Your Computer Science Student Toolkit
Professional / Certification • Not sure
Programming, version control, databases, networking and more for computer science students.
Who this toolkit is for
For computer science students from GCSE to postgraduate. Courses use different languages, so start with the essentials and add modules for what you're studying now.
Choose any modules to see the tools for them. Without a module, module tools appear under Specialist / Optional.
Showing tools for every device. Choose your computer to see only compatible software and verified install commands.
Essential (6)
Core tools that are broadly useful.
Code Editor / IDE
Why you may need this: A flexible code editor for programming assignments, scripting and web modules.
Visit Official Website
Programming Languages
PythonOpen Source
Why you may need this: A common first language, used across programming, data and AI modules.
Visit Official Website
Version Control
GitOpen Source
Why you may need this: Track changes to your code and submit work through Git-based workflows.
Visit Official Website
Office / Documents
LibreOfficeOpen Source
Why you may need this: A free office suite for essays, spreadsheets and presentations.
Visit Official Website
Research / Citation
ZoteroOpen SourceAlso on iPhone/iPad
Why you may need this: Organise research sources and generate citations for coursework and dissertations.
Visit Official Website
Database Tools
- DBeaver Community
Open Source
Why you may need this: Connect to databases and practise SQL queries.
For the Databases module
Visit Official Website
Recommended (4)
Useful for particular parts of the work or course.
Terminal
Windows TerminalOpen Source
Why you may need this: A modern terminal for running programs and scripts on Windows.
Visit Official Website
Office / Documents
- Microsoft 365
PaidAlso on Android, iPhone/iPad, Web
Why you may need this: Word, Excel and PowerPoint are common for coursework; many institutions provide it free.
Open web appCheck your university access
Your university or college may provide this software or a student licence. Check before purchasing.
Prefer a free option? LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE Desktop · Compare alternatives
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
FreemiumAlso on Android, iPhone/iPad
Why you may need this: Read and annotate lecture slides, papers and forms.
Visit Official Website
Virtualisation
VirtualBoxOpen Source
Why you may need this: Try Linux and other systems safely in virtual machines.
For the Operating Systems module
Visit Official Website
Specialist / Optional · Show specialist tools (6)
Consider these for particular modules, tasks or environments.
Code Editor / IDE
Why you may need this: A full IDE for C#, .NET and C++ modules on Windows.
For the Programming module
Visit Official Website
Programming Languages
- Node.js
Open Source
Why you may need this: Useful for JavaScript and web-based programming modules.
For the Programming module
Visit Official Website
Version Control
- GitHub Desktop
Open Source
Why you may need this: A visual Git client for team projects.
For the Software Engineering module
Visit Official Website
Research / Notes
- Obsidian
FreeAlso on Android, iPhone/iPad
Why you may need this: Keep lecture and lab notes together.
Visit Official Website
Database Tools
- pgAdmin
Open Source
Why you may need this: Manage PostgreSQL if your module uses it.
For the Databases module
Visit Official Website
Containers
Docker DesktopFreemium
Why you may need this: Reproduce project environments.
For the Software Engineering module
Visit Official Website
Course requirements vary. Software requirements differ between schools, colleges, universities and modules. Check your course materials before purchasing software.
Build your student setup
Build My Setup lets you add or remove apps, see why each is included and, where verified packages exist, get one install command. Nothing is installed automatically.