Basic Tools for Web Design

You don't need a lot of software to get started as a web

developer
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by Jennifer Kyrnin
Updated August 26, 2017

The basic tools needed for web design are amazingly simple. Aside from a computer and an
internet connection, most of the tools you need to build a website are software programs, some of
which may already be on your computer. You need a text or HTML editor, a graphics editor,
web browsers, and an FTP client to upload files to your web server.

Choosing a Basic Text or HTML Editor

You can write HTML in a plain text editor like Notepad in Windows 10, TextEdit on the Mac, or
Vi or Emacs in Linux.

You enter the HTML code, save the document as a web file, and open it in a browser to make
sure it looks like it is supposed to. 

If you want more functionality than you find in a plain text editor, use an HTML editor instead.
HTML editors recognize code and are able to identify coding errors before you launch the file.
They can also add closing tags you forget and highlight broken links. They recognize and
accommodate other coding languages such as CSS, PHP, and JavaScript. 

There are many HTML editors on the market and they vary from basic to professional-level
software. If you are new to writing web pages, one of the WYSIWYG—What You See Is What
You Get—editors might work the best for you. Some editors only show the code, but with some
of them, you can toggle between coding views and visual views. Here are a few of the many
HTML web editors available:

 Komodo IDE and its user-friendly interface is suitable for both beginning and advanced
web developers. Komodo IDE's autocomplete feature is particularly handy for new
developers because it knows how to write code for common elements such as links. The
software supports color coding of different coding types like HTML, CSS, and many
other coding languages. Komodo IDE is cross-platform software that runs on Windows,
Mac, and Linux.
  CoffeeCup HTML Editor is for new developers who are more interested in learning to
code than in a visual interface. This robust editor comes with templates and has
validation checkers to keep your code error-free. It includes code completion and
supports other coding languages you may use in conjunction with HTML. Beginners will
appreciate it when the software highlights errors in the code, explains why they appeared,
and tells the developer how to fix them. CoffeeCup HTML Editor runs on Windows.

 Mobirise is an HTML editor for people who don't want to get involved with code. It is
all about picking a theme and then dragging and dropping elements on the page. Add text
just like you would in a regular text editor and insert images, videos or icons—all without
writing any code; Mobirise does that part for you. Mobirise is available for Windows and
Mac, and it is free.

Web Browsers

Test your webpages in a browser to make sure they look like you intended before you launch the
page. Chrome, Firefox, Safari (Mac), and Internet Explorer (Windows) are the most popular
browsers. Check your HTML in as many browsers as you have on your computer and download
lesser-known browsers, such as Opera, as well.

Graphics Editor

The type of graphics editor you need depends on your website. Although Adobe Photoshop is the
gold-standard for working with photos, you may not need that much power. You might prefer a
vector graphic program for logo and illustration work. A few graphics editors to look at for basic
web development use include:

 GIMP is a free, open-source photo-editing program that provides many of the features of
its more expensive competitors. As open-source software, it is available for Windows,
Mac, and Linux.

 Photoshop Elements for the Mac and PC is an image editor that is a light version of its
namesake but with plenty of power for working with graphics for the web.
 Corel PaintShop Pro for PCs has almost all the useful tools you find in Photoshop and
an interface that is easy to use.  
 Inkscape for Windows, Mac, and Linux is a free vector graphics editor. This alternative
to the pricier Adobe Illustrator has more than enough power for simple design work and
web graphics.

FTP Client

You need an FTP client to transfer your HTML files and supporting images and graphics to your
web server. While FTP is available via the command line in Windows, Macintosh, and Linux, it's
a lot easier to use a client. There are many good-quality FTP clients available including:
  FileZilla is a free FTP client available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It supports drag-
and-drop file transfers and has a pause and resume feature for uploading large files.

 Cyberduck is free open-source, cross-platform software known for its seamless

integration with external editors and its attractive user interface.
 Free FTP and Direct FTP are made by the same company. Free FTP is a minimalistic
client, but it meets all the basic file transfer needs. Direct FTP is a premium version that
offers advanced features. Both versions are supported by Windows 7,8 and Vista, but
only Direct FTP is suitable for Windows 10.
 Transmit is a premium, Mac-only FTP client. It facilitates unusually fast transfers and
supports Amazon CloudFront.
 Cute FTP is a powerful premium FTP client you can use to make up to 100 transfers at
the same time. It is considered to be one of the most secure FTP clients around.

2222222222222. The best free website builder

2017
By Mark Wycislik-Wilson, Cat Ellis 2017-11-03T16:00:00.306Z Software  

Build your own stunning site – even if you can't code.

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Creating a website used to be the domain (geddit?) of professional designers and coders, but
thanks to free website builders, these days it's something anyone can tackle.

The problem is that there are so many website creation applications and services vying for
attention that it can be difficult to know which one to opt for – this is where we can help.

We've collated the very best free website builders available, including a mixture of offline
software and online tools. It's usually quicker, easier and more efficient to create and edit a site
entirely online with a WYSIWYG editor, but if you want complete control over every aspect of
your site's design and hosting, you'll need a desktop-based free website builder.

So whether you're looking to create a site for your business, a new blog or you just fancy
creating an online presence for yourself, here are the best website builders to help you out.
  Check out the best content management systems on the net

If you want to create a website as quickly as possible, look no further than Wix. It's so easy to
use, you'll have a great-looking site online in mere minutes

1. Wix

The easiest way to build a website, with a wizard and a WYSIWYG editor

Wix offers you two ways to build your website. Both involve creating it online, and both are as
quick and painless as possible.

The simplest option is to use the Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) website builder which
will guide you through a series of questions before automatically creating a site for you. There is
scope for customization, but the focus here is really on fast results for anyone who is terrified of
designing websites.

A more hands-on approach is available if you decide to use the standard Wix Editor. There are
literally hundreds of stylish templates to choose from -- and, yes, they are genuinely impressive –
which you can tweak and tailor to your needs using a beautiful WYSIWYG editor.

Despite being a cloud-based website builder, Wix gives you a great degree of control over the
look of your site and placement of page elements. You can also liven it up using the App Market
to add features such as a newsletter and live chat. This power and flexibility make Wix the best
free website builder around for creating your own site.

 Try Wix online

WordPress is the tool for choice for many blog owners. It takes a little getting used to, but once
you've mastered it, you'll love its flexibility

2. WordPress

Wordpress is ideal for static sites, portfolios, online stores and blogs

Causing a slight degree of confusion, there are actually two different versions of WordPress. The
more complex version can be downloaded from wordpress.org, and you will need to upload it to
your own web space and install it using the automated online installer. You can then customize
the templates and use add-ons to make the site your own. This is the route many bloggers go
down, but there is a simpler option for people who don’t want the hassle of fiddling about with
scripts and getting dirty with hardcore editing.

The hosted version of WordPress lets you create your own site on wordpress.com. You can
create everything from a blog or photo site, to a fully fledged online store, and there are a
number of templates to choose from.

Whether you're creating a static site, or a blog-style site with regularly updated content, the
online editor is a joy to use and allows just about anyone to create an impressive, professional-
looking site. With the only downside is the limited range of plugins and templates compared with
the desktop website builder.

 Try WordPress online

 Download WordPress

WebSite X5 makes building a website on your desktop easy, with good looking templates and an
intuitive site builder

3. Incomedia WebSite X5

A flexible desktop website builder, free exclusively for TechRadar readers

Incomedia WebSite X5 normally sells for £14.90 (about US$20/AU$25), but it's free to
download for TechRadar readers.
Unlike WordPress and Wix, WebSite X5 is a desktop website builder, which means you can
work on your site offline and have more freedom to make your site look exactly the way you
want.

There's a range of ready-made templates to choose from, or you can create your own design from
scratch. Next, build up your site map, showing the hierarchy of your pages and how they connect
to one another – a feature you won't find in most web-based site builders.

Once that's done, you're ready to start building your pages using Website X5's simple drag-and-
drop interface, which includes tools for editing both rich text and photos.

If you don't want to be tied down to an online site builder, WebSite X5 is the tool for you.

 Download Incomedia Website X5

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor isn't a WYSIWYG website builder, but it provides a live preview
of your site as you write it

4. CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor

Ideal for hand-coding, Free HTML Editor is packed with time-saving extras

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is one of a dying breed of web building programs that don't use a
CMS (content management system). While not in the same league as the likes of Adobe
Dreamweaver, Free HTML Editor packs quite a professional punch. With split screen
code/preview views, it's possible to see the effect the changes you make have straight away.

To help you get started quickly, there are a number of templates built into the program, and there
are some very nice features such as tag and code suggestions as you type. For absolute beginners
the program might seem a little overwhelming to start with, but it's worth sticking with it –
assuming you have some HTML knowledge. There is one slight issue; a number of features,
such as spell-checking and code optimisation, are only included in the paid-for version of the
program.

 CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor review

 Download CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor
If you've used WordPress before, you might be interested in the most powerful Joomla. It's not as
easy to use though, so beginners are better off sticking with a simpler option like Wix

5. Joomla

Another free website builder with online and offline versions

Joomla is a well-known name in the CMS world. It may not be as popular as WordPress, but it
offers the same two options: build a site using the web app at joomla.com and having it hosted
on the company's servers, or download the software from joomla.org and host it yourself.

If you choose the latter option, you'll notice that the interface is much less approachable than
WordPress. It's not completely impenetrable, but there are lots of menus and options to work
through and it doesn't feel quite as polished as WordPress.

Joomla's online website builder is nearly as complex, but doesn't involve the same setup process,
making it a bette option for beginners. Its key selling point is its huge collection of themes and
extensions, which provide endless ways to customize the way your site looks and works.

 Try Joomla online

 Download Joomla