Every JavaScript practitioner has a default toolchain. This article walks through the tools the community reaches for and why each one earns its place.
Core tools
- Node.js 22
- npm
- pnpm
- Vite
- Vitest
- Jest
Supporting tools
- Playwright
- ESLint
- Prettier
- TypeScript
- tsx
How to choose
For new projects, start with the official tool from the maintainers. For long-running projects, the tool you already know well beats the slightly-better tool you do not. The exception is tooling that directly affects correctness (linters, type checkers, security scanners) — invest in those even if it means a learning curve.
Summary
Install the two or three tools the community agrees on and stop optimising this list. Time is better spent building.