My Bookmarks Bar in 2026: Developer Tools I Actually Use Every Day

I recently cleaned out my bookmarks bar. I had 40+ developer tools saved, but I was only using about 10 of them regularly. Here's what survived the purge -- the tools I reach for daily, not the ones I bookmarked once and forgot about.

1. GitHub (github.com)

Obviously. But specifically, I want to highlight features that replaced other tools for me:

• GitHub Actions replaced my Jenkins/CircleCI setup for most projects
• GitHub Codespaces replaced my "let me set up the dev environment" ritual for quick contributions
• GitHub Code Search (with regex support) replaced a lot of my grep-through-repos workflows

I spend 2+ hours a day here. It's the hub.

2. regex101 (regex101.com)

I've been writing regex for 10+ years and I still use this tool every single time. The real-time explanation panel is the killer feature -- it tells you exactly what each part of your regex matches.

The "Quick Reference" sidebar has saved me from Googling lookahead syntax more times than I can count.

3. VS Code (code.visualstudio.com)

My editor since 2019. The extensions I can't live without in 2026:

• GitHub Copilot -- It's gotten genuinely good at understanding project context
• Error Lens -- Shows errors inline, right next to the offending code
• Thunder Client -- Replaced Postman for me. Lightweight API testing inside the editor
• GitLens -- Blame annotations and history browsing

4. JSON Shield (jsonshield.com)

I used to paste JSON into random online formatters until I learned about the jsonformatter.org data breach. Now I use JSON Shield because it's fully client-side -- nothing leaves my browser. I verified this myself by checking the Network tab.

I use it multiple times a day: formatting API responses, validating JSON configs, diffing two JSON objects.

5. Excalidraw (excalidraw.com)

For quick architecture diagrams, flowcharts, and anything I need to sketch visually. The hand-drawn aesthetic means nobody expects it to be a polished diagram, which takes the pressure off.

I use it for:

• Explaining system designs in PRs
• Whiteboarding with remote teammates
• Planning database schemas

6. LLM Versus (llmversus.com)

I work with multiple LLM APIs and the pricing is a nightmare to compare. LLM Versus has a calculator where I plug in my expected token usage and see side-by-side costs. Saved me from accidentally picking a model that would have cost 5x what I needed.

I also use the comparison pages to quickly check context window sizes and feature differences when evaluating models for a new project.

7. Warp Terminal (warp.dev)

Replaced iTerm2 for me in 2025. The AI command search is handy, but the real selling point is blocks -- every command and its output is grouped as a discrete block you can copy, share, or bookmark. Makes debugging session transcripts actually readable.

8. Linear (linear.app)

Replaced Jira and I will never go back. It's fast, keyboard-driven, and doesn't require a 3-day training course to use. The GitHub integration is seamless -- mention a Linear issue in your commit and it auto-updates.

9. TextShifter (textshifter.com)

A multi-tool for text transformations: case conversion, Base64 encode/decode, URL encode/decode, hash generation, and a bunch more. I keep it open as a pinned tab. It's faster than writing a one-off script when I need to convert a batch of variable names from camelCase to snake_case or decode a Base64 string from a JWT.

10. Raycast (raycast.com)

macOS-only, but if you're on a Mac, this replaced Spotlight and Alfred for me. The clipboard history, snippet expansion, and window management alone are worth it. But the extensions ecosystem is where it shines -- I have extensions for GitHub, Linear, Figma, and Slack all accessible from one keyboard shortcut.

Honorable Mentions

• Can I Use (caniuse.com) -- Still essential for browser compatibility checks
• Bundlephobia (bundlephobia.com) -- Check npm package sizes before adding dependencies
• DevDocs (devdocs.io) -- Offline-capable API docs for dozens of languages/frameworks

The Pattern

Looking at my list, the tools that stick have a few things in common:

1. They're fast. Sub-second load times. No login required for basic features.
2. They do one thing well (or a few related things well).
3. They respect my data. Client-side processing where possible, no unnecessary data collection.
4. They work with my flow, not against it. Keyboard shortcuts, minimal UI, no pop-ups.

Your bookmarks bar should be a reflection of your actual workflow, not an aspirational collection. If you haven't clicked it in a month, delete it.

What's in your bookmarks bar? I'm always looking for tools I haven't discovered yet -- drop your favorites in the comments.