10+ DevOps Tools Top Developers Rely On
by Brenda Barron Stokes on Oct 25, 2022 Having a good set of tools on hand is essential for any developer – whether you’re working on a small project or a large one. But if you’re new to the industry or have been using the same toolset for a long time, it’s easy to fall out of touch with what’s available. Who knows, the best workflow options could be out there and you’re missing out! We aim to remedy that today by offering up a healthy selection of DevOps tools to set you out on the right path. We’ll start, however, by discussing what DevOps is and why it’s so important for developers. Then we’ll share 10+ DevOps tools that top developers rely on.
What’s DevOps?
At its core, DevOps is all about collaboration between developers and operations teams. By working together, they can more efficiently create and deploy code. In other words, DevOps enables organizations to achieve faster time-to-market.
Why is DevOps Important for Developers?
As a developer, you might be wondering why DevOps is so important. After all, you can probably get your job done without it, right?
Wrong.
While you might be able to get by without DevOps, you’ll be missing out on some key benefits. For starters, DevOps practices can:
- Help you create higher-quality code. And when you’re working in a collaborative environment, you can also get feedback from others more quickly – which can help you avoid errors.
- Help you speed up the software development life cycle. By automating repetitive tasks, you’ll have more time to focus on development – which can lead to faster production.
- Improve customer satisfaction. When you’re able to quickly and efficiently deploy code, your customers will be happier, plain and simple.
Convinced? Let’s take a look at some of the best DevOps tools you can use.
1. Puppet
Puppet is a useful tool to have on hand for automating various aspects of infrastructure management, including provisioning and configuration. It’s a popular tool among developers because it allows you to manage your infrastructure as code, which makes it easier to track changes and collaborate with others.
Key Features
- Automates the provisioning, configuration, and management of infrastructure
- Manages infrastructure as code
- Provides a web-based console for easy management
Cost
You’ll need to get in touch with the Puppet customer service team for a customized quote.
2. Docker
Docker is a containerization tool that helps you package your applications and dependencies into self-contained units called containers. Containers are isolated from one another, which makes them more portable and efficient than traditional virtual machines.
Key Features
- Isolates applications into self-contained units called containers
- Packages applications and dependencies into containers
- Makes applications more portable and efficient
Cost
Free for personal use; prices start at $5/month for professionals.
3. Ansible
Ansible consists of simple, open-source software that automates various IT tasks from the command line. These include configuring systems, deploying software updates, and orchestrating advanced workflows. Overall, this aids in application deployment while saving time for system updates.
Key Features
- Simple and easy to use
- Has a strong emphasis on security and reliability
- Relies on OpenSSH for transport
- Relies on human-readable language, which increases accessibility
Cost
You have to contact the Ansible team directly for a quote.
4. Jenkins
If you’re looking for an open-source automation server that provides hundreds of plugins to support building, deploying, and automating any project, then Jenkins is the right choice for you. This tool is one of the most popular DevOps tools available and offers features like distributed builds, pipelines, workflows, and more.
Key Features
- Open source automation server with hundreds of plugins
- Makes the creation of distributed builds, pipelines, and workflows straightforward
- Can be used to automate any project
Cost
Jenkins is open-source and free to use.
5. Nagios
Nagios is a monitoring tool that helps you monitor the performance of your infrastructure. It’s popular among developers because it has a wide variety of plugins and makes it easy to monitor server performance.
Key Features
- Helps you monitor the performance of your infrastructure
- Offers bird’s eye view of IT operations network
- Fully customizable GUI
- Multi-user access
Cost
Prices start at $1,995/year for commercial use
6. Git
Git is a version control system that helps you track changes to your code. It’s popular among developers because it’s open source and has a wide variety of features.
Key Features
- Open source
- Has a wide variety of features
- Can be used to track changes to any type of code
Cost
Git is free to use for all.
7. Github
Github is a code hosting platform that helps you manage your Git repositories. It’s popular among developers because it offers features like collaboration, issue tracking, and more.
Key Features
- Code hosting platform
- Manages Git repositories
- Offers features like collaboration, issue tracking, and automated actions
Cost
Free for personal use and organizations who just want the basics; pricing for advanced collaboration tools for teams starts at $44 per user/year.
8. Selenium
Selenium is a testing tool that helps you automate the process of testing your web applications. The software provides a comprehensive set of tools to develop reliable regression automation tests that can be run in any web browser.
Key Features
- Accommodates tests across multiple environments
- Tests can be written in any language
- Easy to use and setup
Cost
Free to use for all.
9. Apache Maven
Apache Maven is a useful software project management tool for those who want to maintain better control and understanding of their projects. By using Maven, you can manage different build aspects like reporting and documentation all from one central location.
Key Features
- Allows for better control of projects
- Manages reporting and documentation
- Integrates well with other software tools
Cost
Apache Maven is free to use.
10. Bamboo
Bamboo is a continuous integration tool that helps you automate the process of building, testing, and deploying your applications. It provides a reliable and scalable delivery pipeline for teams of any size, allowing them to be more resilient.
Key Features
- Integrates with a wide variety of tools and services
- Easy to use
- Has a large community of users and developers
Cost
Pricing starts at $1,200.
11. Vagrant
HashiCorp Vagrant is easy to use no matter what your development role is- whether you’re a developer, operator, or designer. By using a declarative configuration file, you can store all required software packages, operating system configurations, users, and more in one place.
Key Features
- Declarative configuration file
- Stores everything you need in one place
- Eases the development process for teams.
Cost
Vagrant is free to use.
12. Splunk
If you’re looking for a data platform that can help you investigate, monitor, analyze and take action on your data, Splunk is a clear choice. Splunk breaks down barriers to action, transforms data into results, and protects your business in the hybrid world.
Key Features
- Makes it easy to keep tabs on data
- Protects your business
- Provides access to a robust community of Splunk apps
Cost
You’ll need to contact Splunk directly for pricing information.
13. Consul
Consul helps organizations securely connect applications running in any environment by using service identities and traditional networking practices. This comprehensive solution provides a single platform to manage and secure microservices while also facilitating connections between them.
Key Features
- Service identities
- Traditional networking practices
- Easy-to-use UI
Cost
The open-source version of Consul is self-managed and always free.
Conclusion
Use these tools to improve your development flow! The right tools can make a big difference. So, if you’re looking for ways to improve your process, consider using one or more of these DevOps tools.