Essential Web Tools for Tech Hobbyists

Ready to supercharge your tech projects?

As a tech hobbyist, you know how important it is to use the right tools. Whether you’re building websites or just automating your daily tasks… building great things online starts with these web technologies.

The tools don’t have to be complicated.

Technologies – and online tools specifically – are exploding right now. Global web hosting services are expected to generate $527 billion by 2032.

Translation: more online tools than ever before.

With over 330,000 web hosting providers around the world, you should have all the resources you need to level up your tech hobbies. But where do you start? What are the most important web technologies? This guide has everything.

Ready to level up? Let’s begin!

Why Online Tools Are Important for Tech Hobbyists

Let’s get one thing straight…

No matter the type of tech project you’re working on, it all starts online.

Whether you’re running websites or just downloading programs to your laptop, you need a few essential online tools. These services allow hobbyists to access enterprise-level tools for free or at a fraction of the cost.

Online tools can offer:

• Ability to scale

• Accessibility from any device with internet

• Lower overhead costs

• Large communities of support

When you know where to look, the internet has all the tools you need to become a better tech hobbyist. Want to start with web hosting? Here’s a guide to finding the best web hosting Singapore has to offer.

Web Hosting Services

You can’t run websites without web hosting.

Simple as that.

Your websites and applications need to go somewhere on the internet. Web hosting services provide servers that are online 24/7/365. When someone visits your site, those hosting servers send your website to their device.

Need more detail? Here’s a complete web hosting services beginners guide.

There are four types of web hosting services:

• Shared Hosting

• Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

• Cloud Hosting

• Dedicated Hosting

For most hobbyists, shared hosting or VPS is the way to go. Shared hosting is limited in terms of resources but is a great place to start. VPS Hosting offers more flexibility and performance at a low cost.

Web Development Tools You Need

Alright, so web hosting services provide a space for your websites and apps online. What about building them in the first place?

There are so many development tools out there. It can be difficult to know which ones you actually need. Here’s a breakdown of the best tools for web development.

Code Editors

You absolutely need a code editor. Preferably, one you enjoy using.

What makes a good code editor?

• Syntax highlighting

• Code completion

• Plugins or extensions

There are tons of options when it comes to code editors. However, VS Code is the best bang for your buck. Not only is it free, but it’s constantly being updated by Microsoft and thousands of developers around the world.

Version Control

Ah, version control. If you only take away one thing from this article…

Make sure you are using a version control platform. Git is the most popular version control system for good reason.

Version control allows you to keep track of changes to your code. Multiple people can work on one project without overwriting each other. And if something breaks, you can revert to earlier versions of your code.

Plus, GitHub and GitLab both offer free hobbyist plans.

Local Development Environments

Running local servers will change your life.

Especially if you’re building websites, you’ll want to run local servers every chance you get. Every time you want to test something new or build something from scratch locally first.

Tools like XAMPP, Docker, or Local by Flywheel can save you tons of time in the long run.

Project Management Tools

You know what sucks? Mismanaging your projects.

You probably juggle between a handful of projects at once. How do you stay organized? One word.

Project management tools.

Using project management tools is inevitable as you take on more tech projects. Whether you’re solo or working with a team, project management keeps you organized and on track.

Some of the best tools for hobbyists are:

• Trello

• Notion

• GitHub Projects

Trello is great if you like lists. Notion is an all-in-one workspace that’s fantastic for taking notes and organizing tasks. And GitHub Projects lets you integrate project management directly into your workflow if you’re a developer.

Picking one tool and using it religiously is better than hopping between apps.

Security Tools and Best Practices

This one is often overlooked by tech hobbyists…

…but security is important, even for hobby projects.

Your code might be for fun, but you’re likely storing passwords or private data somewhere. And those things are always at risk if you don’t take proper security measures.

Some best practices:

• Password Managers

• Two-factor authentication

• Keep your software updated

• Regular backups

Oh, speaking of backups. Always backup your data. Always.

Here’s a rule worth following: the 3-2-1 backup rule.

Keep three copies of your data on two different mediums with one backup stored offsite.

Cloud storage has made this easier than ever. Now you can keep multiple online copies of your data in different locations.

Monitoring and Analytics Tools

How are you supposed to improve if you can’t measure success?

Monitoring and analytics tools can help you identify weaknesses in your projects. And who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something new about web traffic you can leverage to grow.

Google Analytics is an excellent website monitoring tool. It’s powerful, detailed, and best of all: free.

If you’re running servers or websites, UptimeRobot is a life saver. This monitoring service can check your sites every five minutes and alert you when something goes down.

Communication Tools and Collaboration

Remember when tech hobbyists built projects alone?

Thankfully, those days are long gone.

Community is one of the best tools you can use as a hobbyist. Other hobbyists can provide support, help you grow your skills, and maybe become collaborators on future projects.

Slack workspaces and forums are great too. The point is, leave your room. Isolation will only hinder your growth as a tech hobbyist.

Wrapping Up: Online Tools for Hobbyists

Building up a toolkit takes time.

Don’t worry if you don’t feel like a pro right away. Just focus on building your toolkit with the essential tools mentioned in this guide.

Remember:

1. Get web hosting services first

2. Find a code editor that suits your workflow

3. Learn how to use version control

4. Use project management tools to stay organized

5. Don’t neglect security best practices

Becoming a tech hobbyist has never been more fun or rewarding. And the best part? You can build anything with the right tools.

Thanks for reading! Cheers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the tools every tech hobbyist should have?

While there are countless tools you “should” have. Start with these three: Web hosting, a code editor, and version control.

How much money should I spend on tools as a hobbyist?

Try not to spend any money at all! Every tool mentioned in this article has a free-tier that is more than enough for hobbyists.

Should I use free hosting services?

Free web hosting is fine for experimentation and learning. Once you build something you actually want people to see, a paid hosting service is the better choice. You’ll get better speed, reliability, and customer support.

Marthiran Ordal