Software Development Tools – How to save time when developing .Net Websites

Published on 2018-06-05 by Charlotte Nathan

Learning to write code in a new format can be complicated, almost like learning a new language. Over the years at Remarkable Commerce, our developers have tried and tested many different software options. In order to maintain productivity within a department, there are a few things that need to be considered when choosing new software and tools.

Is the software compatible with the code and language used by the company?
Does it suit the needs of the department and have price plans available for different budgets?
Will it be able to be used long term for everyday tasks and deliver on the speed needed to keep up with workload and client requests?
Is it suitable for use within a team and functions and features that are easy to learn and pass on to other team members?

Although keeping up with new technologies and techniques is important, choosing tools that meet all the above criteria will save a lot of time and result in a better workflow within the department.

We have highlighted our top 5 software options that are a great introduction to anyone starting out in software development or may be recognized and praised by developers who currently work with them.

Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 and 2017

This is the main software used in the development department at Remarkable Commerce, with a free community edition available for developers to use. This is used to write the code, compile it, test it locally and prepare it for publishing to test or live environments.

The newer version of the software offers a lot of benefits such as enhanced debugging tests which is extremely helpful for identifying issues and bugs as well as finding their route cause. This means issues can be found and resolved quickly while providing information that can be used to prevent the issue from occurring in the future.

Microsoft Visual Studio is compatible with most .Net applications and has support for all programming languages like C#, Visual, Basic, C++ or third-party languages such as Javascript. Developers are also able to open folders hosted by any server, making collaborations and project management a lot easier.

Microsoft Windows 10

For developers aiming for mainly Microsoft development, Microsoft Windows 10 is ideal. This is the operating system used at Remarkable Commerce and is installed on SSDs to improve speed within the agency.

The Improved security of this most recent version of Microsoft Windows is highly favoured by developers considering the nature of files and communications handled on a daily basis. The frustration of switching between “desktop” mode and “Modern Apps” is eliminated by Windows 10, with users being able to change users, pin apps to the start menu and even turn the PC off without having to leave the desktop.

Windows 10 displays a newly updated command prompt which is used by developers to enter commands into scripts that automate tasks and assist with troubleshooting. In the Windows 10 Technical Preview, users can turn on “Enable experimental console features” found on the properties menu. By turning on the “Experimental Tab” extra functionalities are made available, and the window opacity can also be changed so changes in the background can be monitored without the window needing to be minimized. The software is also able to run other task automation tools like Bash, PowerShell, and more regardless of the language used or the environment in which the code will run.

Microsoft SQL Server

This is used at Remarkable Commerce to manage SQL servers and perform queries on the data, there is also a free version available for developers with a lot of support.

The software is easy to use and comes with a lot of useful tools that will save time with everyday tasks. These include SQL Server Profiler, SQL Server Management Studio, Business Intelligence tools and Database Tuning Advisor, all of which can help with trickier aspects like troubleshooting. The Server Management Studio is convenient for file management which is a key part of finding a server to use in large or small-scale development departments. Database files can be managed, moved, backed up and restored without the need of custom scripts.

MSSQL is reported to be one of the most secure of any of the major database platforms, with the fewest number of reported vulnerabilities. This again supports Remarkable Commerce’s value of only using software that can guarantee confidence in security.

GitHub and BitBucket

Both of these software options have free plans and are a great way to store and share code with the world. Each with a large community where developers can involve and contribute to other projects out there.

The online service providers can host code for free, however, whether the code is made public or kept private comes with a pricing plan. Bitbucket offers unlimited free private repositories while GitHub charges $21-200 per month for 10-125 private repositories. Prices involved with each service can vary depending on a department's needs and amount of developers who will work on the projects.

GitHub is preferred by software development teams for its easy-to-use interface that makes code collaborations and issues tracking less of a harrowing task. However there currently isn’t a feature gap between the two software, and each is built to suit different platforms, sites and client needs.

Why choose Remarkable Commerce?

At Remarkable Commerce we care about the way we work and the outcome, the tools we currently use have proved to deliver on functionality and assist with the development and maintenance of our eCommerce software. Contact us today to find out how we can assist!