1. Chrome DevTools
Chrome DevTools is a widely used web development tool that allows you to edit web pages directly from the Google Chrome browser and diagnose problems rapidly to build better websites. With the help of Chrome DevTools, you can easily edit your HTML & CSS code or debug JavaScript code in a real-time environment. It offers you numerous additional prominent advantages such as using ‘Timeline’ you can conveniently recognize run-time performance problems, the ‘Device Mode’ can help you test the responsiveness of the website, ‘Sources Panel’ can be used to debug the JavaScript using breakpoints, the ‘Network Panel allows you to view and debug network activity, and many more.
2. HTML5 Boilerplate
HTML5 Boilerplate is one of the simple yet very helpful front-end web development tools out there. It allows you to create fast, robust, and adaptable websites or applications. One of the best things about HTML5 Boilerplate is that it can be integrated with any of the front-end frameworks, content management systems, etc. that you are using. Other than that, it includes Normalize.css for CSS normalization and documents that consist of various additional tips and tricks. Also, the Apache Server Configs helps you to improve website performance and security. You need to know that Microsoft, NASA, Nike, etc. are some of those renowned names who are using HTML5 Boilerplate for their respective platforms.
3. Visual Studio Code
A better code editor is a fundamental requirement of front-end developers – and with a similar concern, here we’re mentioning one of the most recommended code editors for you i.e., Visual Studio Code. This open-source code editor by Microsoft leverages you with numerous remarkable features such as syntax highlighting, smart code completion, built-in debugger, built-in Git commands, easier deployment capabilities, and many others. In addition, it is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux as well – also, Visual Code Studio provides you with built-in support for JavaScript, TypeScript & Node.js and other languages such as C++, Java, Python, PHP, etc. can also be supported using extensions. You’re strongly recommended to give it a try to Visual Studio Code, especially if you’re a beginner front-end developer.
4. Git
Another tool that comes in this list is a popular version control system – Git. It allows you to manage the source codes, track the changes that you’ve made in your code or even roll back to the previous state in a much convenient way. It saves every change and allows all the developers in the team to work on the same code at the same time without any hassle. It makes the collaboration among developers more smooth by reducing the risk of situations like code conflict, etc. Meanwhile, Git is free to use, open-source, and very much secure – what else you need to get started with the enriching tool for front-end web development.
5. Sass
Sass is one of the most widely used CSS extension languages across the world. What Sass does- it helps to extend the functionality of CSS such as variables creation, inline imports, inheritance, easier nesting, etc. You need to know that it is entirely compatible with all the CSS versions that make it convenient for the developers to use any available CSS library. Meanwhile, you’re required to install and set up Sass on your project before using it. Once it will be installed – you can conveniently compile your Sass to CSS using the sass command. Sass is being supported by numerous renowned tech companies & developers and Bourbon, Compass, Susy, etc. are some of the popular frameworks that are built with Sass.
6. AngularJS
Chances are more that you must have at least heard the name of AngularJS if you’re having even a little exposure to Front-End development. Let us tell you it is an open-source front-end web framework. It helps you to extend the static HTML to dynamic HTML that subsequently makes it more convenient for you to build dynamic and rich websites. It allows you to create client-side applications using JavaScript using MVC (Model-View-Controller). AngularJS comes up with numerous enriching features such as Data Binding, Controller, Directives, Reusable Components, and many others. In addition, in terms of community support – AngularJS will surely impress you as it is used by a huge number of developers across the world!
7. jQuery
jQuery is quite a popular name in the web development world. It is a cross-platform JavaScript library that helps you with various functionalities such as DOM manipulation, Event Handling, CSS manipulation, Animation, Ajax/JSON support, and much more. Moreover, it can be used with other libraries as well and provides you with various plugins also to incorporate additional features. Other than that, it has a huge development community, better documentation, powerful chaining capabilities, and various other advantages. As per the reports, it is the most widely used JavaScript library – and as a front-end developer, you should definitely explore it for your next project.