FREE Tools Every MERN Developer Should Know

Most modern developers will agree that the MERN stack is going to be the leading stack in the near future. IT also needs a lot of tools to be able to develop and build with it. And there are a lot of tools out there that can help you as a developer. This blog will talk about some of the best tools in the market right now that every MERN developer should know.

This is a blog post about some of the best tools for developers in their early stages of MERN development who are familiar with Node and Express.

As always, We encourage you to give it a read because We’ve written it as concisely as possible. If you still have any questions or comments about the post after reading it for yourself then leave them at the bottom of this blog. Happy learning!

The MERN Stack needs a lot of tools to be able to develop and build with it. And there are a lot of tools out there that can help you as a developer. But first, let’s dive deep into the introduction of MERN.

What exactly is MERN?

MERN is a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS that allows for full-stack development on the client side. The MERN stack allows for rapid web development with a component-based approach. It’s not just a library that you’ll know how to use to develop your applications but it’s also a methodology that you should follow.

It’s also important to look at the people behind these tools. The different developers and engineers donated their time and shared their experiences with everyone to make this new tool come alive. This is why everyone who builds stuff should try out some of these tools and build things within their limitations.

Writing code is a challenging task that requires a lot of time, skill, and expertise. However, it doesn’t have to be so unbearably difficult. You don’t even need to use your computer or install anything on your PC.

These days, there are dozens of tools out there that allow you to deal with coding issues and write your web app faster. And the best part is that they all work online, which means you don’t have to install anything on your system.

Tools every MERN developer should know; Free Edition!

Writing code is a challenging task that requires a lot of time, skill, and expertise. However, it doesn’t have to be so unbearably difficult. You don’t even need to use your computer or install anything on your PC.

These days, there are dozens of tools out there that allow you to deal with coding issues and write your web app faster. And the best part is that they all work online. Which means you don’t have to install anything on your system.

It’s a known fact that free tools are the best tools. And, as a MEAN developer, you know how critical it is to have the best tools in your arsenal. Whether you’re a full-stack or back-end developer, there are certain key components to MEAN stack development that will help make your life easier.

Some of these include:

1. Visual Studio Code Editor — free.

Visual Studio Code is an open-source code editor from Microsoft which has been created by the same people who built Visual Studio.

It’s built on Git and available for Windows, Linux and OS X. It supports all modern coding languages, e.g., C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML and various Node.js add-ons.

VSCode is incredibly intelligent. It offers suggestions on how to improve your code as well as makes debugging a lot easier thanks to its built-in debugger module. You can easily switch between different languages or even configurations when working on a project. It also has extensions which allow for additional features to be added to the editor.

2. Brackets Editor — free & open source.

Brackets is an open-source code editor that is available online (and also locally). It finds application in working on websites, web applications, and diverse other files.

Brackets is a real powerhouse when it comes to coding since it offers code snippets, syntax highlighting and code snippets via a visual palette. Brackets even have a built-in project manager that manages the power of Git.

3. Visual Studio Code Editor — free & open source.

Visual Studio Code is based on NodeJS, so naturally, it has some Node-based extensions which are helpful when building an app with MERN (MongoDB, ExpressJS, ReactJS and Node). Some of these include:

TypeScript Language Server allows for type definitions and property assignments. It can be used to debug your code when working in TypeScript. An IntelliSense sidebar is also available for some of the most common tasks like developing, refactoring and formatting.

allows for the type definitions and property assignments. It can be used to debug your code when working in TypeScript. An IntelliSense sidebar is also available for some of the most common tasks like developing, refactoring and formatting. Node Package Manager (NPM) allows you to manage your npm packages easily as it gives you remote access over HTTP/HTTPS or local install via node-HTTP-proxy. The editor features support for TypeScript and JavaScript out of the box.

4. MongoDB Community Tools — free.

MongoDB is a document-oriented database management system. It’s becoming one of the most popular choices for storage in web development projects thanks to its incredible speed and simplicity of use.

One of the main things developers love about MongoDB is its native command line interface (CLI). It offers you a lot of flexibility when working on your app since it gives you complete control over the database backend. You can change settings, code, run queries and even import or export large amounts of data without having to go through any additional software. The only thing you need is your terminal!

5. Node Inspector — free & open source.

Node Inspector is an online tool that lets you explore the internal details of your Node.js web app and see how it works when you load it up in your browser. It uses to request information to show you data about the requests that hit your app. As it offers a visual view of the data that shows you how your app is running, including all the JavaScript and network activity. Also lets you debug Node.js code easier, find node modules, figure out if a code block is used in a specific way and even view sources for individual modules on your site.

6. Stubble — free.

Stubble is an online code editor that lets you work with multiple programming languages, including Node.js, ReactJS or AngularJS. You get to choose between using some of the most popular editors such as Sublime Text or Atom.

You can even draw code on your documents. This is a handy option if you want to create diagrams with Node.js or ReactJS components. You can open multiple documents at the same time and share your creations with other developers too.

Stubble has been built by many people from the Node community, so you know you’re going to get something that was developed for node. You don’t need to install anything on your computer as it’s all available online. The tool is free, so there’s no reason not to give it a try!

You can also use the DigitalOcean Droplet tool to share your code with others and collaborate on any workspaces remotely. Your data will be stored securely on their private cloud infrastructure since it’s accessible via SSH on Linux and OS X and via SFTP on Windows.

7. Mocha — free & open source.

Mocha is an open-source tool for running and executing Javascript tests. It’s powered by Node.js, so you’ll find that most of the tools you need to test a web application will work with Mocha too.

Mocha supports all modern programming languages, including TypeScript, Coffeescript and JavaScript. It supports testing frameworks like Jest which can be used with Node or browser tests. You can even use mocha-webpack to write your tests in different languages on the same project at the same time. You just need one place where they all live, and it’s called the Test folder of your repo. Mocha is a test framework for JavaScript which allows you to quickly write tests for your apps or web app and run them as part of continuous integration (CI) processes.

8. JSHint — free & open source.

JSHint is probably one of the most used tools in the Node toolbox, thanks to its ability to help program on a larger scale by preventing bugs and reducing errors. It’s a utility that can be used with any text editor or IDE to check your code for potential errors, including syntax errors, bugs, and stylistic problems before you run it. It’s a good choice for beginners since it’s very easy to use and follow.

9. Koa — free.

Koa is a NodeJS web framework that builds the server according to an API design and makes it scalable, fast and easy to create APIs. It lets you create RESTful API applications that can be used to build a website or mobile app with NodeJS.

It employs an event-driven architecture, wherein server-side code executes subsequent to each request. As a result, no resource-intensive processes operate during runtime; instead, they function asynchronously as required. Koa also gains recognition as one of the fastest frameworks available within the Node universe.  Thanks to the inclusion of the embedded optimizer, Koa Fast.

10. SequelPro — free & open source.

Sequel Pro is a straightforward GUI tool that manages MySQL databases using the Sequel dialect of SQL. It provides a simple interface for users to work with your databases without having to write any code. Sequel Pro is a fork of the open-source version of Sequel, crafted to leverage new MySQL features.

You can easily connect to an existing database, or you can create new databases and tables. You can also use it to edit and delete records, import data from CSV files and export data as CSV as well.

ControlF5’s MERN full stack Developers – The perfect choice for your next project!

When you work with ControlF5’s full-stack MERN developer, you get a partner who is familiar with fast-moving technology. And will be able to renew your project and make it even better with full stack development with MERN.

As a leading IT firm, our full-stack MERN developers use the best tools in the industry such as Drupal, WordPress, Magento, MERN, Node.js, and Laravel. And others to help create amazing websites and apps with clean code that are fast load time.

ControlF5’s MERN full stack developers in Indore have been involved in the development of more than 1000+ projects so far. Many of our clients come back to use us again because they get what they want and because we save them time and money. Our MERN stack development firm has pledged to constantly evolve our skill set, so our customers get the best results.

Discover more about NodeJS development and other tools from ControlF5’s expert full-stack MERN developers.

With the relatively small size of the Node community, it’s not easy to find good developers. While the language is fairly easy to learn, it does take some time. It can also be quite difficult to find staff that are up to date with the latest developments and best practices in the Node community. So our proactive MERN full stack developers decided to make a list of tools we use ourselves that have helped us on our journey.

At ControlF5, we’re a full stack development with MERN company with experts across all facets of web development. Including mobile web apps and APIs, single-page applications (SPA) using JavaScript frameworks such as AngularJS or ReactJS, and desktop applications built using HTML5, NodeJS or ASP.NET technologies such as MVC5.

If you’re hiring a development company to build or update your next web app. Contact us here and we’ll help you match with our experienced MERN stack web development firm.

At ControlF5, we possess over a decade’s worth of experience in enterprise-grade software engineering and design. This expertise positions us to assist with the construction of whatever you require, supported by our full-stack MERN developers.

Contact us today to take your project to the next level!