Most "best dev tools" lists rank by popularity. This one ranks by what actually saves time over a year. Big difference.
The single most underrated dev tool
A clipboard manager. Developers copy and paste constantly: error messages, code snippets, URLs, JSON blobs, log lines. Without history, you lose the previous one the moment you copy a new one. LionPaste on macOS gives you unlimited history with regex search ("find the API key I copied earlier today"), 11 text transforms (JSON prettify/minify on the fly), source app tracking, and a paste queue that fills forms in the right order. The full deep dive.
Disk space and Windows-specific dev sanity
If you're a Windows dev, Windows Symlink Creator Pro is the tool that keeps your C: drive from filling up. Move node_modules, Docker volumes, browser profile data, or game saves to a secondary drive without breaking anything. Use cases and walkthrough.
The "install once, never think about it" tier
- A version manager (nvm, pyenv, rbenv, asdf — pick one).
- A shell prompt that shows git status and command timing inline.
- A clipboard history tool (see above).
- A local secrets manager (don't paste into your shell history).
Stay narrow on plugins
The best dev environments are plugin-light. Each plugin you add is a startup-time tax and an attack surface. Install plugins, use them for 30 days, then audit. Remove what you didn't actually use. For more on this discipline, see how to avoid software bloat.
