Coda : Text Editor, from Panic.inc

A large part of any web developers armour is their text editor which they spend hours looking at everyday. None of them are “pretty” but its the capabilities which are important, this is why we have chosen Coda.

Coda is so much more than a text editor as with it comes the ability to transfer files, manage sub version, access terminal and write cascading style sheets. In addition to this comes a number of plugins which have been written by other Coda users making it even better!

Click here to download Coda »

Transmit : A classy FTP/SFTP Client, from Panic.inc

Now up to Version 4 this incredible FTP/SFTP client is just stupendous, and if your an avid Coda fan, it’s even better!

If you need to transfer files. Maybe to an FTP or SFTP server, or the cloud via Amazon S3, or using WebDAV. You maintain a website, do backups, or upload photos. Transmit will become your most valuable FTP client.

It would be doing Panic & Transmit a Crime if we didn’t also mention what a beautiful app it is! Well crafted and stable, it’s a real joy to work with.

Download Transmit now »

Now although we love Panic and it’s what we actually use Coda & Transmit to good effect in our regular working day, it goes without saying that there are alternatives.

Textmate : Text Editor / IDE, from Macromates

Textmate is one of my favourite text editors to write up quick function ideas within, and I have to be honest I think that it’s an absolutely awesome Text editor.

Where I think it falls down is project management, Coda and other more powerful text editing software have a bunch of features which from time to time will definitely persuade you they are superior. Needless to say, I use Textmate alot for writing smaller functions and snippets of code down and I think it’s great. However for bigger projects I will generally stick to Panics, Coda.

Download Textmate now »

Espresso : Text Editor, from MacRabbit

We’ve not had a great deal of experience with using MacRabbits, Espresso, but from what i’ve seen of Version 2.0 it’s look really good and definitely becoming a big player. A little excerpt from their website:

Espresso turbo-charges your workflow with the perfect blend of features. Speed through day-to-day edits with extensive language support, contextual completions, powerful smart snippets, and Zen actions. Use the Navigator and code folding to prevail over the most complicated documents. Watch your web pages update in real time with live styling, visualize and inspect your layouts with X-ray, then push the changes to your server with Sync or Quick Publish. Oh, and did we mention CSSEdit 3 is built in?

Download Espresso Now

MAMP : Local Development

MAMP is an abbreviation of “Macintosh, Apache, PHP and MySQL”.

An absolutely must for any developer. If you want to design and build your own websites, but don’t want to be tied up with loads of remote hosting, then you MUST develop locally. It’s the biggest key in the cog to higher productivity.

You will relish at the speed, marvel at the flexibility, and revel in the rewards. Developing locally mixed in with some great source control is simply an absolute must for anybody.

More to come on Source Control.

Download MAMP Now

Sequel Pro : MySQL Database Management

Sequel Pro is a relatively recent tool to Bytewire but has been a revelation to the way we manage our Databases. Its a fast, easy and reliable method of managing both Local and Remote databases.

Gone are the days of making continuous errors in Terminal or opening phpMyAdmin in a web browser tab. Sequel Pro provides user interface simplicity with the power to give you full control over your MySQL databases. The recent addition of Tabs to Sequel Pro now means you can even manage more than one database at a time.

Click here to download Sequel Pro »

Wunderlist : Task Management

Wunderlist allows you to manage projects which will help you and your team to stay focused. Ever unsure about what to do next, just take a look at your Wunderlist! With Wunderlist you can even share your lists with your colleagues helping ensure everybody is clear of the projects requirements.

In addition to this Wunderlist is available on Windows, Mac and Linux with apps available on iPhone, iPad and Android meaning that wherever you are, you can be in control and stay up to date with your project.

Click here to download Wunderlist »

AND of Course.

Mac Terminal : Terminal Emulator

Sometimes also referred to as terminal.app, this is adn will become your essential sidekick as a budding Mac developer. I don’t think I can actually even start to explain how useful this tool will be to you. It is what you make of it, but personally I use it everyday for Source Control, Server connectivity, and a whole host of other things.

There is no need to download this, it come’s with Mac OS X by default. You’ll find it in your Applications directory. I’d recommend dragging it to your toolbar and keeping it there!

These are just some of the tools which we use at Bytewire to aid our work. If anyone has any other excellent tools which have changed the way they work as a web developer drop us a comment.