$ which tools | grep “essential”

As a developer working at dSPACE and studying computer science, I’ve experimented with countless tools to optimize my workflow. Here are the ones that have truly made a difference.

Code Editor: VS Code

{
  "editor": "Visual Studio Code",
  "why": "Perfect balance of features and performance",
  "favorite_extensions": [
    "GitLens",
    "Prettier", 
    "Live Server",
    "Thunder Client",
    "German Language Pack"
  ]
}

VS Code has become my daily driver. The extension ecosystem is incredible, and it handles everything from web development to documentation.

Terminal: Windows Terminal + PowerShell

# My current setup
$terminal = @{
    Shell = "PowerShell 7"
    Terminal = "Windows Terminal"  
    Theme = "Dark+"
    Productivity = "Oh My Posh + Starship"
}

The new Windows Terminal with PowerShell 7 has transformed my command-line experience. Adding Oh My Posh makes it both beautiful and functional.

Version Control Workflow

Git + GitHub

# My typical workflow
git checkout -b feature/awesome-feature
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add awesome feature"
git push origin feature/awesome-feature
# Create PR via GitHub CLI or web interface

GitKraken (GUI)

For complex merge conflicts and repository visualization, GitKraken has saved me countless hours.

Design and Planning

Figma

use_cases:
  - UI/UX mockups for personal projects
  - Collaborative design with team members  
  - Creating diagrams and flowcharts
  - Prototyping web interfaces

Notion

My second brain for:

• Project planning and documentation
• Study notes and research
• Personal knowledge management
• Meeting notes from dSPACE

Development Environment

Docker

# Consistent development environments
FROM node:18-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install
COPY . .
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["npm", "start"]

Docker has eliminated “it works on my machine” issues completely.

Postman/Thunder Client

API testing and documentation made simple. Thunder Client (VS Code extension) is perfect for quick tests.

Learning and Documentation

Obsidian

# My Knowledge Graph
- Course notes from Universität Paderborn
- Work learnings from dSPACE  
- Tech documentation and tutorials
- Project ideas and implementations

Obsidian’s linking system helps me connect concepts across different domains.

Anki (Spaced Repetition)

For memorizing:

• Programming concepts and syntax
• German vocabulary (essential for work!)
• Computer science fundamentals
• System design patterns

Productivity Tools

Todoist

$ todoist list
Today:
- Review PR for project X
- Finish CS assignment on algorithms  
- dSPACE team meeting at 2 PM
- Work on personal website blog post

RescueTime

Tracking where my time goes helps optimize my study/work balance.

Communication

Slack (dSPACE)

Discord (Developer Communities)

WhatsApp (University Groups)

Browser Extensions

const essentialExtensions = [
  'uBlock Origin',      // Ad blocking
  'Bitwarden',          // Password management  
  'React Developer Tools', // Frontend debugging
  'JSON Viewer',        // Pretty JSON formatting
  'Grammarly',         // Writing assistance (especially in German!)
];

$ eval “my_workflow_philosophy”

The best tools are the ones you actually use consistently. I prefer:

1. Simple over complex - Tools that don’t get in the way
2. Cross-platform - Works on Windows (work) and other systems
3. Good documentation - Essential when learning
4. Active community - Help and resources when stuck

Tools I’m Currently Exploring

investigating:
  - Neovim: Considering the switch from VS Code
  - Rust: Learning systems programming
  - Kubernetes: For container orchestration
  - Zsh: Might switch from PowerShell on Linux

University-Specific Tools

PAUL (University Portal)

PANDA (Learning Management System)

HBZ Library System

Student Email (Outlook)

Working in Germany while studying has taught me the importance of having robust, reliable tools that work across different environments and languages.

$ echo “What tools do you swear by?”

I’m always looking to improve my setup. What tools have transformed your workflow? Any suggestions for a student developer working in Germany?

$ tools --feedback | send_to contact@dheirya.dev

Got recommendations or want to discuss developer tools? Let’s chat!