Best Free Web Design Software

If using a free web builder or template is not for you, then you may be on the lookout for free web design software. This article defines the three types of web design software and helps you find the best free web design software for your needs.

Types of Free Web Design Software

There are three main types of web design software:

• One type of web design software is referred to as WYSIWYG, an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. This type of software allows you to construct web designs by dragging and dropping and other similar means—no programming or coding knowledge is required.

• A second type of web design software is done in a basic text editor and uses a programming language. This type of approach is most often used by people with experience programming and the ability to imagine what the results of the coding will look like.

• Some web design software engages the best of both these methods, offering a hybrid approach that enables to web designer to look at WYSIWYG, code, or both at the same time.

Parameters to Work From

If you don't know how to code and don't plan to learn, you're going to want a WYSIWYG editor. Kompozer—for Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux—is one example of free web design software that may fill your needs. It allows you to carry out a number of tasks frequently associated with programs you have to pay for. Other possibilities include Amaya, provided by W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium) for Linux, Windows, and Mac PowerPC and Intel. Because of its association with W3C and its design, you can be sure that Amaya will help you to create valid HTML.

If you are a programmer, or are willing to learn HTML or another programming language, you will be fine with a text editor. The exact plain text editor you use will depend on your operating system. If you have a Windows or Vista computer, you will likely have the free utility NotePad installed, and this is where you will do your coding. If you have a Mac, you will likely have the free utility TextEdit or TextWrangler  installed, and this is where you will do your coding.

Adobe Dreamweaver is the best known hybrid editor, but it's pricey—not a free web design software.

One important thing to be aware of as you make a choice is the ongoing changeover from HTML 4 to HTML 5. Looking to the future, you may want to be sure that you choose a free web design software that is regularly updated and that will be prepared to help you use HTML 5 features on your website.

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