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60+ Software Development Tools

The tools here cover spotting security problems in code, running automated tests, watching for errors after release, and keeping code changes moving through a team. Visual Studio Code is completely free and open source. It includes editing, debugging, and version control support at no cost. GitLab adds a free plan that automates building, testing, and deploying code. Nightwatch.js is free and handles browser automation and end-to-end testing in one framework. BrowserStack runs tests against real browsers and devices but has no free tier.

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Code Security21Dynamic Application Security Testing6Full-Stack Testing6Automated Debugging5Browser Automation5End‑to‑end Testing5
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EditPlus

EditPlus

freemium

EditPlus is a versatile Windows text editor designed for programmers and web authors, featuring syntax highlighting for multiple languages, built-in FTP/SFTP upload, seamless HTML preview, and extensive customization options.

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How to choose Software Development tools

Two things separate these tools more than anything else. The first is cost before any work begins: Visual Studio Code, Apache NetBeans, Jenkins, and Nightwatch.js cost nothing to start. BrowserStack and Rainforest QA require payment from the first day. The second is how much security checking is built in. CodeCritic reviews code for security issues on a free plan and scales to $75 a month for teams. Tools like Postman focus on testing APIs rather than scanning for vulnerabilities. A team doing both jobs will likely need more than one tool here.

  1. Which tools cost nothing to start

    Visual Studio Code, Apache NetBeans, Jenkins, Nightwatch.js, and GitLab all have free plans. Visual Studio Code and Apache NetBeans are perpetually free with no paid tier required for core editing and debugging. Jenkins is also free forever as an open source automation server, though enterprise support comes from third parties at a custom price. GitLab's free plan covers one user per month and scales to $29 per user per month for the Premium tier. BrowserStack has no free plan beyond a trial, and Rainforest QA publishes no price at all. Postman lists plans from $0 to $49 per user per month but locks advanced features to higher tiers.

  2. Code-first testing versus no-code testing

    Most testing tools here expect the person running them to write or configure code. Nightwatch.js is built on Node.js and uses the WebDriver standard. It covers browser automation, end-to-end testing, and full-stack testing in one open source package. BrowserStack also expects technical setup but adds AI-powered automation and runs tests against real devices, with plans from $150 a month to $375 a month billed annually. Rainforest QA takes a different approach: its visual editor lets someone create and maintain tests without writing code, and its AI generates test plans automatically. Its price is only available on a sales call.

  3. How much security scanning each tool covers

    Code Security is the largest group here, with 21 tools covering it. CodeCritic has a published free plan at $0 per month. Its Professional plan costs $20 per month and its Enterprise plan costs $75 per month. It reviews code on GitHub pull requests and flags security problems with severity levels so a team can triage quickly. GitLab weaves security and policy checks into its build and deploy pipelines, including AI assistance through GitLab Duo, though advanced AI features require purchasing additional credits. Tools focused on editing or testing, such as Apache NetBeans or Nightwatch.js, do not include security scanning.

6 questions

Frequently asked questions

Which software development tools are completely free?

Four tools here are completely free: Visual Studio Code, Apple Developer, Storybook, and TestCafe. Visual Studio Code is free and open source with no paid tier needed for editing, debugging, or version control integration. Note that AI features through GitHub Copilot require a separate subscription. Apache NetBeans and Jenkins are also free forever but offer commercial support at a custom price through third parties.

Does Rainforest QA publish its pricing?

No. Rainforest QA lists only a custom pricing plan and directs anyone interested to contact sales. It is the only tool here with no published price at any tier. CodeCritic publishes plans at $0, $20, and $75 per month. GitLab publishes plans at $0 and $29 per user per month. Both make it possible to compare costs without a sales call.

Which tools handle both browser automation and end-to-end testing?

Nightwatch.js covers both in one free, open source framework. It runs tests across real browsers, supports parallel test execution, and handles multiple test types including end-to-end, unit, component, and API tests. BrowserStack also covers both but requires a paid plan starting at $150 a month billed annually and has no free tier beyond a trial. Cypress, Playwright, and WebdriverIO are also listed here for end-to-end testing.

What is the difference between GitLab and Jenkins for automating code changes?

Both automate building, testing, and deploying code and both have free plans. Jenkins is a self-hosted open source server with a large plugin library, but it requires technical expertise to set up and keep running. GitLab is a hosted platform that includes pipelines, security checks, and AI assistance in one place. GitLab's Premium plan costs $29 per user per month billed annually; Jenkins itself costs nothing, though enterprise support comes at a custom price from third parties.

Which tool suits a team that wants AI help reviewing code for security problems?

CodeCritic is built for this. It reviews code on GitHub pull requests, groups feedback by severity, and checks for security issues across many languages. The free plan costs $0 per month. The Professional plan at $20 per month and the Enterprise plan at $75 per month add features including the merge-risk analysis tool, which is off by default on free accounts. GitLab also includes AI-assisted security checks in its pipelines, but those advanced features require purchasing extra credits on top of the subscription.

Can a non-technical team member run automated tests with any tool here?

Rainforest QA is the only tool here with a no-code visual editor that lets someone create and maintain tests without writing code. Its AI generates test plans and the tests repair themselves when the product changes. The trade-off is that pricing is not published and requires a sales call. Every other testing tool here, including Nightwatch.js, BrowserStack, and Postman, expects the person running it to write or configure code.