Best for web designers and front-end developers: Notepad++
Smaller download and program size.
Loads quickly and runs lightly.
Autocomplete words and functions.
Plug-in options for extending functionality.
Might not be very useful for languages like Java.
Notepad++ is one of the most popular free note-taking applications and code editors. It is a more powerful version of the notepad software that comes with Windows by default.
Notepad++ includes features such as line numbering, color coding, prompts, and other useful tools not found in the standard Notepad application. These added features make it ideal for web designers and front-end developers.
02/08Best for getting started with app creation: Microsoft Visual Studio Community
Well supported with updates and new features added.
Supports multiple programming languages.
Nice design for beginners.
Advanced features come with a hefty price tag.
Heavy programs that consume large amounts of memory and processing power.
The learning curve is a bit long for new users.
Microsoft Visual Studio Community is a visual IDE that helps web developers and other programmers create applications for the web, mobile devices, and desktops. You may have used it before, but Visual Studio Community is the latest version of the software.
Microsoft offers free downloads and paid versions (including free trials) for professional and business users.
Microsoft Visual Studio Code is a free coding-only application that is part of the Visual Studio suite but exists independently. It is an excellent standalone code editor suitable for many coding and scripting languages.
03/08Best Open Source Free Editor: Komodo Edit
Extensible via plugins.
Customizable appearance.
Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Great for XML editing.
There is no WYSIWYG editor.
Not the best editor for beginners.
Komodo comes in two versions: Komodo Edit and Komodo IDE. Edit is open source and can be downloaded for free. It is a streamlined version of the IDE.
Komodo Edit includes many great features for HTML and CSS development. Additionally, it allows you to add extensions for more language support or other useful features such as special characters.
Komodo is not the best HTML editor. Still, it's a good deal for the price, and especially if you're building with XML, it works really well.
04/08Best for Web Application Development: Aptana Studio 3
Suitable for JavaScript.
Multi-platform support (Windows, Mac and Linux).
Plugins extend the supported languages.
There has been a lack of major updates over the past few years.
More clunky than some other editors and sometimes even slower.
Aptana Studio 3 offers an interesting approach to web development. It doesn't focus on HTML, but on JavaScript and other elements that allow you to create rich Internet applications.
Aptana Studio 3 may not be suitable for simple web design needs. However, if you're more focused on web application development, its toolset may be a good fit.
05/08If you write Java and web pages, best: Apache NetBeans
Version control functionality.
Customizable appearance.
Specifically for Java.
It takes some time to learn.
It consumes a lot of system resources when running.
Executing commands can be slow.
Apache NetBeans has a Java IDE that helps you build powerful Web applications.
Like most IDEs, Apache NetBeans has a steep learning curve because it generally works differently than other Web editors. However, once you get used to it, you'll find it very useful.
The IDE's version control and developer collaboration features are very convenient for people working in large development environments. This is a great tool if you write Java and web pages.
06/08Best for creating complex web applications: Eclipse
Plug-in design makes adding new languages simple.
Being open source and having a large community makes solving problems easier.
Not as light as other editors.
Consumes a lot of system resources, especially on large projects.
Eclipse is a sophisticated development environment ideal for people who do extensive coding on a variety of platforms and languages. It's structured with a plug-in design, so if you need to edit something, find the right plug-in and get to work.
If you create complex Web applications, Eclipse has many features that can make your project easier to build. It offers Java, JavaScript and PHP plug-ins as well as plug-ins for mobile developers.
07/08Best for web design beginners: CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor
Web server management is easy.
Suitable for HTML and CSS editing.
User-friendly and a good choice for novice designers.
Many features are only available in the paid version.
There is no WYSIWYG editor (unless you purchase it).
Not the best editor for coding languages other than web design.
CoffeeCup HTML Editor is available in a free version and a paid full version. The free product is a great one, but many of the platform's best features require you to purchase the full version.
CoffeeCup also offers an upgrade called Responsive Site Design 2, which supports responsive web design. This version can be added to bundles with the full version of the editor.
Many websites list it as a free WYSIWYG editor. However, when we tested it, it required purchasing CoffeeCup Visual Editor to enable WYSIWYG support. The free version is just a really good text editor.
For Web designers, the editor scores as high as Eclipse and Komodo Edit, but for Web developers, it doesn't score as high. However, if you are a beginner in web design and development, or you are a small business owner, this tool has more features for you than Komodo Edit or Eclipse.
08/08Best full-featured HTML editor: Bluefish
A fast and lightweight program.
Multi-platform support (Windows, Mac and Linux).
Mainly a code editor without a WYSIWYG interface.
Lacks simple FTP upload functionality.
Bluefish is a full-featured HTML editor available for a variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Notable features include code-sensitive spell checking, auto-completion in multiple languages (HTML, PHP, CSS, etc.), code snippets, project management, and auto-save.
Bluefish is primarily a code editor, not a dedicated web page editor. This means it's flexible for Web developers writing in languages other than HTML. However, if you are a designer and want a more web-centric or WYSIWYG interface, then Bluefish may not be for you.
