INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
As with any great endeavor, web design is about both inspiration and perseverance
tools to simplify the process
Some of these even have a visual interface, allowing you to drag and drop links, text and images as if you were designing a poster or
presentation.Other web design tools are geared towards programmers, acting as advanced text editors, and allowing for building a website
However, most web design tools exist somewhere between these two extremes.In this guide we have focused on five of the very best tools
When weighing up which to include, we have focused on ease of use, supported web languages, cost, and how easy the tools make it to upload
the finished project once you are done.If this is your first time building a website we recommend using a free tool such as Bluefish before
Adobe Dreamweaver CCA web design juggernaut but possibly overkill for someVery popular web design toolSuitable for all levels of
expertiseSheer amount of features can be confusingDreamweaver is one of the best-known web design tools on the market and has been around in
various forms since the turn of the century
$28.80).The tool has a broad appeal to both novice and advanced users
When you first launch Dreamweaver, you'll be asked to choose between 'beginner', 'intermediate' and 'advanced' skill levels
a site from code.Aside from a refreshingly designed and powerful interface, Dreamweaver supports virtually any type of web code from basic
HTML to CSS, PHP and JavaScript to name just a few
If you are not quite ready to edit raw code, Dreamweaver supports WordPress and Drupal templates.Other advanced features include a 'live
view' for previewing websites as well as support for certificates and a dedicated workspace for developers
If you're making your first venture into programming sites, Dreamweaver also offers tips for improving your code.The general consensus from
user reviews is that while this web design tool is amazingly flexible, the arsenal of features can be truly overwhelming
Fortunately Dreamweaver offers a free trial, so take some time to experiment and see if it's right for you.2
interfaceBluefish is amongst the smallest web design tools available today
The tiny installer weighs in at just under 53MB and setup takes only a few moments
While the interface is text-only, it's clearly designed with novices in mind as it employs clear-cut toolbars, user customizable menus and
syntax highlighting.While the main focus is on HTML, Bluefish supports a huge range of other languages including PHP, Java, JavaScript, SQL,
Unlike visual WYSIWYG web design tools, the text interface makes for much cleaner code.Bluefish has an excellent search function, allowing
you to find text across multiple projects
The tool also has no trouble juggling hundreds of documents at the same time
Although Bluefish supports working with remote files, the varied and useful dialogs and wizards don't currently support direct upload of web
pages via FTP.Despite the best efforts of the developers, Bluefish may take some time to get used to
The tool is available free of charge, however, so you have nothing to lose by giving it a try
During our test on a Windows 10 PC we found we had to install GTK+ 2.24.8 in order to run Bluefish
A download link for GTK is available via the Bluefish website.3
Atom Text EditorAn extremely advanced text editor for hardcore codersSupport for multiple web languagesExtendable features via free
packagesNo visual interfaceDescribed by its developer as a "hackable text editor for the 21st Century", the free and open source Atom comes
to us from the team at GitHub.Atom is a dedicated desktop app and supports a variety of programming languages such as HTML, JavaScript,
The text editor automatically recognizes the language you are using and will color-code and arrange it accordingly
Atom also has a useful autocomplete feature for writing code
You can manage multiple files at once via the excellent 'minimap' in the left-hand pane.As the interface is text-only Atom is geared towards
However, there are a number of freely downloadable extensions, such as 'packages', which can make this text editor a joy to use
Available packages include Emmet, which allows you to write HTML and CSS using abbreviated code
Another is Pigment which scans your script for color codes and displays these automatically in the background color.Atom is truly
cross-platform as it is available for Windows, Linux and macOS
This makes it ideal for working on copyrighted material
And because it's open source the development community can quickly respond to any bugs or security flaws which are discovered.4
Google Web DesignerAn excellent tool for creating interactive contentSimple WYSIWYG interfaceSupport for YouTube and Google MapsPrimarily
designed for creating adsGoogle Web Designer is primarily for creating interactive content in HTML5, JavaScript and CSS
In plain English, this means its primary function is to build ads.The good news is that this is done via an extremely simple to use GUI
which incorporates point-and-click design tools covering text, basic shapes, 3D animations and much more
Any 3D features are shown on a timeline at the bottom of the window
The panels on the right-hand side of the interface allow you to fine-tune further options such as colors.Google Web Designer also
incorporates a handy library of extra components such as images, videos and other advertising tools.Advanced users can toggle between the
the knowledge and patience to program these yourself.Google Web Designer is still in beta testing, so lacks certain features such as being
able to open HTML files created outside the tool
Nevertheless, it does include a handy web preview option which will open your current project in your default browser
You can also automatically publish content
This Google offering is available free of charge for Windows, macOS and Linux.5
WebflowCloud-based offering that needs no coding knowledgeDrag and drop GUITruly cross-platformInterface takes time to masterWebflow is a
cloud-based service which has been created specifically to allow people with no coding knowledge to get started with web design.Aside from
being truly cross-platform, as it's web-based, Webflow emphasizes the concept of 's mart codelessness'
In the first instance this means a crisp drag and drop interface allowing you to drop elements such as text and images seamlessly onto a
page using one of the freely available templates.Unlike many WYSIWYG editors, the code produced is very clean and well-written even if you
choose the 'I have no coding experience' option during setup
Webflow's automation tool will create the necessary HTML/CSS code for you
You can make granular changes to individual elements using the panels on the right.Webflow offers a free demonstration of its features via
the website, and you can also subscribe for a free Starter package which allows you to create up to two projects
This is a little pricey compared to equivalent tools, mind you.Webflow also has little support for e-commerce plugins or marketing tools
You can use a separate tool such as the aforementioned Google Web Designer to create interactive advertising content if you wish.You might
also want to look at our many web hosting guides:k6BgUmzwWUFM3vVxTFPJ5b.jpg#
