Links to essential web development tools

Once in a while someone ask me what they should read, and what tools they should use, to start doing serious web development. These are the lists I have compiled, form my personal preference.

Firefox with extensions:

• Web developer toolbar
• HTML Validator
• Firebug
  • Firecookie
  • YSlow
• Console²
• JS View

Standards and reference documents

• HTML 4.01 (use the strict doctype)
• XHTML 1.0 (use the strict doctype)
• CSS 2.1
• Javascript 1.3 Reference
• Gecko DOM reference
• jQuery 1.2 Cheat Sheet

Tools

• Xenu's Link Sleuth™

Books