Software we like
We don't build everything ourselves. These tools and providers are ones we like and happily recommend. The links are plain links, no affiliate programmes.
Editors and terminal
For a quick note as much as for a big project.
- Notepad++by Don HoThe fast, lightweight text editor for Windows. It opens instantly, stays small and highlights code in lots of languages. Perfect for a quick edit in between.Windowsfree · open source (GPL)Visit the website
- Nextpad++by Andrew Letov & CommunityNotepad++ for Mac and Linux. A community port, not the official build, with syntax highlighting for 80+ languages, split view, macros and plugins.macOSLinuxfree · open source (GPL v3)Visit the website
- Visual Studio Codeby MicrosoftThe editor for anything bigger than a single file. Terminal, debugger, Git and thousands of extensions in one window, on a remote machine too if you like.WindowsmacOSLinuxBrowserfree · source under MITVisit the website
- JetBrains IDEsby JetBrainsFull-size IDEs such as PhpStorm, IntelliJ IDEA or WebStorm. They understand a whole project's code and help with refactoring, testing and debugging.WindowsmacOSLinuxsubscription, some free for non-commercial useVisit the website
- iTerm2by George NachmanThe Mac terminal that simply does more. Split panes, good search and plenty of settings, without getting complicated.macOSfree · open source (GPL v2)Visit the website
AI assistants
For thinking, writing and coding along.
- Claudeby AnthropicAn AI assistant for writing, thinking things through and coding. Good at making sense of long documents and whole codebases.WebmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidfree, more with a subscriptionVisit the website
- ChatGPTby OpenAIThe AI assistant where it all started for a lot of people. For quick questions, text, images and ideas in between.WebmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidfree, more with a subscriptionVisit the website
- opencodeby AnomalyAn open-source AI coding agent for the terminal that works right inside your project. Works with models from lots of different providers.Terminalfree, models depend on the provider · open source (MIT)Visit the website
Git and agents
So a project's history stays readable.
- GitKraken Desktopby GitKrakenGit you can see. The commit graph shows at a glance what happened in a repository, and you resolve merge conflicts in a clear three-pane view.WindowsmacOSLinuxfree for public repos, otherwise subscriptionVisit the website
- Keplerby GitKrakenRuns several AI agents in parallel, each in its own Git worktree, from issue to merged pull request. Works with Claude Code, Codex and GitHub Copilot, among others.WindowsmacOSLinuxfree with limits, subscription for moreVisit the website
For the web
For websites and web apps, from the first command to the server.
- TYPO3by TYPO3 CommunityA full-grown content management system for websites that need to grow. With permissions, multiple languages and many sites in one installation.Your own serverfree · open source (GPL v2)Visit the website
- Laravelby LaravelA web application framework that keeps even big projects feeling tidy. Good documentation, a friendly community.Your own serverfree · open source (MIT)Visit the website
- DDEVby DDEV FoundationLocal development environments for web projects, started with one command. Every project gets its own clean environment in Docker.macOSWindowsLinuxfree · open source (Apache 2.0)Visit the website
Hosting and infrastructure
Servers, DNS and hosting we've had good experiences with.
- Hetznerby Hetzner OnlineCloud and dedicated servers at fair prices, from their own data centres in Germany and Finland. We use Hetzner for our servers and for DNS.Cloud serversDedicated serversDNSStoragepay as you go, billed monthlyVisit the website
- Cloudflareby CloudflareSits in front of your website: DNS, protection against attacks and a worldwide network that delivers content fast. The free plan is enough for many projects.DNSCDNDDoS protectionZero Trustfree, more with a subscriptionVisit the website
- netcupby netcupAffordable virtual and root servers from Karlsruhe, plus web hosting and domains. A good fit when a project needs a small server of its own.VPSRoot serversWeb hostingDomainsmonthlyVisit the website
- mittwaldby Mittwald CM ServiceManaged hosting from Espelkamp in Germany, built for agencies and freelancers. Especially at home with TYPO3, WordPress and Shopware.Managed HostingCloud hostingDomainsmonthlyVisit the website
As of November 2026. Platforms, prices and licenses come from the makers' websites and may change.