Interactive Web Development And Web Design Solutions

What We Use

It's no secret, we do the same as all good web development shops do - we use software tools built by people who are smarter than us, so we can build programs for our clients, who will then hopefully think that we are also smart. To that end, and to pay "homage", here's a list of some of our favorite tools that we use to get the job done.

• Front End Development
• Back End Development
• Database Development
• Code Editors
• Version Control
• Other Stuff

Front End Development

• jQuery

  By far one of the most useful tools ever created for front-end (browser) web development. It's not the only JavaScript library on the block, but it's definitely one of the best and easiest to get started with. Great documentation as well.

• Firefox

  Yes...the web browser. With its add-on system, you can turn this already great browser into a virtual Swiss army knife of web development tools.

• Firebug

  A Firefox add-on. If you do any type of AJAX development, you need this tool.

• Web Developer

  A Firefox add-on. The best tool to get the inside scoop on any aspect of web pages. If you like and use this tool, donate...there's tons of hard work involved here.

• JSLint

  A great learning tool if you're into JavaScript development. You only thought you were doing it right.

• YSlow

  Available as an extension/add-on for various browsers, this awesome tool will teach you everything you need to know about speeding up web page load times.

Back End Development

• PHP

  One of the most capable back-end (server) scripting languages ever compiled. No flame wars intended, but it's hard to beat for its sheer volume of features and functionality. And documentation for days...

• Zend Framework

  A PHP company project, this by far one of the best MVC PHP frameworks you can bother to learn.

• CodeIgniter

  Another very well written and worthwhile MVC PHP framework for any type of web development efforts.

• FirePHP

  A Firefox add-on. A great library for debugging back-end processes and development.

Database Development

• MySQL

  Now under the stewardship of the mighty Oracle, it's still the best open-source database on the block.

• phpMyAdmin

  Possibly the greatest web-based database management/development tool ever written. Originally launched back in 1998, it's still being actively developed.

• Toad for MySQL

  Web-based database administration make you nervous? Install this one on your PC...awesome program.

• SQL Server Management Studio Express

  Got a project that uses Microsoft's SQL Server instead? Not a problem with this capable (and free) tool.

Code Editors

• EditPlus

  A very capable PC-based text editor. Not short on features either.

• Komodo Edit

  Tremendously useful open-source text editor. Works well on both Windows and Linux desktops.

• Vim

  Learn how to use this program and everything else is a cake walk. Simply the best tool for editing if you need to work via a *nix shell...nice Windows desktop version available as well.

Version Control

• Git

  A very powerful distributed VCS system. Check out github while you're at it.

• Bazaar

  Another excellent distributed VCS system.

• SVN

  Not a distributed VCS system, but still one of the best. If you're a Windows user, TortoiseSVN is also a great tool to have installed.

Other Stuff

• Pandora

  The one and only. Go ahead and pay for the premium account...it's cheap and well worth it.

• paint.net

  Don't have the money for Photoshop? Not to worry...this is free, minus your donations of course. Speaking of Photoshop, don't forget this great paint.net plugin.

• FileZilla

  The free FTP solution. Which is being modest - it's THE only FTP client you'll ever need. FTP server available also.

• PuTTY

  Like they say, "A Free Telnet/SSH Client". If you need to do work within Linux shell/bash accounts, there is no easier way than this.