Be smart not lazy

In a rapidly evolving field like software development, efficiency is key to staying competitive. Small inefficiencies can accumulate, slowing progress and consuming valuable resources.This article explores a series of tools and strategies that can help developers speed up their daily 'small operations' and improve their workflow.How many times have you found yourself in a classic 'tight spot' for an upcoming release, exhausted effort, or any other type of deadline, cursing all those 'small' or 'seemingly simple' but 'laborious' tasks?

Some tools that could be useful

Of course, I want to give some examples, to delve more into the details of the benefits of using these resources.Having references is certainly important to save you time from searching for the tools that I, at least,consider basic (obviously related to my work experience especially in the Dynamics 365 CRM environment).Improving the quality of your workdayCertainly, the use of the aforementioned tools will not solve all your problems, but it will lighten your 'mental' workload for various operations that you need every day.For example, not having to worry too much about reflecting a JSON structure 1:1 in a C# class, especially if it's complex enough,or checking the differences between code loaded into the system and code in your local repository to see if changes have been made before 'aligning' the repository with the latest changes,or if a communication error is causing work on the same file simultaneously; now imagine examining code that's 100 lines or more...the time and effort to examine it grows exponentially with the quantity and complexity of the lines of code.

Clearly, I want to give some examples, to delve more into the details of the benefits of using these resources.

Having references is certainly important to save you the time of searching for the tools that I, at least, consider basic (obviously related to my work experience especially in the Dynamics 365 CRM environment).

JSON Formatters​

JSON format is widely used for data exchange between client and server. Here are some tools that simplify JSON data management: JSON Formatter This online tool allows you to format, validate, and convert JSON data. You can also view the data in a tree structure for better understanding. For example, when you receive an API response in JSON format, you can use this tool to format it in a readable way and easily identify the desired fields, or sort the JSON you have compiled for your request.

Json2CSharp Toolkit

With this toolkit, you can convert any JSON object into C# classes online. For example, if you're working with JSON data from an external service, you can use this tool to automatically generate the corresponding C# classes. This simplifies deserialization of JSON data into your code.

Postman

Postman is a comprehensive platform for API management. With its REST client, you can send requests, inspect responses, and easily debug APIs. For example, if you're developing an application that integrates with an external service via APIs, you can use Postman to test requests and verify that the responses are correct. You can also create request collections to automate tests and share them with your team.

Diffchecker

Diffchecker is an online tool for comparing text and finding differences between two text files. It's useful for checking changes made to code or documents. For example, if you're collaborating with other developers on a project and receive a new version of a configuration file or document, you can use Diffchecker to identify the changes and ensure that nothing is lost or accidentally overwritten.

Git

Mastering Git is essential for collaboration in software development. Use branches, commits, and pull requests to manage code efficiently and securely. For example, if you're working on an open-source project or with a distributed team, Git allows you to coordinate development efforts and maintain a complete history of changes. Being able to handle Git commands can lead to solving many problems and having an optimized structure in your repository, essential to avoid loss of code or unwanted duplications and changes.

Dedicated Portals

Stack Overflow, Reddit, Microsoft Developer Communities, or GitHub Discussions, consulting these portals is a great way to solve problems and learn from other developers. For example, if you're stuck on a specific problem or need advice on a technology or framework, you can search for answers on these forums and participate in discussions. The ability to use the right keywords and filter your search as much as possible will be crucial to avoid spending too much time navigating in the fog.

Chat GPT and Copilot

An important aid, on which not to rely too much yet. Being able to consult AI is becoming increasingly important, but to date (personal opinion) it still won't take our jobs. Of course, we might be faced with a complex logic requested by the client and have difficulty in structuring our code idea... consulting an AI often I find myself not having the solution (sometimes yes, I admit it has happened) but insights to then develop code suitable for the client's needs. Sometimes it suggests solutions to small bugs and errors that we overlook, discarding them as obvious. Surely, the AI landscape is one to follow closely, as its evolution could prove to be the achievement of a super-efficient assistant at hand.

Debugging Tools

Use tools like Postman to test your APIs and analyze responses. This tool allows you to view response details, check HTTP status codes, and identify any errors. Detailed Logs Include detailed logs in your code to record network responses. This will help you track the data flow and identify any issues.

DevTools:

The devTools integrated into browsers can be a very useful tool for analyzing code execution, whether consulting the console for errors and warnings and reading the logs set, it is also possible to monitor network operations, insert breakpoints to examine the code step by step during its execution, all this, although involving the effort to carry out an analytical investigation, is extremely useful in respect to not having any clues about the error we encountered.

Use tools like Wireshark to analyze network traffic. You can capture and inspect data packets to identify any communication issues between your software and other services. Network Logs Record network request and response details in your logs. This will help you track connection errors or latency issues.

'Although I have illustrated tools to smartly perform work, there is no deus ex machina that can solve all our problems and give us the answers we seek, in Desution, of course, we aim to take full advantage of every tool, but never lacking that spark necessary to ignite the fuse that leads us to the highest quality results possible in the services we offer, among which customization in the Dynamics 365 CRM environment stands out. Among plugins, custom actions, custom APIs, JavaScript, TypeScript, Azure functions, Flows, PCFs, and the vast list of possibilities offered by Power Apps, being familiar with these aforementioned tools (and not only) allows us to work with maximum focus on the most complex logics and functionalities, optimizing timing especially regarding the small but laborious operations.

In summary, using these tools greatly helps in our work: