My Full-Stack Developer Toolkit After 4+ Years

#webdev #fullstack #javascript #tooling

I wrote my first line of code in Notepad++, that simple "Hello World" made me feel like a superhero!
Today, we describe what we want and AI delivers it in minutes. The landscape has changed dramatically, but the core tools that make us productive remain crucial.
After 4+ years of building everything from MVPs to production apps, here's my battle-tested toolkit as of September 2025:

Code Editor VS Code (Yes, not Cursor!)

Lightweight and incredibly productive
Perfect balance of features without bloat
Muscle memory built over years of use
Extensions ecosystem is unmatched

Debug & Dev Tools

Lighthouse: Performance measurement and optimization
Postman: API testing and documentation
Figma: Design collaboration and prototyping
Expo Tools: Mobile app development and testing

Essential Extensions The VS Code extensions that supercharge my workflow:

Auto Close Tag: Saves countless keystrokes
Auto Complete Tag: HTML/JSX completion
Auto Import: TypeScript/JavaScript imports
Code Spell Checker: Catches typos in comments/strings
ES7+ React/Redux/React-Native snippets: Rapid component creation
ESLint: Code quality and consistency
JavaScript (ES6) code snippets: Vanilla JS productivity
Material Icon Theme: Beautiful file icons
Prettier: Consistent code formatting
Prisma: Database schema management syntax check
Tailwind CSS IntelliSense: CSS class autocomplete
vscode-icons: Enhanced file explorer

Frontend Frameworks

Next.js: The best of the best! Full-stack React with everything built-in
Vite: Lightning-fast development experience
Expo: React Native development made simple

Backend Frameworks

Express.js (or Fastify): Node.js APIs with speed and simplicity
Nest.js: Enterprise-grade Node.js applications

DBs

Supabase: Postgres with real-time features and auth
Neon: Serverless Postgres (my most used!)
MongoDB: Document database for flexible schemas

Cloud & DevOps

Docker: Containerization and consistent environments
Cloudflare: CDN, DNS, and edge computing

AI & "Vibe Coding" The AI tools that have transformed my development process:

Claude Sonnet 4: Scaling applications like a pro, complex architecture decisions
ChatGPT-4: Creating MVPs and rapid prototyping
DeepSeek: Enhancing app UX/UI with design insights
Grok: Exploring new technologies and handling heavy computational tasks

Why This Stack Works Productivity First: Every tool is chosen for maximum efficiency

Modern but Stable: Cutting-edge features with production reliability

AI-Enhanced: Leveraging AI without becoming dependent on it

Full-Stack Ready: Seamless frontend-to-backend development flow

The Evolution From Notepad++ to AI-assisted development, the journey has been incredible! What hasn't changed is the importance of:

Solid fundamentals over trendy tools
Performance over flashy features
Developer experience that actually improves productivity
Reliable tools that work when you need them