I use Ivory soap to lube nails and screws. Alternatively, a wax toilet bowl ring helps lube up nails and screws.
To keep nails from
splitting wood, blunt the ends of your nails or spikes. Just flip them upside down on something hard like concrete, and whack the tip with a single blow, the ail will then pound its way into the wood instead of wedging it apart thus splitting the wood.
Use plywood...it does not split. This is especially useful when making framing lumber connections.
Use a nail gun. They have a smaller diamter head, are driven in by a blast of air in a single shot, and can be adjusted for driving depth. They also provide addional strength because teh nails have glue on them. As they are driven, that glue melts, then adheres making them super solid. Combined with ring shanks and full heads to conform to new hurricane building codes, they have made buildings stronger without anyone really noticing.
Some woods split easily, like Eastern Hemlock, use other woods that do not when you can.