Now, you need to decide which software tool to choose for writing, editing, and managing HTML code for creating and designing website pages.
The software makes web development easier by providing important helpful features like:
1) Increased Productivity: You can write code faster because the editor helps you type the code. For example: If you start typing <im and the editor automatically suggests yo <img src=””>, so you don’t have to write the whole tag yourself.
2) Error Reduction: The Editor finds mistakes automatically in your code before you run it. For example: If you forget to close a <p> tag, the editor will highlight that tag or show a warning on it.
3) Convenience: This is the most useful feature because you can see and test your work instantly on the editor without change the tab.
4) Learning Tool: Beginners can learn HTML faster by watching how the editor writes code when they create elements visually.
For example: You drag an image into the editor, and it automatically writes <img src=”image.jpg” alt=”description”>, you see the correct syntax in real time.
5) Syntax Highlighting: This is also a useful feature. Different parts of the code are shown in different colors so you can read it easily. For example: Tags are blue, attributes are red, and text is black. It is mostly used for spotting mistakes.
Types of HTML Editors
1. Text-Based Editors
These are the editors where you write HTML code manually. This software doesn’t hide the code and you can see everything you type, giving you full control.
For examples:
- Notepad++ → This is the free editor with the colored code (syntax highlighting).
- Sublime Text → It also very fast and has many plugins.
- Visual Studio Code (VS Code) → This tools is powerful and most usable by the developers, It can preview pages in real time with Live Server extensions.
Example of editing HTML in a text-based editor:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My First Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
<p>This is a simple HTML page.</p>
</body>
</html>
2. WYSIWYG Editors
These editors are specially used by beginners and designers because you don’t need to writes HTML code in this tools. Just dragging images, typing text, or moving blocks and the editor automatically writes the HTML code in the background.
- Adobe Dreamweaver: This is the professional tool with both visual design and code view.
- BlueGriffon: It is a free and an open-source for HTML5 and CSS3.
- Webflow:It’s a online tool for visual web design and hosting.
For example: If you want a heading and an image, you just drag a “Heading” block and an “Image” block in the editor. This will writes the HTML code in background without manually typing a tags.
Text-Based Editors vs. WYSIWYG Editors
| Feature | Text-Based Editors | WYSIWYG Editors |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Full control over code | Limited control, auto-generated code |
| Ease of use | Requires HTML knowledge | Beginner-friendly |
| Customization | Highly customizable | Limited by editor capabilities |
| Useful For | Developers | Designers and beginners |
How to Choose the Right HTML Editor
- For Beginners: If you are beginner, you can start with free tools like Notepad++ or VS Code.
- For Designers: Use WYSIWYG editors like Dreamweaver or Webflow.
- For Advanced Developers: Choose extensible tools like VS Code or Sublime Text.
Example Workflow: Creating an HTML Page with an Editor
- Open the editor of your choice.
- Start a new file and save it with a .html extension.
- Write your HTML code or use the drag-and-drop interface.
- Preview the page using the live server or preview feature.
- Save and deploy your code to a web server.
We are suggests a Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for beginners and even professionals.