Developers are divided on IDE preferences. How can you bridge the gap and foster collaboration?

Honestly this is not a major issue unless certain workflows or plugins are needed on a specific project. You want to pick your battles within a team and this one most the time can be brushed off as VS code and jet brains for example have similar plugins

When developers are split on IDE preferences, I focus on practical solutions. I don't force everyone into one tool, instead, I encourage discussions about what’s working for them and why. If there’s a clear benefit in a particular IDE, we adopt it for specific tasks. For collaboration, I introduce common tools or plugins that work across different environments, so no one feels restricted. Sometimes, I suggest pair programming to let team members see how others work, which helps break down resistance. It’s all about balancing flexibility with efficiency.

Everyone have their own personal preference. One should be able to use their IDE of choice to do development work. It's not a problem mean and worthwhile to solve as it adds zero value. We can foster collaboration by adopting the same coding standards and set the API/function params and response before development

To bridge the gap and foster collaboration when developers are divided on IDE preferences, focus on flexibility and productivity. Acknowledge that different IDEs suit individual workflows but emphasize that the tools should enhance collaboration, not hinder it. Encourage developers to use the IDEs they are comfortable with while aligning on coding standards, version control, and shared tools like linters or formatters to ensure consistency across the codebase. Facilitate knowledge sharing sessions where team members can showcase IDE-specific tips that boost productivity. By fostering an open, adaptable environment, you can maintain collaboration despite differing preferences.

Start by having the team openly discuss their preferred IDEs. Sharing insights into the unique features and benefits of each tool can foster mutual understanding and highlight why certain environments work better for different tasks.