Everyone–designer and developer alike–has a set of tools to rely on that make the day go smoothly. We all have tricks that help us be more productive and more efficient–and take less Tylenol!

Here’s my list of tools that I use on a daily basis:

CSS/HTML/JavaScript Helpers:
Firebug (FireFox Add-on)
This is probably my top choice for front-end development. You can see/edit/remove CSS styles and HTML markup on the fly with this great resource. It also has many built-in features that allow you to debug JavaScript code right from the browser.

Web Developer Toolbar (FireFox Add-on)
This tool is similar to Firebug in the functions it offers. I find the combination of the two to be useful; I choose between them depending on the situation. The Web Developer Toolbar’s auto population of form fields saves lots of time, and the inline ruler is quite handy when comparing designs to markup.

Dust-me Selectors (FireFox Add-on)
This is a helpful tool to keep stylesheets as lean as possible. It extracts all the selectors from all the stylesheets on the page you’re viewing, then analyzes that page to see which of those selectors are not used. It then stores the data, so when you test subsequent pages, selectors can be crossed off the list as they’re encountered.

HttpFox (FireFox Add-on)
HttpFox monitors and analyzes all incoming and outgoing HTTP traffic between the browser and the web servers. This resource is useful if you need to know what files are being requested from a web server and you can’t get that information directly by viewing the source code.

CleanCSS
CleanCSS is a powerful CSS optimizer and formatter. It takes your CSS code and makes it cleaner and more concise.

Tabifier
If you work with messy coders or inherit old code that hasn’t been kept neat, this tool will save you lots of time and eyestrain by correctly indenting the code and making it easier to read.

Browser Testing:
XenoCode Browser Sandbox
You don’t have to keep installing different browsers; XenoCode lets you run the browser of your choice virtually from its servers. This service essentially sandboxes the browser, allowing you to run it without changing any of your computer settings. I usually have IE6 and 7 running along with my installed version of IE8.

IENetRender
Here’s another handy tool; it allows you to see real-time screenshots of your page in many versions of IE.

Browsrcamp
If you develop on a PC, Browsrcamp allows you to see screenshots of what your page will look like in MAC Safari. I’ve found that the PC version of Safari doesn’t always render pages consistently.

W3C Validator
This choice is an obvious one. Validation keeps developers honest and squashes most problems before they become headaches.

Version Control:
Assembla
Assembla offers a nice control panel interface for your version-controlled spaces. This particular one runs on Subversion. Even if you’re coding a project all by yourself, I would recommend some kind of version-control software as a must-have. It will save you hours of time.

Tortoise SVN
This is a great SVN client that ties right in with the Windows Explorer Shell. (Sorry, MAC users.) There are numerous subversion clients out there, but this one is my favorite because it runs silently in the background until you need it.

Server Environment Information:
Builtwith
Builtwith is a web technology information profiler; it lets you find out what a given site is using.

Domain Name Details
The name says it all. This is a good place to find answers to most of your common questions about domain names quickly.

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are lots of great products out there that you may find just as useful. It’s really all a matter of preference and comfort. What tools do you use in your development cycle? Feel free to share!

If you’re running a small business, at some point you probably thought: “there’s got to be a better way.”  As small businesses become larger ones, systems and processes tend to get more complex.  Yet sometimes the best solutions have fewer bells and whistles but fit better with the culture and operation of the company.

Case in point:

Years ago, as an independent contractor in a home office, things were relatively simple. I did it my way, flying by the seat of my pants with my own systems and processes, which mostly meant a good memory and lots of post-its. Thankfully, the business has grown and I’m now managing seven people, freelancers, a full office, accounting systems, networks, and an upcoming office expansion. With growth comes complexity, so my staff and I are constantly evaluating tools to make our lives easier and our work better.

What we’ve found is that the newest and most elaborate products are not always the best for us.  Our company and culture is unique, so this year’s “Top 10 Solutions” may not necessarily work for us.   The tools and technologies that we use to run our business have to match our group’s abilities and their willingness to embrace them.

Our time-keeping software, for example, is a simple application that has become our most important tool.  While my staff finds it a pain to account for every minute of their time, they appreciate that the system helps us estimate costs and profitability (right guys ).  Without these metrics, we would be unable to measure our success.

We use a system called TimeFox.  As a group we went through demos, free trials and testing before we committed to it. We listed our needs and sought a system that was easy to use and quick to put in place, bypassing software that included more features but was more cumbersome to use.

Another tool that needs careful evaluation is our project management software because it is used by clients who have different levels of expertise. Basecamp is a tool we often use if clients are web savvy and detailed oriented. For clients who need a simpler solution we’ll use Backpack, which is an easy to use intranet storing and sharing information with a virtual team.

Now that we are moving to a larger office, we are researching phone systems.  I think we’re close but I’ll let you know (any good ideas out there?). One thing is already clear: we’ll be guided by our experiences and won’t feel compelled to acquire a system with a lot of extraneous features that aren’t right for us.