Here’s a list of the best free tools every developer should use in 2025:
Code Editors & IDEs
VS Code – The most popular free code editor with tons of extensions.
JetBrains Fleet – Lightweight, AI-powered IDE alternative to VS Code.
Vim – Classic, highly customizable text editor for speed and efficiency.
Version Control & Collaboration
Git – Essential for version control and managing repositories.
GitHub – Free for open-source projects with Actions for CI/CD.
GitLab – Self-hosted alternative to GitHub with DevOps tools.
Cloud & Backend Services
Firebase – Free tier includes hosting, database, authentication, and more.
Supabase – Open-source Firebase alternative for Postgres-based apps.
Railway – Free cloud platform for deploying apps and databases.
Database Management
DBeaver – Powerful database client for managing SQL databases.
Beekeeper Studio – Open-source SQL GUI for managing databases.
MongoDB Atlas – Free tier with a hosted MongoDB database.
API Development & Testing
Postman – Leading tool for API testing and automation.
Hopscotch – Lightweight, open-source alternative to Postman.
RapidAPI – Free API marketplace and testing platform.
Frontend Development
Figma – Free UI/UX design tool for prototyping and collaboration.
Canva – Useful for quick design mockups and presentations.
Svelte – Modern front-end framework with a simple syntax.
DevOps & Automation
Docker – Containerization platform for easy deployment.
Kubernetes – Essential for container orchestration.
Ansible – Automates IT infrastructure management.
Code Quality & Security
ESLint – Helps maintain clean and consistent JavaScript code.
SonarQube – Free tool for static code analysis and security checks.
Dependable – Automates dependency updates on GitHub.
AI & Productivity Tools
GitHub Copilot – Free for verified students and open-source maintainers.
Tabnine – AI-powered autocompletion for coding.
Zed – A new AI-driven code editor focused on productivity.
Performance & Debugging
Lighthouse – Analyzes website performance and accessibility.
Fiddler – Debugs and monitors HTTP/HTTPS traffic.
Sentry – Free error-tracking tool for debugging apps.
Top comments (1)
Great list! Another valuable addition for developers looking for free tools is Free for Open Source (GitHub) and Free for Education (GitHub). These repositories curate a vast collection of free services and tools for open-source projects and students, respectively. Definitely worth checking out.