Learn how developer tools can help you become a more efficient and effective computer programmer. This in-depth guide covers everything from the basics of developer tools such as Git and Visual Code Studio to the benefits of learning programming libraries like React and Node.js for career advancement.
Key Insights
- Developer tools, which include programs like Git and Visual Code Studio, and programming libraries like React and Node.js, are essential for enhancing efficiency and expanding the capability of computer programmers.
- Video tutorials offer a flexible and low-stakes environment for learning developer tools, allowing students to control their pace and experiment with different tools and frameworks.
- Noble Desktop offers comprehensive web development training programs that teach students how to utilize developer tools effectively, with the option for in-person or online learning.
- Learning developer tools can significantly increase job opportunities and code quality, with each tool serving a unique purpose in development projects.
- Difficulty levels vary among different developer tools, with programming efficiency tools usually being easier to learn compared to advanced programming libraries or frameworks.
- Most developer tools are open-source and free to use, with vibrant communities constantly expanding their capabilities, making them highly accessible for students and professionals.
Developer tools refer to a large cluster of efficiency tools used to make development projects run smoothly. This includes tools like Git and Visual Code Studio and programming frameworks like Node.js and Django. Watching video tutorials online is a popular method of learning developer tools. Not only do these videos allow students to pick up and put down their training as their schedule allows, but they also allow students to explore the options for this training in a low-stakes, low-commitment environment. This article will cover a range of videos, including what they teach and where to find them.
What are Developer Tools?
Becoming a professional computer programmer takes a lot of training and effort. You’ll need to learn a wide range of programming languages that each serve a niche function in the development process. However, those looking to parlay their development skills into a long-term career will also need to learn how to use standard tools and libraries associated with computer programming to optimize their workflow and ensure that their code is easy to read, edit, and compile. Whether you are learning to use Visual Code Studio to compile your code, Git to archive it, or specific programming libraries like React and Node.js to expand the scope of your projects, learning developer tools is vital to be an efficient and effective computer programmer.
“Developer tools” is a broad category of skills that covers efficiency tools like Git, Emmett, and Visual Code Studio along with programming libraries like React and Django. These categories of tools are designed to help make programming easier and more efficient. Developers are more or less required to know Git since it is a crucial archiving program that is useful for all stages of the development process. Libraries, such as the JavaScript framework Node.js, serve more specific functions (in the case of Node.js, letting applications read JavaScript code outside of a web browser). Students must decide which set of tools will provide the largest return on investment, but learning a collection of different developer tools will significantly improve your job opportunities and code quality.
Read more about what developer tools are and why you should learn them.
What Can You Do with Developer Tools?
Developer tools are primarily used to make the coding and programming process more efficient and optimized for specific tasks. As a result, most of the things you can do with developer tools are focused on improving the things you can do with programming languages like HTML/CSS and JavaScript. For example, Git won’t do much on its own, but when paired with other programming languages, it becomes a powerful tool for documentation and collaboration between multiple developers. Visual Code Studio will help developers compile and debug code far faster than they might otherwise have been able to, which will help them work on more complex projects thanks to automating the basic elements of the process.
On the other hand, learning to use advanced programming frameworks and libraries will vastly expand the things you can do as a programmer. For example, learning Node.js will allow you to develop software applications that read JavaScript code without accessing a web browser. This is a necessary technical skill for building things like streaming service software. It is a vital component of the internet of things technologies that make everything from digital assistants to smart cars possible. Similarly, learning the MERN stack will let users build full-stack frameworks for web applications using only their knowledge of JavaScript.
Why Are Video Tutorials Helpful When Learning Developer Tools?
Students interested in learning developer tools may find video tutorials incredibly helpful for their training. Not only are video tutorials helpful because they allow students to control the pace of their training, but they also let students experiment with different tools and frameworks in a low-stakes environment.
Video tutorials let students learn when it is most convenient for their schedule, since a video can be rewound, restarted, or paused to meet a student’s needs. This gives students more control over the pace of their training, which can be vital for students hoping to learn the intricacies of several complex programs at once. Students can also pause and rewind videos to either repeat a part of the lesson they were having trouble with or look up an explanation (which can be another video) to a question they are having.
Video tutorials are also a great way for students to start exploring the options available to them in terms of different tools and frameworks they can learn. In many cases, students won’t be using a ‘developer tools’ video, they will be using a Githbu video or a Node.js video, or a VSC video. This is ideal for students who aren’t sure what skills will be the most important for them to learn since students can easily start watching a few videos to help them determine what training route is best for them. Students who enroll in a professional training program can’t easily back out if they learn that they don’t want to learn Node.js.
Videos are also suitable for students who want to learn a single narrow skill. Live training courses very rarely teach a single developer tool, so students who know that they want to learn Git but don’t want to enroll in a class that teaches Git, HTML/CSS, and Emmet, can simply start watching Git videos to learn the basic features of the program.
Types of Developer Tools Videos
There are two major types of developer tool training videos. The first are classes that replicate the kinds of training that a student can expect to receive in a professional training environment. These classes will introduce students to the important elements of web development and guide them through discovering the many different tools they can learn to use. These courses all tend to be fairly cursory, so students hoping to learn how to use tools like Visual Code Studio or frameworks like React will need additional professional training, but these courses are a great way to become more comfortable with the foundational skills that go into professional web development.
Noble Desktop offers a wide array of free online web development courses, including an Intro to Web Development class which provides students with an overview of every significant aspect of web development, including the most common tools utilized in the web development process. In this class, students will get an expansive look at all of the different aspects of web development they can expect to cover in a full course, including not only programming languages like HTML/CSS and JavaScript but also tools such as Git and Visual Code Studio and libraries such as React. These training resources are a great place for new students to get their bearings on the field, and since they are taught by the same experienced Noble instructors, they are a great place to prepare for enrolling in a more immersive training program.
The other major type of video tutorials are videos that aim to provide short lessons on a single aspect of a given tool or framework. These videos will be quick explanations on subjects such as how to archive various folders in Git or how to use Node.js to program an element of a streaming application. This allows students to construct their curriculum and decide the order and style of their training. These are also the kinds of training videos that first-party providers tend to make for their free training sessions. Plus, since these videos are rewarded by the YouTube algorithm, they are the most common kind of video tutorial because service providers are encouraged to produce videos in this style.
Why Learn Developer Tools?
Learning developer tools is an ideal skill for any aspiring computer programmer who wants to make their work either more efficient or more expansive. They will help you in almost every development process. For example: learning Visual Code Studio will make it easier for you to build mundane elements with features like intelligent code completion, syntax highlighting, and direct support for debugging. Git helps students document and archive their code in a collaborative working environment, letting them keep detailed records of their work and the alterations made to their code. Emmet is a software application designed to be a high-speed plug-in for web development projects, making HTML/CSS coding a breeze. Each tool serves a different purpose and lets users work more efficiently on development projects.
Other major developer tools include programming libraries and frameworks that expand on the kinds of work that can be done with any given programming language. These libraries, such as React, Node.js, and Django, can be learned alongside their base language (often JavaScript or Python) to allow developers to build more complex programs. For example, despite JavaScript being primarily a web development language, learning the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js) will allow web developers to build full-stack digital applications that can run on almost any device or platform. While programmers won’t necessarily be required to learn these tools to work on projects involving JavaScript, learning any one of them is a great way to expand a developer’s career potential.
Read more about why you should learn developer tools.
How Difficult is It to Learn Developer Tools?
It is challenging to discuss the difficulty associated with developer tools because each tool and library has a different difficulty level. For example, learning a distributed version control tool like Git will be relatively easy to learn and use, since its features are lightweight and highly accessible. Learning a full-stack framework like the JavaScript MERN stack will be more difficult because this is a collection of advanced programming libraries. Aspiring web developers are encouraged to explore their options, though none of the tools you can learn are so complex as to be out of reach to intermediate developers, especially those receiving professional skills training.
There are essentially two different types of prerequisites for learning developer tools. There are technically no prerequisites for programming efficiency tools like Git or Visual Code Studio, but learning them won’t accomplish anything if you don’t know how to program code. It doesn’t really matter what specific languages you learn since Git is equally helpful for HTML/CSS and Python users, but you will need a background knowledge of computer programming. For frameworks and libraries such as React and Node.js that are built on top of existing programming languages, those languages are rigid prerequisites for learning the framework. For example, those who want to learn Node.js will have to learn JavaScript, which means they will have to learn HTML/CSS.
Most development tools are open-source, allowing students to use them without paying. This also means that they tend to have vibrant communities that are constantly expanding what the tools are capable of doing in terms of optimizing programmers’ efficiency. Some of these tools may have slight fees for certain premium features (for instance, users hosting massive amounts of data on GitHub may have to pay a small fee, though individuals are unlikely ever to come close to this). Still, for most users, developer tools are entirely free to use.
Read about how difficult it is to learn developer tools.
Learn Developer Tools with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
Those who want to optimize their web development skills may consider enrolling in a web development training program offered through Noble Desktop. These classes will teach students how to use these tools to become more efficient and productive programmers. Enrolling in a course through Noble Desktop means you receive expert instruction in real-time, regardless of whether you are taking a course online or in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus. In either case, class sizes are kept small and students can interact directly with their instructors, making it easy to ensure that they don’t fall behind in their lessons. All students can retake their courses within one calendar year, giving them extra opportunities to train with these development tools. Plus, students who work in-person will be able to take advantage of Noble’s state-of-the-art computer lab.
For those looking to master the crucial tools that web developers use to streamline their work, Noble offers a Front End Tools and Portfolio course that covers all of the most common web development tools professionals utilize in their daily work. This includes Git and Github for documenting and sharing code, Emmet for programming efficiency and shortcutting, and Visual Code Studio for compiling and editing code. These tools will help significantly accelerate a student’s ability to bring projects to completion and are invaluable professional tools. This class assumes a knowledge of HTML/CSS, so you must find other means of training if you need to cover those skills.
If you want a more complete web development training regimen that includes many of these tools and frameworks, you may want to enroll in Noble’s Front End Web Development Certificate program or its Full Stack Web Development Certificate program. These career-focused courses provide training in every step of the development process, from basic coding skills with HTML/CSS to advanced JavaScript training. Along the way, you will learn the tools and techniques, as well as the specific programming libraries, that you will need to start a new career in professional web development. These courses are career-focused training options. In addition to receiving practical training in tools like Git and Visual Code Studio that make professional programmers more efficient,you will also receive professionalization training, such as one-on-one career mentorship and dedicated portfolio-building seminars. They are an ideal place to learn every element of web development and embark on a new career path in this ever-changing industry.
How to Learn Coding
Master coding with hands-on training. Learning how to code in JavaScript, Python, and other popular languages can pave the way to a job in tech, such as web development, data science & analytics, or software engineering.
- Full-Stack Web Development Certificate at Noble Desktop: live, instructor-led course available in NYC or live online
- Find Coding Classes Near You: Search & compare dozens of available courses in-person
- Attend a coding class live online (remote/virtual training) from anywhere
- Find & compare the best online coding classes (on-demand) from the top providers and platforms
- Train your staff with corporate and onsite coding training