15 Best Software Development Tools for 2023 | ClickUp

In the fast-moving world of software development, the right development tool makes all the difference. 

The best software development tools will typically feature advanced bug and issue-tracking capabilities, superb sprint management, automation at the core, and seamless collaboration. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of software development tools in the market today.

The challenge is knowing which software development tools are the best addition to your team’s tech stack.

With today’s guide, you can quell the headache of choosing development tools. The guide will quickly take you through all the essential features, pros, and cons of popular agile software development platforms in the market. 

Let’s get started.

Software development tools are computer programs used by software development teams to create, debug, manage and support applications, frameworks, systems, and other programs. These tools are also commonly referred to as software programming tools. 

Examples of software development tools include:

• Linkers
• Code editors
• GUI designers
• Performance analysis tools
• Assemblers
• Compilers

In some cases, one tool can house multiple functions. For example, one tool can act as a code editor, a performance analysis tool, and a compiler. But in other cases, you might have to purchase multiple tools to cover each function. 

Now let’s get started on the nitty-gritty of each software development tool. We’ve picked out 15 of the best software development tools to consider for your team!

Let’s go!

Create custom dashboards in ClickUp to get a high-level overview of all your work

When it comes to software development tools, ClickUp shines on two fronts: Agile Project Management and Sprints Management. 

The former allows software development teams to collaborate on various aspects, including product roadmaps, sprints, and backlogs. On the other hand, ClickUp Sprints help teams manage sprints, automate unfinished sprints, and assign priorities. 

ClickUp features

• Agile Dashboards
• Native integrations with Github, GitLab, and Bitbucket
• No-code database tools
• Chrome extension for developers
• Set sprint dates, assign points, and mark priorities to keep everyone in the loop
• Automate unfinished work into your next sprint
• Burndown and Burnup charts to track your team’s progress
• A fully customizable point system to roll up points from subtasks and break them out by assignee
• intake forms that turn bug submissions into actionable tasks and then assign to relevant individuals 

ClickUp pros

• Automation of sprint management prevents missed tasks 
• Custom statuses to easily manage the bug-tracking backlog
• Lots of integration for development, customer feedback 
• Plenty of customization for Agile Dashboards and Sprint Widgets
• Multiple views including, Gantt, Box, and Kanban
• Agile templates to simplify the creation of product briefs, release notes, sprints, and bug queues
• Robust free plan with unlimited users

ClickUp cons

• Customization options can be a little bit overwhelming for first-time users

ClickUp pricing

• Free Forever
• Unlimited: $5 per month per user
• Business: $12 per month per user
• Business Plus: $19 per month per user
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

ClickUp customer ratings

• G2: 4.7/5 (5000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (3000+ reviews)

Bonus: Productivity Tools for Developers

2. GitHub

Via GitHub

GitHub is one of the best software development tools. It’s a cloud-based software development tool that enables developers to share and review code and manage software projects.

This tool is popular because of its extensive community support and integration with Git’s version control functionality. In addition, software developers can choose to save their projects as private or public. 

GitHub features

• Iteration support that eliminates repetition and mistakes
• Command Palette navigation control which enables automation and advanced search and command running capability
• Project management tools to coordinate code review
• Easy documentation for any kind of software programming project
• Allows developers to host documents directly from repositories

GitHub pros

• Free to host a public code repository
• Automated issue tracking
• Markdown support 
• Plenty of starter pack documentation

GitHub cons

• Complex learning curve for new users
• Roles and permissions are not as advanced or granular

GitHub pricing

• Free
• Team: $48 per user per year
• Enterprise: $252 per user per year

GitHub customer rating

• G2: 4.7/5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.8 (5000+ reviews)

3. Azure

Via Microsoft

Azure is a software development tool that’s a developer favorite for building, deploying, and managing web apps. Developers prefer Azure because it supports many programming languages, frameworks, and operating systems. Azure is more of a cloud environment that developers can use to manage applications. 

Its ability to identify and eliminate risks makes it score precious points with software developers. 

Azure is an excellent option for teams following lean software development principles. 

Azure features

• Supports most programming languages needed for web application development
• Comprehensive SDK library with popular tools such as Eclipse, Vs Code, and Visual Studio
• Build, deploy and manage applications, all from Azure
• Azure cache ensures quick access to data during development
• Powerful integrations with Microsoft BI

Azure pros

• Relies on a trusted cloud platform
• Scalable, secure and highly-available
• Access to SQL database by default

Azure cons

• Requires expert management and maintenance, especially for patching and server monitoring
• Complicated pricing
• Many features make Azure quite overwhelming, even for advanced developers. 

Azure pricing

Azure pricing is complicated and only available by requesting a quote from the Microsoft team. 

Azure customer rating

• G2: 4.3/5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (1000+ reviews)

4. Atom

Via Atom

Atom is an integrated software development tool, environment, and platform. Developers often choose Atom for its advanced customization capabilities and lots of third-party integrations. In addition, Atom supports almost all popular development languages and frameworks. 

Atom features

• You can open or browse multiple projects in a single window
• Compare code from multiple files by splitting the Atom interface into panes
• Smart and flexible autocomplete
• Atom works across all popular operating systems 

Atom pros

• Fully free text editor
• Simple to use with user-friendly UI
• Allows team collaboration by enabling two individuals to work on a single pane
• In-built Git features

Atom cons

• Managing plugins is cumbersome
• Limited features compared to other text editors
• Slower than most text editors, especially after extending functionality with add-ons

Atom pricing

Atom is completely free and open source. 

Atom customer rating

• G2: 4.4/5 (700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (20+ reviews)

5. Jira

Jira Roadmap example

At its core, Jira is a work management tool that supports Agile methodology. However, it has a suite of features for DevOps to enable tracking of project backlogs, bug resolution and patching, agile release statuses, and more. In fact, Jira was initially created to deal with Issue and bug tracking. 

Jira features

• Requirement and test case management
• Integration with CI/CD tools
• Sprint completion reports and visualization
• Drag and drop kanban makes updating project statuses a breeze
• Allows commenting on a ticket
• Scrum boards for agile teams

Jira pros

• Advanced reporting capabilities
• Modern and easy-to-use UI
• Ticket filtering system to quickly find issues
• Reliable customer support
• Ability to add subtasks to a product roadmap

Jira cons

• Many customization capabilities make Jira overwhelming
• Does not allow adding more than 2 assignees to a task/ticket
• Expensive compared to other software development tools

Jira pricing

Jira offers a free version for up to 10 members. The premium plans are as follows:

• Standard: $7.75 per user per month
• Premium: $15.25 per user per month
• Enterprise: Billed annually, and pricing is only available on request

Jira customer rating

• G2: 4.2/5 (4000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (12000+ reviews)

6. SendBird

Via Sendbird

SendBird enables developers to add chat, video, and voice capabilities to their apps. With SendBird, software development teams can easily access native chat SDKs, APIs, and a managed chat platform on the backend. 

SendBird features

• In-built chat APIs to support offline messaging, delivery receipts, translation, and chat analytics
• SendBird UIKit to access pre-built UI components
• Voice and Video APIs
• Intuitive live agent interface to manage support tickets

SendBird Pros

• Intuitive UI
• Comprehensive documentation
• Advanced search and preview settings
• Data exporting and reporting capabilities

SendBird cons

• Occasional performance issues with the issued SDKs
• Slow customer support

SendBird pricing

SendBird offers a completely free package with all the pro features and two paid plans. 

• Developer: Free
• Starter 5K: $399 per month
• Pro 5K: $599 per month

SendBird customer rating

• G2: 4.3/5 (10+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (30+ reviews)

7. Linx

Via Linx

Linx is a low-code developer platform with a focus on helping organizations reduce development time and costs. With Linx, developers can create or host  APIs, automation, and integrations. Linx offers both on-prem and cloud solutions for software development teams.

Linx features

• Product life cycle management capabilities
• Document management and sharing
• Automatic notifications
• Pre-built plugins to help in mobile and website development
• Script and database services, including; RabbitMQ, MSMQ, Cron, RESTful & SOAP

Linx pros

• Drag and drop interface with 1000’s ready-made functions
• Automated backend processes
• Seamless deployment when working with Linx IDE and Linx Server
• Offline functionality

Linx cons

• Somewhat difficult to configure
• More expensive than most software development tools on this list

Linx pricing

• Starter: $49 per month
• Business 1: $99 per month
• Business 2: $199 per month
• High-availability: Pricing available on request
• On-prem: Pricing available on request

Linx customer rating

• G2: 4.2/5 (10+reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (20+ reviews)

8. Cloud 9

Via Amazon

Cloud 9 IDE is a product of Amazon that lets you write, run and debug code directly from your browser. This software development tool comprises three key capabilities; code editor, terminal, and debugger (from its integrated development environment).

Cloud 9 features

• Essential software development tool for most popular programming languages
• Allows easy switching between local and remote execution of serverless applications
• Collaboration functionality which enables teams in the software development process to share projects, track changes, and pair programs, all in real-time
• Pre-authenticated command line interface

Cloud 9 pros

• A browser is all you need since Cloud 9 does not require a local IDE
• Code hinting, code completion, and step-through debugging to save time
• Direct access to AWS services
• Plenty of SDKs, libraries, and plug-ins to support serverless development

Cloud 9 cons

• Multiple tools can make Cloud 9 challenging for beginners
• UI can also be quite hard to navigate
• Limited add-on support

Cloud 9 pricing

There are no additional charges for Cloud 9. You only pay for storage resources that you use to run and store your code. Contact Amazon to request a quote for clearer pricing estimates. 

Cloud 9 customer rating

• G2: 4.4/5 (100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (10+ reviews)

9. Codenvy

Via Google Chrome Web Store

Codenvy is a workplace development platform and cloud IDE that lets users edit, run and debug code. It has both on-prem and cloud deployment options for those working in a software development process.

Codenvy features

• Virtual workspace with collaboration capabilities
• A code editor, the Eclipse Che browser-integrated development environment (IDE)
• Basic permission and roles settings
• Integrations with Jenkins and Jira

Codenvy pros

• One-click project onboarding
• Containerized workspace
• Supports most popular programming languages
• Offline support thanks to CLI sync

Codenvy cons

• Limited support resources
• Lags significantly on a low internet connection
• Appears cluttered on a smaller screen 

Codenvy pricing

Codenvy’s pricing is available by contacting sales support. 

Codenvy customer rating

• G2: 4.2/5 (60+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (400+ reviews)

10. Crimson

Via Crimson

Crimson is a programming platform owned and managed by Red Lion. It features powerful drag-and-drop configuration, display, and data tools for “G3, G3 Kadet, and Graphite® HMI operator panels, Graphite Edge, and Core Controllers” development. This programming tool is built to specifically take advantage of other Red Lion tools. 

Crimson features 

• A comprehensive library of 5000+ graphics in more than 60 categories
• Direct access to plenty of Red Lion’s features
• A C-type syntax programming environment
• Multilingual capabilities

Crimson pros

• In-built emulator
• Easy integration with other Red Lion products
• Free as it’s available as a free package on most Red Lion products

Crimson cons

• Limited documentation
• UI is not beginner friendly

Crimson pricing

Crimson is included free of charge with Red Lion products.

customer rating

• G2: (No rating)
• Capterra: (No rating)

11. Bootstrap

Via Bootstrap

For developers working with HTML, Java, and CSS, Bootstrap is one of the best responsive frameworks to use for development. This front-end toolkit is extendable and feature-packed to simplify front-end development. 

Bootstrap features

• Ready-made code blocks for faster development
• An extensive list of components
• Base styling for HTML
• Drag and drop functionality

Bootstrap pros

• Powerful javascript plugins
• Mobile-first approach makes using Bootstrap on the phone simple and uncomplicated
• Pre-built components save lots of time for developers
• Widely used, so it has plenty of support and community resources
• Lots of free plugins and templates

Bootstrap cons

• Limited third-party integrations
• Supports only 3 programming languages
• Limited customization
• Quite heavy and lacks a lightweight version

Bootstrap pricing

Bootstrap is free to download and use. 

Bootstrap customer rating

• G2: 4.5/5 (100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (less than 10 reviews)

12. UltraEdit

Via UltraEdit

UltraEdit is a powerful code editor for Mac, Linux, and Windows. It supports almost all programming languages and can handle huge files (up to 10 GB). Developers can take advantage of project management, text editing, data sorting, and programming capabilities offered by UltraEdit—making the software development process a bit easier.

UltraEdit features

• Powerful performance and file load
• Native FTP
• Customizable themes
• Special XML and JSON support
• Advanced search, replacement, and find features
• Syntax highlights for all popular languages

UltraEdit pros

• Understands and supports nearly every programming language
• Works seamlessly with huge data files
• Plenty of features cutting across project management and development
• Flexibility, scalability, and lots of customization options

UltraEdit cons

• Launching UltraEdit can take up quite some time for the development process

UltraEdit pricing

UltraEdit offers two subscription plans:

• UltraEdit subscription: $79.95 per annum
• IDM All Access subscription: $99.95 per annum

UltraEdit customer rating

• G2: 4.7/5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (30+ reviews)

13. Vim

Via Vim

Vim is a simple text editor included in most UNIX systems. It’s also available on Apple OS X. Developers can use Vim as an extension for VS Code for smart code editing. Vim does not have a GUI, so all the good stuff happens by keyboard navigation.

Vim features

• Advanced search and replace functionality
• Debugging mode for code review
• Supports hundreds of programming languages and file formats

Vim pros

• Plugins to extend the functionality
• Quick and responsive
• Lightweight

Vim cons

• Buggy syntax highlighting
• UI is not beginner friendly
• Lacks an optimized auto-complete feature
• Commands are difficult to run

Vim pricing

Vim is a free and open-source tool. 

Vim customer rating

• G2: 4.4/5 (200+ reviews)
• Capterra: (No reviews)

14. Docker

Via Docker

Docker is a powerful platform that helps developers build, share and run applications. The platform features powerful UIs, CLIs, APIs, and security applications engineered to simplify the software development cycle. 

Docker features

• Docker compose to help build unique applications and for code review
• Robust integrations with industry-leading tools such as Vs Code and GitHub
• Docker Hub Repository to ease sharing of container images
• Docker Compose CLI to deploy applications locally or on the cloud

Docker pros

• Large community support
• Extremely flexible
• Vast integrations with other critical developer apps
• A huge database of base images

Docker cons

• Complex learning curve
• Memory intensive
• Requires a high configuration system to run seamlessly

Docker pricing

• Personal: Free forever
• Pro: $5 per month
• Team: $9 per month per user
• Business: $24 per month per user

Docker customer rating

• G2: 4.6/5 (100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (400+ reviews)

15. Axure

Via Axure

Axure bridges the unhealthy gap between development, design, clients, and your business. Primarily, Azure enables the planning, prototyping, and handing off of products for development to software developers. 

Axure features

• A powerful prototyping tools
• Drag and drop functions to simplify building prototypes
• Integration with Azure cloud to enable sharing and collaboration
• No-code browser-based prototypes
• Mobile device viewing

Axure pros

• Built-in widgets for wireframing and prototyping
• Offline prototype viewing
• Custom widget library
• Extensive plugins and integrations

Axure cons

• Limited collaboration functions
• Limited image processing tools
• UI is occasionally slow and unresponsive
• Steep learning curve

Axure pricing

Axure does not have a free plan but instead has free trials for its premium plans. 

• Axure RP Pro: $25 per month per user
• Axure RP Team: $42 per month per user
• Axure for Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing

Axure customer rating

• G2: 4.2/5 (200+)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (100+ reviews)

Automated Sprint and Project Management for Your Agile Team With ClickUp

A lot goes into software development, so having the right tool to do the heavy lifting for your team will come in handy. Naturally, as a software developer, you want a tool that’s easy to use but feature-packed to ease the software development cycle. Most of the software development tools in this review guide can step in to meet this need. 

More specifically, ClickUp offers most of the functionality you require for development, even in the free plan. You get sprint management automation, streamlined bugs and issue tracking, burndown/burnup reports, and templates to quickly get you started. 

Try ClickUp for free to start your journey into painless software development today.