The WebDev Buzz

The “tools” for web development does not refer to hardware such as modem and CD-Rom, although these are useful equipment. The tools that make web development a successful undertaking are the important software needed in setting up the website. Here are the major tools that will help the web developers.

• HTML Editors – These are programs meant to easily create and to conveniently edit the HTML documents. There are many HTML editors available and here are the most common ones:
  1. Macromedia Dreamweaver – This is the HTML editor which is often described as a WYSIWYG editor. The acronym stands for “What you see is what you get”. This software is easy to use for beginners. Yet it has enough features to satisfy the demands of seasoned web developers.
  2. Coffee Cup – Like the first mentioned HTML editor, the Coffee Cup can cater to both beginners and advanced users. The main feature of this particular HTML editor is that it has a built-in browser from which the web developer can immediately preview the HTML document as changes as made.
  3. Hot Dog Professional – This is a package composed of three HTML editors. The first is called HotDog Junior, which is created for children. The second is the PageWiz, which is meant for beginners. And the third is simply called Professional, which is designed for expert web developers.
• Text Editors – These are software programs that enable a web developer to edit the text of the website without implementing additional changes in the website formatting. But it is also possible to write HTML codes in a text editor. Here are the common text editors.
• Note Pad – This text editor is usually installed in all Windows OS, and it is believed to be the most popular text editor. Its only drawback is that it cannot support large files.
• TextPad – This is a text editor which can handle larger files.
• NoteTab Pro – Like the previous one, this software was designed for large scale text editing jobs
• FTP or File Transfer Protocol – This is more of a procedure, rather than a software similar to HTML editors. The FTP is a procedure followed each time files are uploaded or downloaded from the web server. Aside from transferring files, the FTP enables web developers to create folders, to establish file permissions, and all other capabilities that allow complete control over all files. The most popular FTP program is the WS FTP Pro.
• Graphics Editors – Graphics make the website attractive and professional-looking. And the program that gives the web developers the ability to creatively design and easily edit graphics is called a graphics editor. But handling graphics takes a lot of skill and this is why many web developers hire a professional designer. Fortunately, there are programs that can provide considerable help, such as the Paint Shop Pro or the Adobe Photoshop.
• Zip/Unzip Software – This software simply adds convenience to transferring files. A “zip” is composed of several files which were compressed into a single file. With a single file, the downloading time is shorter and the space occupied will be lesser. Once the zip files are downloaded and saved, these can be opened using the unzip software. The most popular Zip/Unzip Software is the WinZip.
• Email – This software program allows convenient communication between the website company and its clients or potential clients. Since there are many popular email programs in the Internet, what the web developers must consider are the capacity of these emails (can it handle large files?) and other features (can the files be sorted?).

When all the tools listed here are present and available to the web developers, they can proceed to structuring and organizing the successful website.