Working remotely is an increasingly popular trend in the workforce. Gone are the days of being chained to your desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Freelance developers have it especially good– now they can work from anywhere with internet access.
The key to success while working remotely is having all of the right tools. In this blog post, we’ll cover some essential remote work tools that every freelance developer should have at their disposal.
Contents
#1. Project Management Tools
Being a developer means that you’re working hard on something; from writing a code to finding a bug fix in the code. That’s where project management tools come in — to communicate the tasks, create a schedule, even convey when deadlines are and who is responsible for which tasks.
By utilizing a project management tool, you’ll have a system in place that will help keep you organized and on track. Also, when there’s a new hire, you can share employee onboarding videos with them through it. Popular project management tools among freelance developers include:
- Asana
- Trello
- Backlog
- Bugzilla
#2. Communication Tools
When it comes to freelance jobs, we know that communication is key to making sure that everyone knows what they need to do and when it needs to be done, especially if your clients reside in different time zones or are located across the globe from you.
If you’re working remotely as a developer, there’s pretty much no way around communication tools. This is especially true for those who are working on larger projects with multiple people involved, whether it be developers or clients. Popular communication tools among freelance developers include:
- Slack (for team chat)
- Zoom Meeting (video calls)
- Skype (audio/text chat and video calls)
- Webex (for online training sessions or meetings with clients that require a demo such as sales presentations)
#3. Collaboration Tools
Working as a freelance developer means that you’re probably working in teams. Whether you’re building up your own company with other developers or are part of a bigger agency, collaboration tools help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and sharing ideas. That way, freelancer developers can avoid miscommunication and having to go back over work that has already been completed.
Collaboration tools allow freelancers working on a project together from different locations to share ideas, manage tasks efficiently, and ultimately get the job done faster with less hassle. Some of these popular collaboration tools among freelance developers include:
- Basecamp (a popular project management tool that also doubles as a collaboration platform)
- Google Drive (file sharing)
- Dropbox (file sharing)
- GitHub (a code repository)
- Loom (a screen recording and video conferencing tool)
#4. Time Tracking Tools
Time tracking tools are a must for freelance developers who want to stay on top of their hours and billable work. Time tracking helps to ensure that you’re not spending too much time on one task or project, and it also allows you to track your progress over time.
Additionally, by using a time tracking tool, you can show your clients just how much work you’re putting in and help justify your rates. Popular time tracking tools among freelance developers include:
- Toggl
- TimeCamp
- Harvest
- Clockify
Wrapping Up
So there you have it! These are some essential remote work tools that every freelance developer should have in their arsenal. Utilizing these tools will help to make your workflow easier and more organized, which is always a plus when you’re working remotely.
