Web development can be difficult, but with the right tools the journey could be a smooth ride. There are various resources available for developers, with the rise of AI making it even easier for web developers to bootstrap applications. Here are top 10 resources that you will wish you knew earlier.

1. Next.js:

Next.js is a React framework highly recommended by the React team for building React applications. Next.js is super fast as it enables static site generation( This thing does not have a single html page, wow). Next.js has several developer tools, such as server-side rendering, making routing and authentication seamless. It's great for SEO and performance and has many built-in features that make development easier. However, Next also comes with some challenges, such as errors that are not easy to read and pre-rendering, which fetches data after navigating to a page; thus, if you need to change something during the next navigation, this becomes challenging.

2. Sanity.io:

Sanity.io is a schematic database that empowers web development without building custom backends. It offers an intuitive content management system (CMS) and an API for quickly creating and managing content. Sanity.io allows developers to focus on front-end development while seamlessly integrating with their preferred backend data. This site is super helpful, especially if you are building a blog.

3. Tailwind CSS:

At first, tailwind css looks like blasphemy, with many bloated html classes that make your code difficult to read. However, tailwind s a utility-first CSS framework that makes it easy to style your web pages. It's great for beginners and experienced developers and is very flexible. Tailwind allows for code reusability through the @apply directive and also has a UI library (Tailwind UI) that can supercharge web development without writing any CSS.

4. Material and Daisy UI:

Material UI and Daisy UI are powerful UI component libraries that offer a rich selection of pre-designed and customizable components. Material UI adheres to the Material Design guidelines, while Daisy UI provides a lightweight and elegant component set. Both libraries save developers time by offering ready-to-use components for their web applications.

5. Framer.io:

Framer is similar to Figma but has an AI tool that generates a website design super-fast. Using a framer, you can generate your design inspiration within seconds. Framer also allows you to customize the generated site to your preference. Other similar tools include Wix.com and Durable.

6. Webflow:

The age of no-code websites is here, and webflow is the king in this arena. Webflow is a visual web design and development tool that bridges the gap between design and development. It allows developers to create responsive websites without writing code, providing a drag-and-drop interface, powerful styling options, and a content management system (CMS). Furthermore, Webflow also allows you to add javascript code for interactivity and host your website for free.

7. Firebase and Supabase:

Firebase is a google cloud platform that helps build and deploy websites. However, the most useful Firebase feature is hosting web APIs and allowing users to sign in using their Google accounts (This is similar to what is offered by Auth0 ). However, firebase also provides hosting, real-time database, authentication, and cloud functions. Firebase simplifies backend development and empowers developers to focus on creating exceptional front-end experiences. Supabase is a free alternative to firebase.

8. Express.js:

Express is a JavaScript library for backend development integrated with node.js. Express helps build the backend with javascript and makes it easier to deploy APIs. It simplifies building web applications and APIs by providing robust features and middleware. Express.js is highly extensible and widely used in the Node.js ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for web developers.

9. Midjourney:

First, mid-journey is only partially free and available in their discord channel. Midjourney is a popular AI tool enabling individuals to generate text images. Most developers use Midjourney to inspire their designs and create stunning visuals and 3D Models. If you do not know Photoshop, mid-journey got you covered. For free alternatives, check DALLE.E and Blue WIllow (available on discord)

10. JQuery:

JQuery can be less useful when using frameworks such as React. However, while building sites with vanilla javascript, JQuery makes selecting DOM elements, event handling, and animation easier. For example, to select an h1 tag using JQuery, we use a dollar sign $(h1).

Other tools not mentioned in this list include vercel v0, which helps develop frontend designs and codes, AI tools such as Gemini and Bing, Google Fonts, Vercel and many more. Kindly share your favorite resources below.