The editors, AI tools, and extensions that modern developers use every day. Curated picks with one-click installs.
Where you write your code matters. Pick the right editor and never look back.
AI-first code editor built on VS Code. Comes with built-in AI chat, intelligent autocomplete, and powerful code generation out of the box. Everything VS Code does, plus AI superpowers.
"Like VS Code but with AI superpowers baked in"
Best for: Everyone -- beginners and pros alike
The industry standard, completely free, with the largest extension ecosystem of any editor. Millions of developers use it daily.
Best for: All-around development, massive plugin support
Manage all JetBrains IDEs from one app -- IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand, and more. Deep language intelligence and refactoring tools.
Best for: Java, Python, Go, specialized languages
Lightning fast editor built in Rust. Native performance, multiplayer editing, and a clean minimal UI. The next-gen editor for speed enthusiasts.
Best for: Speed lovers, collaborative coding
Terminal-based, infinitely customizable editor for the adventurous. Steep learning curve but unmatched efficiency once mastered. Lives in your terminal.
Best for: Power users, terminal lovers, customization nerds
Blazing fast, lightweight text editor that opens instantly. Known for its speed, powerful multi-cursor editing, and the iconic command palette. A classic that still holds up.
Best for: Quick edits, large files, developers who value speed and simplicity
AI pair programmers that write, fix, and explain code. The future of development is here.
AI pair programmer that lives in your terminal. Reads your entire codebase, writes code, fixes bugs, runs commands, and explains anything. Built by Anthropic.
"Like having a senior engineer in your terminal 24/7"
Best for: Real coding tasks, debugging, codebase Q&A
Chat interface for Claude. Upload files, analyze images, write code, brainstorm ideas, and get instant answers. Available on web and as a desktop app.
Best for: Chat-based coding help, writing, analysis
AI assistant and code generation from OpenAI. ChatGPT for chat-based help, Codex CLI for terminal-based code generation and execution.
Best for: General AI assistance, code generation
AI-powered autocomplete that lives inside your editor. Suggests whole lines and functions as you type. Works in VS Code, Cursor, JetBrains, and more.
Best for: In-editor autocomplete, writing boilerplate fast
AI-powered IDE with deep codebase understanding. Agentic coding flows that can plan, write, and iterate on multi-file changes.
Best for: AI-driven development workflows
AWS-powered AI coding assistant that integrates with your IDE. Code suggestions, security scanning, and seamless AWS service integration for cloud-native development.
Best for: AWS developers, cloud-native apps, security-conscious teams
Must-have extensions for Cursor and VS Code. Install these on day one.
Auto-format your code on save. Supports JS, TS, CSS, HTML, JSON, and more. Never argue about formatting again.
FormattingCatch errors and enforce code style in JavaScript and TypeScript. Shows problems inline as you type.
LintingSupercharge Git in your editor. See who changed each line, browse history, compare branches, and more.
GitLightweight REST API client built into your editor. Test APIs without leaving your code. Like Postman, but faster.
API TestingManage containers, images, and compose files directly from your editor. Build, run, and debug containers.
DevOpsAI pair programmer that suggests code as you type. Autocomplete on steroids. Free for students and open source.
AIColor-codes matching brackets so you never lose track of nested code blocks. Essential for complex logic.
VisualBeautiful file and folder icons that make your sidebar easy to scan. Instantly identify file types at a glance.
VisualShows errors and warnings inline, right next to the problematic code. No more hunting through the Problems panel.
DiagnosticsLaunch a local development server with live reload. See your HTML/CSS changes instantly in the browser.
Dev ServerAutocompletes file paths as you type import statements. No more typos in relative paths.
ProductivityReview and manage pull requests without leaving your editor. View diffs, add comments, and merge PRs.
GitTools for building, testing, and debugging APIs. Essential for working with backends, third-party services, and microservices.
The most popular API platform. Build, test, and document APIs with a visual interface. Supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and gRPC. Collaboration features for teams.
Best for: Everyone — beginners to enterprise teams
Clean, fast REST and GraphQL client. Open-source core with a beautiful UI. Great for developers who want a lighter alternative to Postman.
Best for: Developers who prefer simplicity and open-source tools
Human-friendly HTTP client for the terminal and desktop. Colorized output, intuitive syntax, and JSON support built in. Makes curl look ancient.
Best for: Terminal lovers, quick API testing, scripting
The original command-line HTTP tool. Pre-installed on every Mac. No GUI, just raw power. Every API doc includes curl examples — learn it and you can test anything.
Best for: Quick tests, scripting, following API documentation
Open-source API development ecosystem. Runs in your browser with no install needed. Supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SSE, and realtime testing.
Best for: Quick browser-based testing, open-source advocates
Interactive API documentation that lets you try endpoints directly in the browser. The industry standard for API specs. If an API has docs, it probably uses Swagger.
Best for: API documentation, exploring third-party APIs