The Technology Toolset

You will describe the tools that will be used to complete the Project tasks. Use this content and your own research to provide this content.

NOTE: This task can be completed entirely in advance of the task sessions. This will be a huge advantage during the formal assessment period.

Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Purpose

A lightweight, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft, supporting a wide range of programming languages through extensions.

Advantages

• Highly customisable with extensions (e.g., Python, PHP, Git integration).
• Built-in terminal and debugger.
• Free and cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux).

Disadvantages

• May require configuration for advanced use.
• Can be resource-heavy with too many extensions.

MySQL Workbench

Purpose

An integrated development environment (IDE) for designing, developing, and managing MySQL databases.

Advantages

• Visual ERD modelling and SQL development tools.
• Query editor with syntax highlighting.
• Easy database export/import and user account management.

Disadvantages

• Requires installation and setup.
• Can be overwhelming for beginners.

phpMyAdmin

Purpose

A web-based interface for managing MySQL databases using a browser. Commonly used in conjunction with XAMPP or LAMP stacks.

Advantages

• No need for coding to manage tables, records, and queries
• Great for quick data inspection or export.
• Widely available on web hosts.

Disadvantages

• Less efficient for complex tasks than SQL IDEs.
• Potential security risk if not configured correctly.

Microsoft Visio

Purpose

A diagramming tool used for flowcharts, system diagrams, network schematics, and Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams.

Advantages

• Professional templates for many diagram types.
• Good integration with other Microsoft products.
• Excellent for producing documentation visuals.

Disadvantages

• Expensive; not included with standard Office licences.
• Steeper learning curve for custom diagrams.
• Example Usage:
• Use the "UML" template to create a class diagram showing classes and relationships in a software system.

GitHub

Purpose

A cloud-based platform for version control using Git. Enables collaboration, code sharing, and project tracking.

Advantages

• Enables teamwork with branching and pull requests.
• Tracks changes and maintains project history.
• Supports CI/CD integration.

Disadvantages

• Requires learning Git commands or a GUI
• Public repos are visible unless made private.

app.diagrams.net (formerly draw.io)

Purpose

A free, browser-based diagramming tool for creating flowcharts, ER diagrams, network layouts, and system architecture diagrams.

Advantages

• Free with no account needed.
• Saves diagrams locally or to Google Drive/OneDrive.
• Offers UML shapes, flowchart elements, and templates.

Disadvantages

• Lacks advanced validation features.
• Requires manual saving/export if not using cloud sync.