11 Productivity Tools to Help Web Developers Beat Deadlines

Practical Tool Guide to Improve Development Efficiency

Many developers have this experience: a day full of plans, but the task is not completed in the end. Where has the time gone? This article will introduce a range of tools to improve work efficiency and divide them into four categories: time management, checklists, scheduling, and project management. Each category provides solutions to specific efficiency problems.

Core points

• Time management tools such as TMetric, ManicTime and Timely can help developers track work hours, understand efficiency patterns, and manage billable and non-billable time.
• Inventory apps such as Wunderlist, Todoist, and Remember the Milk help remember tasks, set reminders, and collaborate with others.
• Scheduling apps, such as Calendly, Google Calendar, and Doodle, prevent double booking, organize appointments, and facilitate meetings and events.
• Project management tools, such as Trello and Asana, are ideal for managing large projects and fostering seamless collaboration among multiple teams.
• While these efficiency tools can help with time management and task organization, their effectiveness can only be maximized if they are incorporated into strategies that match users’ strengths and work styles.

Time tracking

If you don't control time, time will control you. One way to control your time is to track every minute of all your effective work. It sounds difficult, but it is not difficult as long as you have a little discipline and the right tools. Here are some apps that can help you do this…

TMetric Time Tracker

• Basic version: Free
• Professional version: $4/user/month
• Business Edition: $6/user/month

TMetric is a simple and powerful web-based application that helps you track your working hours. It has a simple and easy-to-understand interface. Simply add the task, expect duration, and click "Start" to track it.

The application works based on a simple hierarchy. The task belongs to the project and the project belongs to the customer. Each category can be tracked independently so that you can know exactly where time is spent.

The app can quickly show your schedule of the day with its "Working Day Timeline" feature. You can also collaborate with other members of the team and see everyone’s schedule through the Team View. The app generates detailed reports showing how much time spent and how much money each project earns. Business owners can set rates for different types of jobs and easily calculate employee salaries.

TMetric makes it easy to track billable and non-billable time separately so that you can grasp your spending and income. You can use its tagging feature to further organize tasks or projects.

Lastly, the app can be easily integrated with popular project management software such as Trello, Asana, Jira, Todoist, etc., allowing you to use them seamlessly as a complete solution.

ManicTime

• Basic version: Free
• Professional Edition: $67/license/year

Unlike other web-based applications, ManicTime is a downloadable program that runs in the background, tracking everything you do. It can tell you which programs you opened, which files you processed, and how much time you spent.

The program allows you to mark a period of time, which makes creating a schedule very easy. One of the big advantages of ManicTime is that you don't need to log into the website: click Start and then click Stop when you finish the work, which can be quite difficult for management. An app that automatically tracks your actions is so cool!

Timely

• Basic version: $14/user/month
• Company version: $21/user/month
• Enterprise version: $49/user/month

Timely is an app with impressive visual effects. Its board-style interface allows you to drag and drop modules (including your tasks) into your calendar, giving you an instant and comprehensive understanding of your day.

Reports are one of the best features Timely offers. You can check how you spend your time by day, week or month. You can also compare the time you actually spend on the project with the time you think it will take – if you ask me, it is very useful! Items can be set to be billable or non-billable. (Some tasks don't bring money, even if they're important.) You can also assign hourly rates to your project, or set a fixed fee and track the time spent on the project to see how much money you've made per hour . Lastly, visual applications without color code are incomplete, and using Timely, you can assign as many colors to evaluate your task.

List

If you are tired of sticky notes, diaries or always have to carry a small notebook with you, then you need a checklist app. These applications remove memories from task equations so that you can focus on what you need to do now. In my opinion, the following three listing apps are the best at the moment... Wunderlist

Basic version: Free

Pro: $4.99

• Business Edition: $4.99/user

• Wunderlist is a well-known listing app—and so popular that Microsoft acquired it for $200 million. Wunderlist is a simple and lightweight app that helps you quickly create to-do lists and follow up. The app provides limited support for repetitive tasks and even allows collaboration with others.

  Wunderlist provides cross-platform support and can be accessed from any device. This is very important because you never know where you might need to add a sudden task to your list. Like most inventory apps, Wunderlist offers regular reminders and also allows you to track your tasks very easily while allowing you to quickly see which tasks are overdue.

  Todoist

  • Basic version: Free
  • Premium version: $29/year
  • Business Edition: $29/user/year

  

  The Todoist team decided to create a checklist application designed along a typical email client interface, which makes it feel very familiar the moment you open Todoist. Its minimalist interface allows you to quickly add tasks and make changes without skipping obstacles.

  You can not only add tasks through the application, but also send emails through the browser plugin of Gmail, Thunderbird, or Outlook to add tasks. Like Wunderlist, Todoist is multi-platform and can run on any device.

  Todoist has a great feature that allows you to add tasks by simply typing a normal sentence with dates (such as "Wednesday 11am" or "Every Friday 4pm").

  This is the only checklist application I know that gamify productivity. You will earn “Karma” points every time you complete a task, and you can accumulate Karma over time and see how your performance compares to your colleagues!

  Remember the Milk

  • Basic version: Free
  • Professional version: $39.99/year

  

  Don't let this easy name fool you: This is a well-designed checklist application! Remember the Milk (or RTM for short) was one of the first listing applications to enter the market and has many features.

  First of all, RTM has been using natural language task input since its inception. You just have to say something like "Send Tom at 9am Wednesday" to add it to your to-do list.

  The developers of RTM know that the real problem is not to add tasks to the list, but to remember to execute them when time comes. So they added all possible alert methods. Mobile devices, desktops, text messages, Skype, AIM, Google Hangout, push notifications on Twitter - all you think of, it all!

  Pro Edition contains a full suite of collaboration tools including subtasks, smart task lists and tags.

  Schedule

  While the time tracking and inventory application is great for micromanaging your tasks, you also need something to help you focus on the big picture. So if you ever find yourself thinking back and forth whether your potential client suggests a 9am meeting is a good idea, then the scheduling app is the perfect assistant! Consider these...

  Calendly

  • Basic version: Free
  • Premium version: $8/user/month
  • Professional version: $12/user/month

  

  Calendly is a simple, beautiful scheduling solution for marketing and is the perfect tool to help you organize your dates. Calendly’s creators know that people often subscribe to various tools, many of which offer their own scheduling capabilities – which can lead to problems such as double booking. Calendly can be integrated with most popular applications, including Google, Office365, and Outlook, to check for such errors and correct them by adding all tasks to a single calendar.

  Calendly compatible with all devices allows you to choose whether you need last-minute meetings and the buffering time between meetings. You can add multiple attendees to a meeting, webinar, or seminar to a time period. Even though Calendly is a powerful application, its simple user interface makes it very intuitive and easy to use.

  Google Calendar

  • Usage: Free

  

  Of course, if you prefer sticking to the tried and tested method, there is always Google. If you use Gmail, you already have access to Google's free Calendar app, which has enough features to handle tasks that most web developers can think of.

  Inheriting Google's consistent style, their calendar is simple and intuitive, allowing you to arrange tasks or events very easily. If you are using G Suite for Businesses, you can use automatically scheduling events from text in your email to messages in your calendar.

  You can create multiple calendars for different types of tasks. So you can create calendars for work, family, holidays, hobbies and more. All tasks will be displayed in the main interface when you log in. However, you can check individual calendars by clicking on the My Calendar tab on the left. Your colleagues can also share their calendar with you. Under Other Calendars, type a person's name/email to add their calendar to your list.

  Lastly, Google Calendar also has a great reminder feature that reminds you on your PC, laptop or mobile device. Reminders can be either one-time or repeated.

  Doodle

  • Basic version: Free
  • Private version: $39/user/year
  • Business Edition: $69/user/year

  

  While the two apps discussed above are perfect for a variety of tasks, Doodle is specifically used to schedule meetings and events. The app is built on the idea that features that are not currently needed will only get in the way of us. It does work. In fact, the app makes it very easy for you to schedule meetings, appointments, or tasks and then find them.

  Doodle works slightly differently than other calendar apps because it creates votes for everyone who will be participating in a specific date or task. Then send the vote to them and add the time most people think is convenient to your calendar. The app can also integrate with your calendar and simplify it by ensuring all tasks are organized.

  Private and commercial users can set up their own SSL-encrypted subdomains on Doodle.com. The votes you send can also be customized and can send automatic reminders.

  Project Management

  Simple applications may not be enough for senior users who manage large projects that require collaboration with multiple teams. If this sounds like you, the dedicated project management tool discussed below may be exactly what you need.

  Trello

  • Basic version: Free
  • Business Edition: $9.99/user/month
  • Enterprise version: $20.83/user/month

  

  Trello is a visual project management tool that uses kanbans to help you understand your work and get it done faster. Its office board-like interface looks very familiar, and since cards can be dragged and dropped onto your board, adding tasks is easy.

  Trello uses simple hierarchies to help you organize tasks. Cards are the most basic unit. The card basically contains the details of the task. A list is a collection of cards under a specific topic or workflow. A kanban is your project workspace that can contain multiple lists.

  Trello allows you to invite as many people as you like to your board for free. You can drag and drop team members in the card and after that, they will be notified every time they make a change.

  Trello can easily integrate with a variety of different third-party applications such as Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, etc.

  Asana

  • Basic version: Free
  • Premium version: $9.99/month
  • Enterprise version: on demand

  

  Asana is one of the most popular project management tools, developed by Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, who participated in Facebook development. Asana is designed to manage large projects, so it has the capability to promote seamless collaboration and intuitive organization.

  Asana is divided into three levels. Tasks are the lowest level, basically the to-do items you are about to do. Tasks can be assigned to people, where you can add comments, notes, or create subtasks. The project is a task list that acts as a to-do list. You can organize and prioritize your tasks under the project. Workspaces are like Trello boards where you can organize your projects.

  The software allows everyone involved in the team to easily view the progress of the project through the dashboard. All tasks and subtasks can also be assigned to other team members.

  Summary

  While all these applications are great tools, they don't solve your efficiency problems by themselves. Adding a task to the manifest does not guarantee that it will be actually completed.

  To maximize these applications, it is best to adopt them as part of a strategy that matches your strengths. The tools mentioned here can help you overcome your weaknesses so that nothing is in the way you are. Since all the apps mentioned above are free, you can try them out and see which apps are suitable for your specific working style.

  Do you know of any apps that help you improve your efficiency? Please let us know in the comments below!

  Frequently Asked Questions about Web Developer Efficiency Tools

  What are the best efficiency tools for web developers?

  Web developers can use many efficiency tools. Some of the best tools include Trello for project management, Slack for team communication, GitHub for version control, Visual Studio Code for encoding, and Postman for API development. These tools can help simplify your workflow, improve collaboration and increase efficiency.

  How does the efficiency tool help me complete the deadline on time?

  Efficiency tools can help you manage time more effectively, track tasks and collaborate with team members. They can also automate repetitive tasks, freeing up more time for you to focus on complex tasks. This can help you complete projects on time and complete deadlines on time.

  Does web developers have any free efficiency tools?

  Yes, there are several free efficiency tools available to web developers. These include Visual Studio Code, GitHub, and Slack. However, some tools may offer additional features or benefits in the case of paid subscriptions.

  How to choose the right efficiency tool according to my needs?

  When choosing efficiency tools, consider your specific needs and workflow. Find tools that provide the features you need, such as project management, time tracking, or collaboration. You should also consider the ease of use of the tool, compatibility with other tools you use, and the cost.

  Can efficiency tools improve team collaboration?

  Yes, many efficiency tools are designed to improve collaboration. Tools like Slack, Trello, and GitHub allow team members to communicate, share files and work together on projects. This can help improve efficiency and ensure everyone is on the same page.

  How to integrate efficiency tools into my workflow?

  Most efficiency tools are designed to be easily integrated into your workflow. You can usually connect them with other tools you use, set notifications and customize their features to suit your needs. Getting used to new tools can take some time, but once you get used to it, it can greatly improve your efficiency.

  Is there any efficiency tool specifically for coding?

  Yes, there are several efficiency tools designed specifically for coding. These include code editors like Visual Studio Code, version control systems like GitHub, and debugging tools. These tools can help you write, test, and debug code more efficiently.

  Can efficiency tools help me manage my time better?

  Absolutely. Many efficiency tools include time tracking to help you understand how much time you spend on different tasks. This can help you identify areas that can improve efficiency and manage time better.

  Is there any efficiency tool for API development?

  Yes, there are efficiency tools designed specifically for API development. One of the most popular tools is Postman, which allows you to design, build and test APIs in one place.

  Can efficiency tools help me work remotely?

  Yes, many efficiency tools are designed to support remote work. Tools like Slack and Trello allow you to communicate and collaborate with team members, no matter where they are. Other tools, such as time trackers, can help you manage your time and stay focused while working from home.

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