Tools Every Software Engineer Should Know About

15 years ago, a developer only needed a compiler, editor, and revision control system to do his job. What’s more, some people managed do get their job without knowing how use revision control systems properly. But things have drastically changed.

Today, you need to know how use a dozen of different tools for barebones software development. Knowing where to start, naturally, is problematic for people who’ve just took up development.

In order to help you get started, here’s a short list of tools every software engineer should know about.

Tools You Need to Know About (Software Developer)

1] Git

While there are some companies out there that still require you to use CVS, Subversion, and the obscure Clearcase, chances are, and the company that hires you will use something more modern.

For that reason, you need to learn Git. In the software engineering world, Git has become a necessity like tying your shoes or spelling. If you want to make the learning process easier, check this Udemy course out.

2] SQL

Next up, we have another essential tool for any aspiring programmer out there. SQL – or Standard Query Language – is a programming language that allows software engineers to read, delete, and update data from tables.

In addition to knowing basic commands such as SELECT, UPDATE, and INSERT, you also need to know how to write complicated queries using aggregate functions, join, and other sub-queries.

3] JavaScript

There are numerous programming languages and picking which one to focus on may be hard. However, you should probably start with Java.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should become an expert but you should probably know the basics of it. In short, this is the most popular scripting language of today. If a tool or a product is going to add an API, more often than not, it’ll be for JavaScript.

4] Python

Even if you’re trying to become a Java programmer, you should also learn how to use Python, because this programming language is pretty versatile and you might need it at some point in your career.

It allows you create big apps just like Java, but you can also use Python to create scripts and automate a lot of things. Python’s modules can make basically anything possible – from developing web apps to advanced machine learning.

5] AWS

You’re probably already familiar with Amazon Web Services – however – you probably think of it as an ordinary could storage system. And trust us – it’s definitely not an ordinary cloud.

While there are other cloud providers out there, AWS has gotten so popular over the last few years, that you’ll certainly come across it sooner than you think. For that reason, it would be useful to get familiar with AWS.

6] Stoplight

If you’re working on an app, at some point, you’re going to start working on an API. And of course, if you want other developers to use your API, you need to have proper, easy to understand documentation.

This online rest API tool can help you keep your documentation up-do-date from the beginning to the end of the design process.

7] Bash or PowerShell

Modern development tools are quite handy but sometimes, you won’t be able to find the right tool for your needs. Therefore, you’ll need to learn how to write a simple restart script or get an error-code from a pre-existing command.

That’s why you need to learn to use either Bash or PowerShell. Both tools are pretty similar and your choice heavily depends on personal preference.

The Bottom Line

In the end, we should point out that this is not a complete list. As a matter of fact, there are numerous other tools out there that you’ll need to master along the way. However, in our opinion, those were the tools every that should help you get your career started.

A good knowledge of these tools goes a long way in kick starting your career, seeing how you’ll be using these tools on a daily basis. Therefore, you need to put in some effort to learn them inside out and use them without any problems.

Thank you for reading the article. We hope you enjoyed it and found it interesting and informative. If you think we left any tools out, make sure to notify us by leaving a comment in the comment section below.