So, you want to boost your productivity as a frontend developer.
Whether you're looking for learning resources, productivity boosters, or curated directories, these picks are here to help you work smarter and level up your frontend skills. So, don't forget to save this list and share it with others who might find it helpful :)
So, let's begin
1. PureRef
The inspiration management board
PureRef is a reference management tool that lets you gather and organize all your visual inspiration in one place. With an infinite canvas, you can drag and drop images directly from the web or your files, arranging them freely to create a personal mood board or design reference.
It's a must have for both designer's and developers. Its available for Mac, Linux and Windows
2. GSAP
Popular web Animation library
GSAP is a popular JavaScript library that makes it easy to create smooth, high-performance animations on the web. It has a very intuitive API for developers, you can make use of this library to create simple to very complex animations easily.
3. Font Tester
Typography extension for webdevelopers
Font Tester is a powerful extension that help you pick fonts for your website. It can help you test and preview 1000+ fonts on any website, helping you create a powerful perception about your brand via better typography.
So, if you suck at picking good fonts for your website, make sure to check this out.
4. SVG Repo
Place to find SVG Vector and icons
SVG repo is a popular free site for finding and using SVG vectors, they have a collection of over 500,000 icons and vectors for you to choose from. All the icons are available for free for both personal and commercial projects.
5. Color Hunt
Curated color palette
Color Hunt provides a curated collection of color palettes, ideal for web designers seeking fresh color combinations. Each palette is carefully crafted and community-approved, helping you find color schemes that fit your aesthetic without the guesswork.
6. CSS Gradient
Gradient generator
CSS Gradient is a simple yet powerful website for creating custom gradients with CSS. It offers an intuitive interface for selecting colors, setting angles, and adjusting stops, then generates the CSS code, ready to integrate into your project.
7. Awwwards
Inspiration and top-rated designs
Awwwards is a website showcase platform for top-rated websites, highlighting excellence in design, creativity, and usability. It’s an excellent resource for web developers and designers to explore new trends, find inspiration and see how the best websites are crafted.
8. LandBook
Inspiration and top-rated designs
LandBook is a curated gallery of beautiful, effective landing pages. It's a great source of inspiration for developers and designers, showcasing real-world examples of landing page design across different industries.
9. Screenity
Screen recording and product recording
Screenity is a powerful screen recording Chrome extension, offering features like annotating during recording, capturing camera and microphone input, and exporting recordings in different formats. It’s perfect for creating tutorials, bug reports, or walkthroughs, making it a great productivity tool for developers, educators, and remote teams.
10. HTML REV
Learning resource and templates
HTML Rev is an extensive collection of over 1,500 free templates, including HTML, Bootstrap, Tailwind, React, Vue, Laravel, and more. It serves as both a valuable learning resource and a library of ready-made templates, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
11. Excalidraw
Brainstorming
Excalidraw is an open-source, online whiteboard for sketching diagrams and layouts. Its hand-drawn style and intuitive tools make it perfect for brainstorming, flowcharting, or quickly mapping out ideas for web projects.
12. Codepen
Online editor
CodePen is an online code editor for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, allowing developers to create, share, and explore front-end projects. It offers real-time previews and a strong community for feedback and inspiration. Ideal for prototyping and learning.
13. BrowserStack
Cross browser testing tool
BrowserStack is a popular browser testing tool, it provides cross-browser testing on real devices, helping developers test website compatibility across various browsers and operating systems without the need for a physical lab. It’s a go-to for ensuring consistent user experience.
14. CSS-Tricks
Learning resource
CSS-Tricks is a blog and reference site filled with tutorials, articles, and snippets on CSS and front-end development. It’s a valuable resource for staying up-to-date with new techniques and finding quick solutions for CSS challenges.
15. Smashing Magazine
Learning resource and blog
Smashing Magazine is a popular online publication for web designers and developers, offering articles, tutorials, and resources on design, development, and UX. It’s known for high-quality, in-depth content that appeals to industry professionals.
So, those where some 15 most useful tools and resources I have used as a developer. Go ahead and comment your favourite.
Top comments (4)
Awesome list! I also use SVG repo, CodePen, CSS Gradient, CSS-tricks etc. Thanks for sharing! For more inspiration, I like Frontend Mentor for challenges.
Wow! seems pretty useful for people beginning their journey. Thanks for sharing.
Great lineup of awesome web dev resources. Thanks for assembling this roundup Paul and I'm extremely grateful that you mentioned HTMLrev
I'm more than happy to share your curated list! It’s a fantastic collection, by the way. :)