Nathaniel Brown's
Preferred Tools
I thought I'd share the tools I use when developing.
| Tool Class | Preffered Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Text Editor | Visual Studio Code | Excellent extensions, git and terminal integrations and it just gets better every month |
| Backend Language | Python | I love python for it's readability, conciseness, and strong community. |
| Environment / Package Manager | Conda | Handy if you don't have a compiler. Install Anaconda or Miniconda to get it. |
| Backend Framework | Flask/FastAPI | I like flask because it is simple and extensible, however I just started using FastAPI and I think it marks the next generation of Python frameworks |
| Database | SQLAlchemy | This is a python database toolkit, not a database. It allows you to treat all databases through a universal API, plus MUCH MORE! You will love it. It is the reason I am not opinionated about databases. |
| Frontend Framework | Vue.js | Vue just feels so elegant. It is very easy to learn and the documentation is impeccable. I would recommend this course to learn it extra quickly |
| DNS/Registrar | Namecheap | Namecheap is honest and easy to use. |
| Cloud Provider | Amazon EC2 | I also use Amazon Web Service's EC2. They offer a free tier for one year. |
| Containers | Docker | Lately I've gone a bit container crazy. Almost all of my projects (including this website) are now run using docker. |
| Container Orchestration | Kubernetes | I've used docker swarm and its only advantage is that it's easier to get started. Kubernetes is what you want, and if you want it to be easy, then just use Google Kubernetes Engine. |
| Version Control | Git + Sourcetree | Git is great, and the Sourcetree GUI makes it easy to use. |
| Data Analysis |
Numpy Pandas Jupyter |
The Python scientific community is really on a tear. These are my top three favorites, but check out this list. |
Online Resources I Like
I am a huge fan of online education. The free resources available to programmers today are amazing and very good alternatives to traditional education. For example, Udacity has a free machine learning course taught by Sebastian Thrun, the father of the self-driving car movement!
I have found the following resources invaluable: