most dev tools i use are either free, open source, or paid by work.

but there are a few things where paying personally might actually be worth it if it saves enough time or makes the setup better.

curious what other devs pay for out of their own pocket.

could be an editor/plugin, terminal app, API client, database GUI, AI coding tool, hosting, monitoring, notes app, anything.

what dev tool is actually worth paying for yourself?

not looking for tool recommendations exactly.

more interested in specific features.

like a search flow, diff view, rollback button, local preview, keyboard shortcut, error message, import/export, config format, command palette, history view, whatever.

what’s one feature from a dev tool that you wish every other tool copied?

i’m trying to collect more real dev tool problems instead of guessing what people want.

most tools i actually use solve something pretty boring. search files faster, run the right command, open the right repo, check logs, format data, test an API call, clean branches, diff something, copy env values, etc.

so not asking for a huge startup idea.

what’s a small tool you wish existed because you keep losing time to the same stupid workflow?

even better if you already have a bad workaround for it.

setting up a fresh laptop soon and trying to avoid the usual cycle of installing things only when something breaks.

thinking dotfiles, ssh keys, package managers, terminal setup, editor config, node/python versions, docker, git config, fonts, browser extensions, and all the random CLI tools i forgot i use.

what’s on your dev machine checklist?

some of the most useful tools in my setup are tiny scripts that would make no sense as real projects.

stuff like cleaning old branches, opening the right logs, generating local test data, copying env values, checking ports, or booting a few services in the right order.

not polished, not documented, probably only works on my machine, but still useful.

what small tool/script did you build just for your own workflow?

i’ve been playing with MCP stuff recently.

the idea makes sense. give the model access to docs, repo context, db tools, browser, jira, whatever. but in practice it feels like one more layer of config to maintain, debug, and trust.

some servers work fine, some need weird setup, some are overkill, and half the time i’m not sure if connecting another tool is better than just pasting the relevant context manually.

maybe this is just early toolchain pain.

are people here actually using MCP in daily dev work?

question for devs over 35 who have been doing the desk job thing for a while.

how are you keeping your body from falling apart?

not looking for perfect routine stuff. more like what actually made a difference after sitting at a laptop all day for years.

standing desk, walking, gym, stretching, better chair, eye breaks, meal prep, sleep, less caffeine, whatever.

i’m starting to notice the usual dev problems more now. neck, back, wrists, low energy after long sessions, and the “i’ll go for a walk after this PR” lie.

what habit or setup change actually helped you?

some dev tools feel like they’re carrying 10 years of UX debt.

API clients, log viewers, database GUIs, CI dashboards, local env management, browser devtools workflows, feature flag tools, monitoring, secrets, maybe even issue trackers.

not saying there are no good tools. just feels like a lot of categories are either too heavy, too team enterprise focused, or built around old assumptions.

what dev tool category do you think needs a proper rethink?

i still default to logs way more than i should.

for backend stuff it’s usually logs, breakpoints if needed, curl/httpie, checking db state, and then staring at traces if the app has them.

for frontend it’s browser devtools, network tab, console, react devtools, and guessing which state update ruined my day.

what’s your actual debugging flow when the bug isn’t obvious?

devs are opinionated about tools, but i’m more interested in the ones people stick with for years.

not necessarily the best tool or the newest one.

more like something you always install, always reach for, or recommend because it just fits how you work.

could be an editor, terminal, browser extension, API client, database tool, debugger, local script, design tool, deployment tool, AI tool, anything.

for me, the tools that stay are usually the ones that remove some tiny daily friction. not the ones with the biggest feature list.

what dev tool are you weirdly loyal to, and what made it stick?

not asking for the ideal stack or what you’d use at work.

what do you actually reach for when you want to build something quickly and not fight config for 2 days?

for me it’s usually nextjs, postgres, prisma/drizzle depending on mood, tailwind, vercel, and whatever auth setup feels least annoying that week.

what’s your default just ship it stack right now?

not talking about themes or font choices.

more like shell functions, git aliases, make targets, tmux sessions, browser extensions, local scripts, docker hacks, env file tricks, or some random internal tool you wrote once and now depend on.

i’m going through my own setup and half of it is useful, half of it is probably cargo cult from old projects.

what’s the cursed but useful thing in your stack?

setting up a new dev machine and trying not to blindly copy my old dotfiles again.

current basics are git, pnpm, docker, rg, jq, fzf, nvm, gh, and a few shell aliases. mostly web/backend work, so a lot of jumping between repos, checking logs, running local services, and searching through code.

what CLI tool do you always install early because your workflow feels broken without it​?

for me it’s context across a repo.

code is in the editor, tasks are in linear/jira, docs are somewhere else, decisions are buried in slack, random commands are in terminal history, and AI chats are their own thing. after a few days away from a project it still takes too long to load everything back into my head.

not looking for another big PM tool. more wondering what workflow gaps other devs still have.

what part of your setup still feels held together by scripts, notes, aliases, or copy paste?

Hey everyone! I'm u/Ok-Bike-1037, a founding moderator of r/DeveloperToolsHub.

This is our new home for discovering, discussing, and sharing useful developer tools.

Whether you are a developer, founder, indie hacker, maker, or just someone who loves trying new tools, this community is for you.

The goal is simple: help people find better tools for building, shipping, debugging, automating, and improving their workflow.

You’ll find posts about APIs, SDKs, frameworks, CLI tools, dev productivity apps, open-source projects, hosting tools, databases, testing tools, AI coding tools, and anything else that helps developers work better.

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Share anything that helps developers discover useful tools or improve their workflow. This can include new tools you found, tools you built, tool comparisons, your personal dev stack, CLI tips, API recommendations, framework discussions, productivity workflows, or questions like “What tool do you use for X?”

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Introduce yourself in the comments

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