Software development is divided into several phases. Starting with the prototype and user interface, there are a lot of development activities happening behind the scenes. Though there are tonnes of tools available for making things easier, choosing the right one isn’t that easy. Today, I will share some best useful tools for software developers that will help them in a variety of ways.
Read: Must-Have Technical Skills for Software Developers
Contents
Best Software Development Tools in 2025
1. CodeLobster
Let’s start the list with CodeLobster, one of the best tools for PHP development. It comes with lots of useful features such as smart auto-completion, HTML inspector, DOM elements, support code highlighting, etc. CodeLobster supports popular content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magento. Overall, It simplifies PHP development in several helpful ways.
2. Cloud9
Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) that lets you write, run, and debug your code with just a browser. It supports many popular programming languages like C, C++, PHP, Ruby, Perl, Python, JavaScript, and Node.js.
Cloud9 comes with a built-in Terminal for command execution and also allows you to clone the entire development environment. Besides all the essential features like smart auto-completion and a powerful debugger, it allows developers to select an extensive set of Runners such as Ruby, Python, and PHP/Apache to execute the app.
3. Atom
Looking for a feature-rich and powerful text editor? Try Atom.
It supports all the popular operating systems such as Windows, MacOS, and Linux. The best thing about Atom is you can customize it to do anything you want even without touching the configuration file.
It helps you write code faster and smarter with its flexible auto-complete feature. Atom comes with a simple user interface that enables you to browse the complete project or multiple projects in a single window.
4. Expression Studio
If you are a developer who usually struggles with design, Expression Studio is a very good tool for you. It’s a professional design tool that gives you the freedom to make your vision real. Whether you’re designing for standards-based websites, rich desktop experiences, or Silverlight, Expression Studio can provide a lot of help.
It includes Expression Web + SuperPreview, Expression Blend, SketchFlow, Expression Encoder Pro, and Expression Design, and makes you get the most out of your creativity. Expression Studio is popular for faster prototyping and the creation of flexible and seamless workflow and user interface. If I would start explaining all the features, I probably need a dedicated article for this tool.
5. Kwatee
Kwatee Agile Deployment is used for automating the deployment of applications or microservices to any number of servers that are accessible to everyone. It is a software development tool that fully automates the deployment of text and binary files from any number of target servers.
It eliminates the need for installation & configuration and allows generating command-line installers to be used for deployments. Kwatee comes with a user-friendly interface and makes deployment configurations efficient and easy. This tool is available for most operating systems including Windows, MacOS, Linux, Solaris, etc.
6. Dataiku DSS
Dataiku DSS is a collaborative data science software platform that can be connected with more than 25 data storage systems. It automatically detects both the format and the schema of your data and so there’s no need to write formatting settings before reading a dataset.
Dataiku is used by many data analysts, data scientists, and engineers to research, prototype, build,d and deliver their data products. Dataiku DSS comes with more than 80+ built-in functions to prepare, clean, blend, and clean data. It can build and optimize models in R or Python and can integrate any external Machine Learning library through code APIs.
Also Read: Difference Between System Software and Application Software
7. Enterprise Architect
If you are looking for some ways to efficiently manage requirements, you should try Enterprise Architect.
It’s a very useful requirement management tool that offers all the essential features required to build robust and easily maintainable systems. Enterprise Architect easily integrates with other development tools by creating requirement models. It’s fast and able to load large models in seconds. It offers complete traceability and improves business outcomes. Overall, it’s a great tool for visual diagrams and code execution.
8. Axure
Axure is one of the best software development tools available out there. This tool is used in wireframing, prototyping, and document creation. Axure is a feature-rich tool that can allow you to build prototypes without a single line of coding. It allows multiple people to work on the same file seamlessly.
Axure can run on Microsoft IIS with a MySQL or Microsoft SQL Server database. You can create and maintain widget libraries. Overall, Axure is a great tool for business analysts, product managers, and IT consultants.
9. Visual Studio Online
Visual Studio Online helps you track and manage all ideas on Kanban or scrum boards with agile tools. It’s a collection of services used for easily planning, building, and shipping software across a variety of platforms.
This software development tool allows an organization to build a perfect development environment. You can automate and simplify Azure deployments. It also offers a centralized version control system with free private repositories.
10. Cloudforge
CloudForge is a simple and user-friendly platform offering various on-demand tools and services that distributed teams and companies need to collaborate and deploy to any production environment (private, PaaS, cloud).
It can easily be integrated with various development tools and can deploy code to public and private clouds. It supports FTP, SCP, SSH, and Rsync in the run-time environment and helps you handle various teams, projects, and processes efficiently. Lastly, CloudForge Publisher even allows you to deploy to multiple servers in parallel.
Also Read: 20 Most Useful Tools For Programmers And Developers
Wrapping Up
That’s all for this article. Though there are hundreds of useful software development tools available out there, I tried to only include some most useful tools from different categories. If you use or know of any other tool that deserves to be here, make sure to share that in the comments section below.
