What developer tool do you wish existed in 2026?

Question

I&rsquo;m looking for ideas to build and open-source.Curious what problems you expect to matter in the next couple of years.Thx!

markus_zhang · Accepted Answer

One thing I want: something like a function call graph: you load some source code files, open a function in window A (windows A now shows Only this function with all functions calls and structs highlighted). Click on any function call then the callee shows up in a new window with proper highlighting. Click on a struct object it immediately shows the struct def in a panel stick to the bottom of the screen.
Essentially, it’s like VSCode Peek definition but with a different visual style, and similar to the same functionality of source insight but free and in Linux.
The purpose is to read xv6 source code. I have found some parts of the kernel, e.g. the file system to be convoluted, and I need to follow quite a few jumps to form the system mindset. Having such a small tool is very helpful.
Actually it doesn’t look too hard to implement. Maybe I’ll write it myself in QT.

KomoD · Answer

Temporary ssh containers, I just want to ssh (some id)@(container host), spin up a lxc container or firecracker microvm, it attaches to it.
When I exit the ssh session, it terminates (or "pauses").
I've wanted to make it for a while but never got around to it.

taurath · Answer

Planners. Something to help me make sense of what my priorities are during the day. Something to help me determine what needs my attention.I have a lot of systems, but I could really use a Jarvis at work right now and it seems like the whole damn promise of AI is to deliver that. I&rsquo;m waiting.

What developer tool do you wish existed in 2026?

I’m looking for ideas to build and open-source.
Curious what problems you expect to matter in the next couple of years.
Thx!

Temporary ssh containers, I just want to ssh (some id)@(container host), spin up a lxc container or firecracker microvm, it attaches to it.
When I exit the ssh session, it terminates (or "pauses").
I've wanted to make it for a while but never got around to it.

Planners. Something to help me make sense of what my priorities are during the day. Something to help me determine what needs my attention.
I have a lot of systems, but I could really use a Jarvis at work right now and it seems like the whole damn promise of AI is to deliver that. I’m waiting.

What developer tool do you wish existed in 2026?

I’m looking for ideas to build and open-source.Curious what problems you expect to matter in the next couple of years.Thx!

Temporary ssh containers, I just want to ssh (some id)@(container host), spin up a lxc container or firecracker microvm, it attaches to it.When I exit the ssh session, it terminates (or "pauses").I've wanted to make it for a while but never got around to it.

Planners. Something to help me make sense of what my priorities are during the day. Something to help me determine what needs my attention.I have a lot of systems, but I could really use a Jarvis at work right now and it seems like the whole damn promise of AI is to deliver that. I’m waiting.

I’m looking for ideas to build and open-source.
Curious what problems you expect to matter in the next couple of years.
Thx!

Temporary ssh containers, I just want to ssh (some id)@(container host), spin up a lxc container or firecracker microvm, it attaches to it.
When I exit the ssh session, it terminates (or "pauses").
I've wanted to make it for a while but never got around to it.

Planners. Something to help me make sense of what my priorities are during the day. Something to help me determine what needs my attention.
I have a lot of systems, but I could really use a Jarvis at work right now and it seems like the whole damn promise of AI is to deliver that. I’m waiting.