HTML Editors
HTML Editor Ratings & Guide
An explanation of HTML editors is found below the HTML Editor Ratings list. The HTML Editor ratings are provided as a help to choose between the various programs out there. HTML is an ASCII markup language and can be completely coded in a text editor. Some feel most comfortable doing just that. The best editors combine a design view with a strong coding view so you can switch between either. The better editors also tend to create better code that looks good across multiple browsers and isn't bloated with sloppy html. The list below are programs I have either personal experience with or are recognized leaders or both.
HTML Editor Ratings List
| HTML Editor | Features | Price |
| Macromedia Dreamweaver MX | • The professional choice for building web sites and applications • A powerful combination of visual layout tools, application development features, and code editing support • Developers and designers can create appealing, standards-based sites and applications quickly • Developers can use it with the server technology of their choice to build powerful Internet applications • Includes leading support for CSS-based design to hand-coding features |
$399.99 |
| CoffeeCup HTML Editor | • 125 JavaScripts at the click of a mouse • DHTML Menu & PopUp Window Makers • Professional Website Templates Built-in. • Built-in Flash Text Wizard • Quick Post makes it easy to add to your site • Project Manager keeps all your files together. • Wizards for Frames, Tables, Forms, Fonts, & More • Right-Click FTP Upload directly to your Website. • Snippets Editor - Insert custom code • Fully Customizable HTML Tag Syntax Highlighting. • Built in Image Slicer, FTP, and an HTML Code Cleaner. |
$49.00 |
| SiteSpinner V2 | • You don't need to know any HTML - SiteSpinner V2 is 100% WYSIWYG - move anything anywhere with your mouse.
• No need for image editing software - Change the size or properties of any picture right in the work-window. • No need for a paint program - Create shapes, backgrounds. Add shading or transparency. • No need for FTP software - Publish directly from SiteSpinner V2 to your web host. All your images can be automatically uploaded too. • Templates - SiteSpinner V2 includes quality templates for you to use to build your site. • Create mouse-over effects, Spell check your pages and more. |
$49.00 |
| AceHTML | This Free HTML editor includes a syntax checker, a code explorer and 175 built-in DHTML and JavaScript samples. It also includes international alphabet support for most languages and a stylesheet editor for adding CSS2 style to your Web site. It supports documents for XML, Perl and WML. | Free |
| AlleyCode | This Free HTML editor offers Synchro View, which provides real-time rendition with two-way synchronized code/design view. It offers an assignments feature for quick access to projects, Turf View, which is an unusual real estate view of your documents with fast right-click control. It also offers CSS Wizard, a comprehensive style sheet wizard which creates/updates either internal or external style sheets (CSS1 - CSS2). The HTML production engine has adjustable syntax highlighting and exhaustive HTM 3.2 - 4.1, CSS and PHP function libraries. | Free |
| • Work with Photoshop, Illustrator, and PDF files directly within the GoLive environment • Share Adobe InDesign files for true cross-media publishing across multiple devices • Use XML to transfer a print publication's text and image assets to GoLive • Create, edit, and refine sophisticated tables in a familiar drag-and-drop environment • True visual CSS Level 1 and Level 2 authoring and previewing give real-time style rendering and feedback |
$399.99 | |
| Microsoft Frontpage 2003 | • Professional design, authoring, data, and publishing tools to create sophisticated Web sites • New layout and graphics tools make it easier to design exactly the site you want • Design tools to generate better code, or expand your code skills • With professional coding tools, write code faster, more efficiently, and with greater accuracy • Enhanced publishing features and options help get your Web pages online more quickly |
$199.99 |
HTML Editors Explained
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the language that web pages use to represent the information contained in a web page. When you view a web page your browser loads and interprets text in an html file and displays that information graphically on your browser. Even the images you are viewing are instructions in the HTML file that tell the browser "show an image here" and other similar commands. Anyone who wishes to create quality web pages needs to become familiar with the syntax and rules of HTML.
Since web pages consist primarily of html files that are strictly text based, it is possible to construct web pages using a simple text editor like notepad. The job becomes more tedious for elaborate web pages and sites that have content that you want to remain consistent across. Toward that end, HTML Editors have been created to aid the webmaster in creating elaborate and consistent web pages for a site.
The best editors have both a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) design workspace as well as an ability to code html directly. The design workspace allows the webmaster to create his content graphically and quickly, seeing the results as he goes. Unfortunately, even the best graphical interfaces create bloated html code and it is necessary to go directly into the code to tweak the html.
While basic html editing is very simple and even a novice can create a simple web page, there are intermediate to advanced techniques to web design including the inclusion of applets and scripts that take time and instruction to learn. Beyond the technical aspects, there are asthetic or artistic aspects of web design that create a "feel" for a website that are more difficult to teach and are reflections of artistic talent.
Given the breadth of the subject, an exhaustive discussion of web design or even the intricacies of html editors, I'll merely recommend some books. Those who have the time and interest in building their own web pages should consider the HTML editors and resources below. A great way to build quick content, and learn HTML along the way, is to use pre-made web templates built by professionals. Businesses more concerned with getting a professional site online should consider hiring a professional web designer to build their website.
