Best Free HTML Editor
Many professional designers and web developers use Adobe software, such as DreamWeaver, but quite a few just use a simple text editor and take a certain pride in doing so.
Text editors are fine for programmers or those who really want to learn how to code raw html, but most users have no interest in this. They just want an editor that allows them to produce web pages quickly in a WYSIWYG environment.
Ideally, such an editor should also be able to validate that the html is standards-compliant, include a FTP client, preview the page in different browsers, support meta-tags and provide basic image editing, while still being free.
For programmers who delve into deep coding and do not need the use of WYSIWYG interface, the open source APTANA is an excellent program. It features a great IDE for web developers. Optimized for Javascript, HTML, Ajax, Ruby on Rails, PHP, CSS and many others. But what software is for those who rely on WYSIWYG?
That's a big ask. Possibly the free product that comes closest is KompoZer, and this is our top recommendation for newbies. It's a full featured WYSIWYG editor based on the Open Source Nvu editor. It fixes a number of problems in Nvu, though it still has some stability issues itself.
The problem with this kind of software is that it needs continuous updating, because of the arrival of new browsers and browser versions, new versions of XHTML or CSS, Ajax, etc. Unfortunately, little is happening with KompoZer - the last release was in July 2006, while Nvu, the product on which KompoZer is based, is now discontinued.
That's why my top choice for experienced users goes to HTML-Kit 292. HTML-Kit is neither a WYSIWYG editor nor a text editor. It's a specialized html editor with so many plugins that it is best considered to be a development environment. Its last release date was February 2008. Furthermore, it has the support of a large community, so it's being developed and updated continually. The website is full of video tutorials and resources like plugins. It's the only freebie that is compatible with Vista, and is also portable. It is a great choice for serious coders.
There are three additional free HTML editors worth mentioning.
The first is Amaya. It's a project from the The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and as might be expected, Amaya shines in the area of standards compliance and accessibility. In other areas it's less impressive.
Composer forms part of the SeaMonkey suite that also includes a browser, IRC Chat and Mail and Newsgroup software all in the one package. Like Kompozer and Nvu, SeaMonkey Composer is based on the old Netscape editor of the same name, but at least the product is still being developed. If you want a WYSIWYG editor and you are finding KompoZer too buggy, then you should check this out.
For advanced users there is PSPad. It's a general purpose programming editor with html syntax highlighting. Saying you use PSPad for your coding scores you immediate points for technical machismo.
Aptana Studio
Website: http://www.aptana.com
Website: http://www.evrsoft.com
Download Link: http://www.evrsoft.com/download.shtml
Author: Evrsoft
Current Version: FINAL 3.00
Version Date: Unknown
License: Free (
Download File size: 9.1 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows Me-XP
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: None
Other Relevant Information: Premium edition ($89.95) includes web templates
HTML-Kit 292
Website: http://www.htmlkit.com/
Download Link: http://www.htmlkit.com/download/
Author: HTML-Kit.com
Current Version: 20080209
Version Date: 02/09/2008
License: Free
Download File size: 2.8 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 95-Vista
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: Yes
Portable Version Available: Yes
Non-English Languages Supported: Yes (Dutch, Spanish, German)
Other Relevant Information: Great community and plugins.
Kompozer
Website: http://kompozer.net/
Download Link: http://kompozer.net/download.php
Author: Fabien Cazenave aka Kazé
Current Version: 0.7.10
Version Date: 2007-08-30
License: Free
Download file size: 7.6 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Linux, Microsoft Windows and Apple
Macintosh users.
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: Yes (cs, da, de, es, fr, hu, it,ja,
nl, pl, pt, ru, zh)
Amaya
Website: http://www.w3.org/Amaya/
Download Link: http://www.w3.org/Amaya/User/BinDist.html
Author: The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
Current Version: 10.0-pre2
Version Date: 07/10/2007
License: Free
Download file size: 7.1 MB
Operating Systems Supported: PC Linux, Windows (NT, XP, 2000, 98) and
Mac OS X
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: Yes (Polish, German)
Selida
Website: http://selida.camelon.nl/
Download Link: http://selida.camelon.nl/downloadyes.html
Author: Amaryllis Software
Current Version: Selida 3 Beta
Version Date: 04.03.2005
License: Free
Download file size: 3 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: No
SeaMonkey
Website: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
Download Link: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/
Author: Mozilla Foundation
Current Version: 1.1.8
Version Date: 02.07.2008
License: Free
Download File size: 13 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows
Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Mac OS X
(10.1 or later preferred), Red Hat Linux 7.0 or later; Debian 3.0 or
later; SuSE 7.2 or later;or a version of Linux with kernel 2.2.14 or later and the
following library versions (or compatible):
* glibc 2.2,
* GTK 1.2.x (1.2.5 preferred),
* XFree86 3.3.x,
* Libstdc++ 2.9.0
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: Yes (Spanish, Swedish, French,
German, Greek, Italian, Japanese and many more)
Other Relevant Information: It is a suite.
PSPad
Website: http://www.pspad.com/
Download Link: http://www.pspad.com/en/download.php
Author: Jan Fiala
Current Version: 4.5.3 (2298)
Version Date: 25 November 2007
License: Free
Download file size: 3.43 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows
Additional Software Required: At least MS Internet Explorer 3.02
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English Languages Supported: Yes ( Česky, Slovensky, English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Russian, Español)
Other Relevant Information: It doesn't require installation.
This software category is in need of an editor. If you are interested in taking it over, please email Peter Herbert, our editorial co-ordinator with a little bit about your background and in particular, whether you have any commercial affiliation with products in this category.
If you are currently logged in, you can contact Peter directly by clicking here, if not then click here.
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Please consider adding http://www.ewisoft.com/ (New version 4.3.4.22 released June 2008) It's totally free and looks really easy to use.
-Herb
Could you point us to exactly where the free version is? Cause I can't find a "totally free" version on the site.
Nvu created tables when i used v1 in late 2004(iirc)
pspad is nice, but seems a bit heavy. the ui is bulky too. i like crimson editor, but it of course has "flaws". there are so many "syntax color" editors... so find one you like... also use topstyle (or tslite) to help w/ css.
should mention that oe's compose window (in "rich text" mode with the view source turned on) can work as a crude html editor. (somewhat messy results tho)
macromedia dw sites tend to be messes, but perhaps only cuz dw inspires messy html writing?
Some of them wich I test or love :
AceHTML
http://software.visicommedia.com/en/products/acehtmlfreeware/
HotHTML Pro 2001
http://www.wsoftware.biz/products/hothtml2001/
HTML Kit
http://www.chami.com/HTML-Kit/
MoreMotion Web Express, from Mor Yazilim
http://www.moryazilim.com/webexpress/index.html
PSPad
http://www.pspad.com/
thanks for this post - downloading HTMLKit while I write this comment.
-Des
http://www.qvvo.com/link/f974a7cc/10370
If you want something a bit more heavyweight check out the Community Edition of Aptana Studio:
http://www.aptana.com/studio
Hi Cristian,
An editor I like to use is KaSaB Web Editor available free from http://www.kasabsoftware.com.au
This is not a WYSIWYG editor but it does have a preview function. You can edit HTML, PHP, SQL, CSS, & JS.
Thanks for your efforts.
Kind regards,
John Mc Grath
Re WYSIWUG editors Trellian Webpage is a very good option. Kompozer is very buggy. Nvu is fine but getting a little outdated.
Trellian is still actively developed and has a number of add ons you can choose to purchase.
It has additional capabilities to Nvu, like the ability to include iframes for example
- but most importantly it guarantees absolute posititioning of html elements - perhaps the most important feature of a WYSIWYG editor. Another feature I like is the html validator which indicates any problems with your code. Lastly it is rock solid in operation. www.trellian.com
Kompozer is pretty buggy in my experience. Nvu is better and has a spell checker.
But for a really good WYSIWYG html editor try Trellian WebPage. http://www.trellian.com/webpage/
It states it gives absolute positioning of HTML elements - which is critical if you want a WYSIWYG editor - and from what I see it does. I'm still to get ftp working - but the app feels rock solid. Becareful not to install the non free SOE and browser toolbar on installing - unless you really want them.
Hi everybody,
First I want to thank you all for your contribution, Arachnophilia 5.3 and Netobjects Fusion Essentials will be considered in the next revision of this page.
As to PSPad I want to point out that this site does not provide detailed reviews but summary recommendations covering the most important product features and differences.
I cannot check KompoZer right now as the web site is down, I´ll try it later.
Cristian Eslava
Projects:
Justtellmewhy.com
You seem to have forgotten Arachnophilia 5.3 at
http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia
This is a free program written in Java so it works on any computer. It is versatile and can be used by new users and experienced code writers. This program has been and will be free forever. This program actually introduced me to freeware way back in the old days. Give it a try.
I've tried to post on this before, but I guess it didn't come through on the list. One of the best free programs to put up a website fast is the free version of Netobjects Fusion Essentials. Get it from HERE.
It has a lot of templates, and is as easy as naming folders in a tree which creates all the linked pages with (named) rollover buttons for you.
Features include: drag and drop design, full website management, website asset management, built-in FTP, form builders, photo galleries, e-commerce tool and more.
It's easy to layout stuff, too, just like a desktop publishing program: drag out a textbox, put some text in it and place it where you want.
And no, I don't work for them. Just impressed with the software.
- Joseph Francis
PSPAd info could be enhanced.. for even more extra points ;)
KompoZer was more recently updated -- Aug. 30th, 2007.
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