Developer Stack
Tools We Use
The exact stack we use to build and run DevPlaybook. No sponsored placements — only tools we've actually used and trust.
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⭐ Top Picks
Vercel
Free TierThe best way to deploy modern web apps
Vercel makes deploying Next.js, Astro, and any frontend framework trivially easy. Push to GitHub and you're live in seconds — zero config needed. The free tier handles most side projects, and the developer experience is unmatched.
Deploy Free →DigitalOcean
$200 Credit$200 free credit for new users
When you need more control than serverless offers, DigitalOcean Droplets give you a clean VPS at a predictable price. Their managed databases (Postgres, Redis, MongoDB) save hours of setup time. New accounts get $200 in credit to start.
Get $200 Credit →🛠️ Full Stack
Cloudflare
CDN & Edge FreeDNS, CDN, edge workers — all free to start
Cloudflare handles our DNS, CDN, and DDoS protection. Cloudflare Pages hosts static sites with unlimited bandwidth on the free tier. If you're not running your DNS through Cloudflare yet, you're leaving performance and security on the table.
GitHub Copilot
AI Tools $10/moThe AI pair programmer that actually ships code
GitHub Copilot is still the most widely-used AI code assistant for good reason — it integrates into every editor, understands your codebase context, and generates surprisingly good completions. The chat mode handles code explanations, refactoring, and test generation.
Cursor
AI Tools Free TierThe AI-native code editor
Cursor is VS Code with AI baked into every layer. The composer feature lets you describe changes in plain English and apply them across multiple files at once. If you're building anything non-trivial, Cursor noticeably reduces the time from idea to working code.
Linear
Project Management Free for small teamsIssue tracking that developers actually love
Linear is the first project management tool that feels fast. Keyboard-first, minimal UI, no ticket-hell. It syncs with GitHub branches, has smart priority views, and makes sprint planning feel lightweight instead of bureaucratic. The free plan handles small teams well.
Railway
Hosting & Deployment Usage-basedDeploy backends and databases in one click
Railway is the simplest way to deploy a Node.js, Python, or Go backend with a real database. Connect a GitHub repo, add environment variables, and you're running. No Kubernetes, no Helm charts. The usage-based pricing keeps costs predictable for small apps.
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