Notepad++ includes features such as line numbering, color coding, hints, and other helpful tools the standard Notepad application doesn’t have. These additions make it an ideal choice for web designers and front-end developers. Komodo Edit includes many great features for HTML and CSS development. Additionally, it allows you to add extensions for more language support or other helpful features, such as special characters. Komodo doesn’t shine as the best HTML editor. Still, it’s great for the price, especially if you build in XML, where it truly excels. Aptana Studio 3 may not be the best fit for simple web design needs. But, if you’re looking more toward web application development, its toolset may be a great fit. Like most IDEs, Apache NetBeans has a steep learning curve because it doesn’t often work in the same way as other web editors. Once you get used to it, however, you’ll find it very useful. The IDE’s version control feature and developer collaboration features are especially useful for people working in large development environments. If you write Java and web pages, this is a great tool. Microsoft offers a free download, as well as paid versions (that include free trials) for Professional and Enterprise users. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux and in a variety of languages. This is the only true WYSIWYG editor that made this list. As such, it’s more appealing for beginners and small business owners who want a visual way to work, as opposed to a code-focused interface. Noteworthy features include code-sensitive spell check, autocomplete of many languages (HTML, PHP, CSS, and more), snippets, project management, and autosave. Bluefish is primarily a code editor, not specifically a web editor. This means it has flexibility for web developers who write in more than HTML. However, if you’re a designer and want more of a web-focused or a WYSIWYG interface, Bluefish may not be for you. If you create complex web applications, Eclipse has many features to make your project easier to build. It offers Java, JavaScript, and PHP plug-ins, as well as a plug-in for mobile developers. CoffeeCup also offers an upgrade called Responsive Site Design 2 that supports responsive web design. This version can be added to a bundle with the full version of the editor. This editor scored as well as Eclipse and Komodo Edit for web designers but didn’t rate as high for web developers. However, if you’re a beginner at web design and development, or you’re a small business owner, this tool has more features appropriate to you than either Komodo Edit or Eclipse.
