Programmers use many auxiliary programs and applications in their work. Don’t be limited to the familiar tools in a world where new ones are constantly appearing. Here are some overlooked but very useful apps for a developer to install.
1. Ungit
Managing your Git repository via a command line interface is a daunting task. Try keeping track of commits in a project that consists of about 20 different branches, let alone controlling branching patterns.
Ungit solves this problem with an intuitive graphical interface – it presents repositories in the form of a web. It makes the process of adding commits much simpler and a fun animation illustrates the action. The user-friendly interface allows you to view the history of commits for a particular branch, merge them, add tags and do many other useful things. A detailed video review can be found on YouTube.
2. Termius
During self-isolation, people massively switched to remote work. They had a need to write my paper or fill in missing documents in order to complete the work with high quality. How do you get access to a computer or server left in the office? It is possible to connect to it by giving yourself access to the machine’s terminal using a simple SSH command, but why not do it in a more stylish way?
That’s where Termius – a Mosh-compatible SSH-client, apparently based on Electron, which works on almost any platform – Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android – comes in. Another nice feature of Termius is the possibility of port forwarding.
You can customize the appearance of the application yourself by choosing from a variety of themes and fonts. However, its interface looks great without any additional settings.
The application remembers multiple hosts, which can then be synchronized with mobile devices to work with remote server processes. You will need an account for this – you can register it for free or choose a paid option with additional benefits.
3. Alacritty
Alacritty is a great local terminal emulator that runs on Windows, MacOS and many Linux distributions. Its performance is significantly better than the alternatives due to the presence of a GPU gas pedal.
Alacritty looks much simpler than Termius, but all the necessary settings are present. The application uses configuration files (with extension.YML), which can be used to change almost all elements of the terminal, from color schemes to keyboard settings. Alacritty will suit both experienced users of the terminal and those who use it only for accessing local directories.
4. Byobu
This tool can’t be called an application or a program, but it will definitely come in handy in the workflow. It is a terminal multiplexer and window manager and it is an alternative to tmux and GNU screen. It will definitely be useful for people working on a remote server (e.g. with Termius) or who often open multiple terminal windows.
Instead of opening terminals individually, Byobu shows them in a single interface, making it easy to switch between them. You can also set up separate panels in each window to create the perfect terminal layout.
Byobu uses function keys, like F1, F2, F3, so it’s easier to learn than other multiplexers. And when in doubt, you can always look in the help by pressing Shift+F1.
5. Spacedesk
Spacedesk will allow you to turn an iPad, an old laptop with Wi-Fi, or even your phone into a second monitor for your main machine. This feature doesn’t seem the most necessary, if you forget how many times a day you have to press Alt-Tab.
Instead of buying another monitor or trying to make one yourself from spare parts, you can save time and money by installing Spacedesk. The app transmits data wirelessly, so you’ll need a good internet connection to work comfortably.
