---
title: "Tools"
source: 18F Guides
source_url: https://github.com/18F/guides
licence: CC0-1.0
domain: engineering
subdomain: 18f-guides
date_added: 2026-04-25
---

Our software is built on the shoulders of giants. We use several third parties to perform continuous monitoring, host our apps, etc.

## Standards

While we don’t formally recommend third-party services, a handful have been [approved](https://handbook.tts.gsa.gov/software/#get-access-to-software-we-already-have), procured, and provide services which are essential for attaining an [Authority-to-Operate (ATO)](https://atos.open-control.org). To get started quickly and to ease the ATO burden, use these systems; pain awaits your project otherwise.

| Purpose |  Tool  |
| -----  |  ------  |
| Back end Performance Monitoring  | [New Relic APM](https://newrelic.com/products/application-monitoring)  |
| Continuous Integration  | [CircleCI](https://circleci.com) and/or [GitHub Actions](https://github.com/features/actions)                                                                       |
| Dependency Analysis  | [Snyk](https://snyk.io) and/or [GitHub](https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-alerts/about-dependabot-alerts) |
| Front end Performance Monitoring  | [Google Analytics](https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/analyticsjs/user-timings) (via [DAP][dap])Note: New Relic is not approved.                    |
| Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) | [_See Before You Ship_](https://before-you-ship.18f.gov/infrastructure/#infrastructure-as-a-service-iaas)                                                           |
| Platform as a Service (PaaS)  | [cloud.gov](https://cloud.gov)  |
| Source Control  |  [GitHub](https://handbook.tts.gsa.gov/github/)  |
| Static Site Hosting  |  [Federalist](https://before-you-ship.18f.gov/infrastructure/federalist/)  |
| Uptime Monitoring  | [New Relic Synthetics](https://newrelic.com/products/synthetics)  |
| User Analytics  | [Digital Analytics Program (DAP)][dap]  |

[dap]: https://digital.gov/guides/dap/

## Defaults
We also track a second set of services that aren’t as essential as the above, but which we provide for consistency and shared knowledge across projects. These are good defaults should their need arise; you should generally think twice before building these tools yourself.

| Purpose                | Tool                                                     |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| API Analytics          | [api.data.gov](https://api.data.gov/about/)              |
| API Throttling         | [api.data.gov](https://api.data.gov/about/)              |
| Site Search            | [search.gov](https://search.gov/)                        |
| Static Code Analysis   | [Code Climate Quality](https://codeclimate.com/quality/) |
| Test Coverage Tracking | [Code Climate Quality](https://codeclimate.com/quality/) |
