Useful Software
This is a list of tools every developer should have installed on their work computer, and many that most non-devs should have too.
Authors: David Hecker
Created: 12 Oct 2024 Last updated: 21 Jun 2025
Licensed Software
- We will only ever used appropriately licensed software at [CompanyName].
- If you install any illegal software, or use your work-provided computer for downloading and distributing illegal software, that is grounds for dismissal.
- If you are a full-time Unity developer, a Unity Pro license will be provided for you.
- We have licenses for the following software. Chat to ContactPerson if you need this.
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Microsoft Office 365
- We have a couple of Photoshop licenses and a single After Effects license that can be reassigned as needed, depending on the project. Chat to ContactPerson if you need this.
- If there is a need for a software license in order to fulfil your project duties, this will be provided.
- Only Business-level licenses can be used for business tasks. Personal licenses are not appropriate for the workplace.
Communication
- Slack for Desktop
- Our office chat app
- Zoom
- Some of our clients use Zoom for calls
- Microsoft Teams
- Some of our clients use Microsoft Teams for calls
Notes
- Obsidian
- Extensible app to take notes and store your knowledge in plain text or markdown.
Dev Tools
- Unity Hub
- For installing all the Unity versions!
- Visual Studio Community
- VS Code
- Light, but very functional open source code editor, good for web development/frontend stuff
- JetBrains Rider
- Highly performant cross-platform IDE
- XCode
- Mac-only dev environment, required for building iOS and macOS applications
- Notepad++
- Text and source editor for Windows
- Sublime Text
- Text and source editor for macOS
- DependencyWalker
- For analysing DLL dependencies, usually used when a DLL won't load
- Ubuntu WSL Sub System for Windows 10
- Run Ubuntu shell in your Windows 10 environment
Source Control Management
- Git
- For source control management
- Git LFS
- For large file management
- Github for Desktop
- A lightweight git GUI that gets you 99% of the functionality you will ever need
- Fork
- A fast and friendly git client
Browsers
Web Development
- Node.js
- For node development
- Install the following global packages:
- http-server
- for launching a server in any folder for quick testing
- typescript
- for typescript development
- http-server
- Docker
- For creating containerized development environment, usually used when setting up web micro services, etc
File Transfer
- Cyberduck
- A very robust upload solution that is compatible with everything from Amazon S3 to FTP
Network
- Putty
- SSH terminal into clients, as well as a key generator
- Hercules SETUP utility
- For doing simple network testing - it can send messages over Serial, UDP and TCP
- Clumsy
- For simulating a bad network (e.g. simulate packets out of order)
- PacketSender
- Network testing (simulating a TCP/UDP server-client)
Time Tracking
- Clockify
- Time tracking apps and bowser extensions
- Toggl Desktop
Batch Renaming Tools
- Ant Renamer
- Really good file renaming tool
- Advanced Renamer
- Powerful freeware batch file renamer
- Name Mangler
- Batch file renamer for macOS
Video Recording
- Bandicam
- A pretty bullet proof screen recording solution
- Obs
- Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming
Media Info/Conversion
- ffmpeg
- Powerful command line tool for transcoding videos
- See ffmpeg page for usage samples
- Handbrake
- Gui for ffmpeg
- MediaInfo
- Free, open-source program that displays technical information about media files
Media Playback
- VLC
- Media player software
- djv
- Free professional playback and review software for VFX, animation, and film production
Media Editing
- DaVinci Resolve
- Free, extremely powerful professional video editing, colour correction, visual FX, audio mix suite
- Shotcut
- Free, open source, cross-platform video editor