dreamweaver’s pricing starts from $22.56 per month with a 30-day free trial of Adobe Stock.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Flexible pricing
- Easy debugging
- Code suggestions
- Seamless integrations
Cons:
- Some users have challenges with global styling
- You don’t get what you see always
- Learning the interface takes time
The Best Software Development Tools Summary
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | monday dev monday dev offers workflow and project management features for software developers, including bug tracking and backlog management. | Best for managing software development workflows | Free trial available | From $8/user/month | Website |
| 2 | GitHub An online software development platform | Best for automating build, test, and deployment workflow with secure CI/CD | Free plan available | From $4/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 3 | Bitbucket Bitbucket is a git-based code and CI/CD tool designed for teams using Jira. | Best git solution for developers using Jira | Free plan available (up to 5 users) | From $3.30/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 4 | Linx A low-code integration and API platform. | Best low-code software development environment | Free demo available | From $149/month | Website |
| 5 | AWS Cloud9 AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based platform used to develop applications. | Best cloud IDE for code debugging | Free | Customized price upon request | Website |
| 6 | Codenvy Condenvy offers a comprehensive development environment in the cloud. | Best for providing a secure and zero-configuration cloud-native software development environment | Not available | Customized price upon request | Website |
| 7 | Apache NetBeans Apache NetBeans is a development platform with a fast and smart code editor. | Best development environment and app framework for refactoring code | Not available | Open source project and Available for free | Website |
| 8 | Microsoft Visual Studio Microsoft Visual Studio is one of the fastest IDE for building software and collaborating on projects. | Best IDE for .NET and C++ developers on Windows | Not available | From $45 per month | Website |
| 9 | Azure Azure is a cloud-based software development platform. | Best for providing the latest AI models and complete dev tools | Free | Offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model | Website |
| 10 | Dreamweaver A web design software that supports multiple programming languages. | Best website design tool for developing and managing dynamic websites | 7 days free trial | From $20.49/month | Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best software development tool list:
- Microsoft Visual Studio
IDE for .NET and C++ developers on Windows
- Azure
For providing the latest AI models and complete dev tools
- Dreamweaver
Website design tool for developing and managing dynamic websites
- New Relic One
For data-driven monitoring and software performance optimization
- App Builder
Dev environment for fast development of complete enterprise apps
- Jira
Issue and project tracking tool for agile teams
- QA Wolf
For software testing with 24-hour expert monitoring
- Visor
For Jira integration & custom views
- Zoho Creator
A low-code application development tool that enables developers to design, build, and deploy business solutions.
- GeneXus
Streamlines how developers build, maintain, and evolve software systems with deterministic code generators and AI-powered tools.
- 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.
- TestRail
Test case management, test planning, test execution, and reporting & analytics solutions for QA teams.
- 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.
- Node.js
An open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment designed to enable software teams to build scalable network applications.
- PTC Implementer
Change management and development process management tool for developers and IT managers.
- Embold
Code review & quality monitoring, refactoring support, and security & compliance solutions for developers and QA teams.
- Retool
Provides drag & drop app building blocks for developers in companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 500s.
- CodeCharge Studio
Provides visual, rapid web application development and reporting capabilities for software development teams.
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.
Developer communities 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?
What Other Testing Resources Do I Need?
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.
One more thing, Click here to sign up for the newsletter to get the latest insights from top thinkers in the QA industry.