I used to think tools didn't matter much — that a good developer could build great things with anything. And that's partly true. But partly isn't fully. The right tools don't just make you faster — they change how you think about building. They remove friction in places you didn't even know had friction.
Tools Matter
There's a difference between a tool that works and a tool that fits. Plenty of tools work — they do what they claim to do. But the tools that fit are the ones that match your mental model, reduce your cognitive load, and let you focus on the creative work instead of fighting the tooling.
The Game Changers
- VS Code — It's the obvious one, but for good reason. The extension ecosystem, the integrated terminal, the speed — it's where I live when I'm building. Finding the right extensions and customising it to fit my workflow was a game changer.
- Tailwind CSS — I resisted Tailwind for months because utility classes looked messy. Then I tried it on a real project and never looked back. The speed of styling directly in your markup, without context-switching to separate CSS files, fundamentally changed how fast I can iterate on designs.
- Next.js — Moving from vanilla React to Next.js was like upgrading from a bicycle to a car. Routing, SSR, API routes, image optimisation — all built in. It removed so many decisions and let me focus on building features.
- TypeScript — I avoided it because it felt like extra work. Then I started catching bugs before they happened, getting better autocomplete, and understanding my own code better. The upfront cost pays for itself ten times over.
- Git + GitHub — Not just for version control, but for building in public, collaborating, and creating a visible track record of your work. Git discipline changed how I think about code changes.
"The best tools are the ones that disappear. They become so natural to your workflow that you forget they're there — you just build."
What I Look For
When I evaluate a new tool, I ask three questions. Does it reduce friction? Does it match how I think? And does it have staying power — is this something I can invest time in learning without it disappearing in a year? If the answer to all three is yes, it's worth trying.
Find Your Own
My tools might not be your tools. What matters is that you invest time in finding and mastering the tools that fit you. Don't just use what everyone else uses — use what makes you most effective. Experiment, try new things, and when something clicks, commit to learning it deeply. Your tools are an extension of how you think. Choose them wisely.
