So, let's define: you need a tool to speed up your work. That is, you do not need to master all the functionality perfectly, you need to learn how to work quickly. Whichever tool you choose, learn the key features and master all the hotkeys.
Learn how to use them automatically, and then move on to more advanced features. To design simple websites, you only need to know how to set a font, draw simple shapes, work with layers, change colors, and so on.
Rice. 7.0: I designed my site with a few basic tools, one font and three colors.
When you get comfortable with your tool, you can quickly test different ideas (which will help you achieve better results) and finish work on time (which will make your clients and employers happy!).
If you are just starting to learn design or have been wanting to switch to another tool for a long time, I advise you to experiment with several options and choose the most convenient one. We all have our own life experiences and habits. If for some reason you liked a program, most likely you will master it much faster.
It is important to understand that at some point you may have to switch to another tool. Most of us have been using Photoshop for years because there were no alternatives on the market. Over the past couple of years, the situation has changed radically.
Design on the web has long ceased to be static, and we are trying to fill the gap between design and code. Most likely, in the near future there will be many new features and even tools.
Popular Design Software
When choosing a design tool, an important role is played not only by the speed and quality of the program itself, but also by its popularity in a professional environment. It will be easier for you to work with other designers and developers (for example, as part of a large-scale project) if you use the same software.
1. Sketch- $99/year (Mac only)
Figure 7.1: Sketch I use Sketch for most of my current projects. The tool is very fast, intuitive and quite easy to use (I switched to it from Photoshop without any problems). Sketch is one of the most popular design apps, so most developers and designers are familiar with it.
Sketch has everything you need for design: guides, grids, symbols, transforming images in perspective (to preview designs on iOS), vector editing, prototyping, libraries, asset export, cloud (to share designs and libraries), and even code export . And there are a lot of plugins and resources for it.
The biggest disadvantage of Sketch is that it only works on Mac. However, it is possible to export projects for applications such as InVision and Zeplin to create specifications and developer guides.
2. Figma– Free or $12/mo (web app)
Figure 7.2: Figma Figma is a relatively new design software. It's probably Sketch's biggest competitor - and it's growing very fast. Figma has all the same features as Sketch - plus multiple designers can work on the same project at the same time.
The coolest thing is that Figma is completely free if you have up to three projects, and for just $12 a month you unlock all the features and can create an infinite number of projects. The application works directly in the browser - therefore, on almost any operating system. The user interface is reminiscent of Sketch and Adobe XD: if you are familiar with these tools, then you don’t even have to master anything.
This is a great option if you are a beginner designer and would like to try your hand without investing in expensive software yet. I used Figma in several of my projects and it worked very simply and quickly for me.
3. Adobe XD– Free (Mac and Windows)
Figure 7.3: Adobe XD Adobe XD is another strong player in the world of professional design applications. I think it's great for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping, although it lacks a few advanced features compared to Sketch or Figma.
The upside is that the tool is free for both Mac and Windows (although it will probably be paid when it is brought to mind). Plus, it's an Adobe product line - so you'll be able to swap assets with other tools like Photoshop or Illustrator.
The interface is very similar to Sketch and Figma, so you can use three tools at the same time - and switch between them without any problems (except that some hotkeys are different!).
4. InVision Studio– Free (beta version, with the possibility of early access)
Figure 7.4: InVision Studio InVision Studio is a new full stack tool that is still in beta but looks promising. The interface is a copy of Sketch and Figma, which have already become the modern standard for design tools.
I've been playing around with InVision Studio a bit and since I've had a good overall experience with other InVision products, I'm sure the guys will be a success when the official release comes out.
5. webflow– Free or $16/mo (web app)
Figure 7.5: Webflow Webflow is a full-stack tool for building functional and responsive websites that can be hosted directly on their platform (or exported and hosted elsewhere).
I'm not a big fan of design-to-code tools because the generated code usually doesn't perform very well, plus it's hard to work with. However, Webflow is very good. You have complete control over the CSS code, plus the tool shows you how HTML and CSS work because all design elements in the browser behave as they should.
I think Webflow is great for building rapid prototypes, simple websites, one pagers, and the like. Many professional designers I know use Webflow - so it's worth taking a closer look!
6. Adobe Photoshop– $20.99/mo or as part of Creative Cloud ($52.99/mo)
Figure 7.6: Adobe Photoshop It's no coincidence that I put Photoshop at the very end of the list. Photoshop is a very popular website design software, but it is losing the battle against Sketch, Figma and other tools. If you're still using Photoshop, that's fine, but be prepared to move to another tool in the near future.
The current web development standards force us to make projects more flexible, move closer to the code, work within the framework of the design system. Photoshop is too slow and generates too large files compared to the above tools.
However, I still use Photoshop for photo manipulation, graphics, and illustrations.
Figure 7.7: Quick comparison of Sketch, Figma and Adobe XD interfaces. Look how similar they are! Other tools I use at work:
Here is a complete list of tools that I use in the process.
Web design is one of the most versatile human activities. On the one hand, the rules of the hypertext markup language - HTML - are extremely simple, and anyone can learn their basics in a couple of days. On the other hand, there are plenty of technical subtleties, tricks and pitfalls enough to turn good work into useless typing. At the same time, the task is to conveniently and visually place data on the page - and this is far from being available to everyone. Finally, the site must be simply beautiful, that is, the programmer must also become an artist...
You can create a simple web page in five minutes - but it takes years to improve. In addition, the published work is open to everyone - and, unlike other areas of programming, there are almost no "workshop secrets" in this one. This is where design tools come in handy and you'll find them on our DVD.
Web design tools
There is a common belief among some designers that "real" web designers work in Notepad. Honestly, I don’t understand how the ability to create additional difficulties for oneself is connected with professionalism! I believe there are fans of nail-driving, high-heeled cyclists, and chopstick-eating soup out there, but this text is definitely not for them.
So what does a webmaster's arsenal consist of? Firstly, it is an editor with syntax highlighting and convenient tag entry. There are two types of such editors: graphic (WYSIWYG principle - what you see is what you get) and for direct input of HTML code. With the help of the former, you can quickly create a web page and easily change it, the latter allow you to write correct and compact code, and are not limited in creation tools. As a rule, such programs are able to independently launch a written page in a browser and upload it to the network, automatically create tables and other standard tag structures.
The list of tools does not end here: for a designer, page compression tools are important that can remove extra spaces and other unnecessary characters. The source code of the page becomes less readable, but the size is reduced. Another popular tool is programs for checking the correctness of web pages. Even if a site renders well in browsers, it may not meet the standard - and this often leads to problems in the near future.
Web designer tools
| Editor's Choice | ||
HateML ProVersion: 1.105 License: freely distributed Language: English A great editor for a web programmer that supports HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, VB Script, XML and even SQL. The program offers to make working with the source code of a page or script convenient and for this it offers a whole arsenal of various tools. Especially good is the Tag Inspector, which makes it easy to change and customize tag attributes. Work with styles is well implemented, which allows you to create separate files with CSS, and embed styles into the page. The program includes several options for the appearance, you can also personally adjust the program to your needs. In addition, there are a number of useful little things: color management, special characters, removal of redundant characters. Unfortunately, the additional functions of the program do not always work stably, but this does not create big problems. Interface: 8 NVUVersion: 1.0 License: freely distributed Language: Russian An excellent program for creating websites that allows you to simultaneously create a page in graphical mode and change its source code. Like Firefox, this program grew out of a Mozilla project and then developed independently. The program has all the elements necessary for web design: tables, forms and even styles. The program monitors the correct design of the code, while leaving freedom for creativity. The NVU has integrated tools for checking the correctness of the page (requires a network connection) and cleaning pages from redundant characters. In addition to them, there are many different little things that make life easier when writing web pages. Unfortunately, the development of the program has stopped, so there is no need to expect new features. Interface: 9 |
Actual Drawing
Version: 6.0
License: introductory
Language: English
This paid program contains a whole range of various tools for web design. As you can easily guess from the name, its basis is a graphical web page editor that allows you to create a page from several graphic objects: images, text blocks, menu items, tables, forms, and the like. Each of the objects has attributes that can be easily and quickly managed.
The kit includes 16 sets of templates, according to which you can build sites with a standard structure (and there are most of them on the net). In the unregistered version of the program, some templates are accidentally hidden, and for a full selection, you have to call the menu several times in a row.
The program has many small automation solutions built into it: image conversion, changing multiple files at the same time, checking links. It's nice that working with the program is based on layers: this concept allows you to create complex sites without piling up objects.
Unfortunately, working with the source code of the page is practically not provided - for professional designers, this can become a critical drawback. In addition, it can slow down growth for a novice web developer.
Not the last contribution to the popularity of the program belongs to the help system, which describes step by step many of the procedures needed to create a site. The standard help is supplemented by small "recipes" that describe useful little things.
Interface: 8
Alleycode HTML Editor
Version: 2.2.0
License: freely distributed
Language: English
Alleycode HTML Editor is an example of an HTML editor that prioritizes the source code of a page. We are offered to work exclusively with html, and to automate the input of tags, there is a whole set of buttons for automatic input of tags. The developers took into account the need to work not only with the main tags, but also with forms, and with frames, and with tables. PHP is also supported.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the work with styles. Alleycode HTML Editor, unlike many other tools, has wizards for working with CSS, templates for creating styles: developers clearly expect designers to base their work on styles.
Unfortunately, the lack of a variety of useful little things and the ability to check the code for the simplest errors is striking.
Interface: 7
Amaya
Version: 9.55
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A large-scale web graphic design program focusing on adherence to a variety of standards. Designers will need a wide variety of tags and their attributes. Work with styles and with XML is well adjusted. Unfortunately, the interface of the program is not very successful, the little things that are so important in daily work with the program are not always thought out.
The second purpose of the program is also interesting: Amaya makes it easy to write down mathematical expressions, and then use them in other programs and upload them to the network.
Interface: 7
Arachnophilia
Version: 5.3
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A simple editor without fundamental differences from many other tools, characterized by stable and reliable operation, as well as a full set of basic functions: code highlighting, convenient color entry (by right mouse button), a set of ready-made tags, a table creation wizard, automatic search and convenient call of different browsers. In addition, the program allows you to check HTML for correctness, as well as automatically structure the code for better understanding.
Unfortunately, the latest versions of the program still pay little attention to styles, which does not allow us to call "Arachnophilia" a universal program for web designers.
Interface: 9
Matrix Y2K Website Studio 2005
Version: 1.7.7
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A full-fledged tool for web design with all the features typical for a class of programs: preview, a set of tags, convenient input of elements. At the same time, support for styles is clearly insufficient, in addition, there is a clear lack of special tools for automation.
Matrix Y2K will be useful primarily to PHP programmers and, apparently, is intended for them. If you like the program, it makes sense to go to the site: a new version of the "studio" is expected in the near future.
Interface: 7
MAX's HTML Beauty++
Version: 2.0.0.2004
License: freely distributed
Language: English
The development of this program was frozen back in 2003, and this is precisely what causes the most important shortcomings of the program, for example, insufficient support for styles. Nevertheless, the excellent interface of Beauty ++ should be noted: it looks like a regular editor, but it allows you to easily and visually change tags, add attributes, and generally change the web page. In addition, the program helps to check the correctness of writing the code.
Interface: 9
Enersoft SiteGenWiz Platinum
Version: 1.6
License: freely distributed
Language: English
An unusual program designed to create not individual web pages, but entire sites. First, the designer must build the structure of the future site, then select the design, modify it to your liking and enter site-specific data. Finally, the last stage of work is site generation. Of course, individual pages can be modified after that.
SiteGenWiz cannot be considered as a universal tool for creating sites, and for novice users, it can even be harmful: if you use it exclusively, then creativity can simply disappear. Nevertheless, an experienced web designer can greatly simplify their work, and additional settings will help create a unique site.
Interface: 8
Virtual Mechanics Site Spinner
Version: 1.6
License: freely distributed
Language: English
The purpose of this program is to help people who are just learning HTML: the program allows you to enter HTML code snippets and immediately view the result.
Interface: 7
EasyNeatly
Version: 1.0
License: freely distributed
The functions of this program are extremely narrow: it allows you to structure and clean up style files - CSS. Actually, the official name of the program is Neat Cascading CSS Style Sheets. EasyNeatly doesn't even have a graphical interface, you have to launch it either using the explorer context menu or from the command line! Nevertheless, the program performs a useful and rare function: it either compresses the style file for further transfer to the network, or structures it for easy editing.
Interface: 1
Total Validator
Version: 1.14
License: freely distributed
Language: English
The goal of the program is simple - to compress HTML pages as much as possible before uploading them to the web. Extra spaces, other unnecessary characters, redundant information - the program erases all this, reducing the code size by 5-20%. The program implements simple but necessary little things: a backup copy of changed pages is created, it is possible to compress both individual files and entire folders.
Interface: 8
Web browsing
Firefox
Version: 11.5
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A well-known browser that is not widely used in the CIS countries, but quite popular across the ocean. Version 11 has a wide range of functions: blocking ads, auto-filling forms, saving a profile online, reading RSS, and the like. A wide range of features allows browser developers to hope that Avant Browser will grow in popularity, so for a full-fledged site, a test in this program is also necessary.
Interface: 7
Netscape Navigator
Version: 9.0 beta
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A living legend in the world of Internet browsing, who once lost the "great battle of browsers" Internet Explorer. Not so long ago, the developers announced the return of the famous program, but it was no longer possible to achieve its former popularity. The new version has a standard set of features that are typical for modern browsers.
The developers plan to return the popularity of the program thanks to a new social network: according to their idea, users will be able to advise each other sites directly through the browser, and with the help of such a “popular vote” it will be possible to determine the best site on the network. However, this idea is a matter for the future.
Interface: 7
Opera
Version: 9.22
License: freely distributed
Language: Russian
A popular web browser that has long been the absolute leader among paid Internet viewers. Competition from Mozilla turned Opera into a free program that immediately won sympathy.
Unlike Firefox, which requires the installation of many add-ons, Opera already comes with a wide variety of functions: an email client, a torrent client, downloading graphics at will, customizing the appearance, a download manager, and much more.
Unfortunately, the "Opera" is characterized by memory leaks, so for its efficient operation it is desirable to have at least a gigabyte of RAM.
Interface: 9
Maxthon
Version: 2.0.2
License: freely distributed
Language: English
A popular add-on for Internet Explorer that adds many new features to this browser and improves its interface. Maxthon is almost as functional as Opera and Firefox: it has tabs, graphics loading control, appearance customization, data loss protection when hovering, improved work with forms, link groups and much more. At the same time, the advantages of Internet Explorer remain: tight integration with the operating system and undemanding resources.
Interface: 9
Want to learn how to become a web designer yourself? Or maybe you already have a few of your own designs or even, and would like to take your skills to a new advanced level? Then you are moving in the right direction right now, because the topic of the article is “Where to start web design” and in it we will take a detailed look at all the necessary stages of preparing a web designer and help you become a web designer on your own with a little diligence and creativity.
One article, of course, cannot tell you how to become a web designer and tell about all the skills, necessary tools and technologies that you need to master on the way to your dream job. If you think that the path will be easy and fast, then I must upset you. Working as a web designer is a constant self-improvement, development and pursuit of new trends and tendencies. But, despite all the professional difficulties, it is learning and gaining new knowledge that is one of the most pleasant aspects of this work.
First, a small lyrical digression for designers who accidentally wandered into reading this article. " I do web design", you probably said this phrase to someone more than once and experienced cold fear when you were answered something like:" Cool! And teach me how to do it? How to become a web designer from scratch?» Many people just assume that they click, drag a couple of icons onto the screen, and the design is ready. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. So the next time someone asks you how to design websites, just show them this article.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to MotoCMS' Beginner's Guide to Designers. Grab your mice and get comfortable at your keyboard, this post promises to be long. Coffee brewing is optional, but still worth it.
Who is this web design article for?
This article is for anyone who is wondering "How to become a web designer yourself?". It will also be useful for people who want to start creating websites and have some experience in design and . Everything will be very accessible and step by step. The article is designed for the fact that you do not have any special artistic or technical education, no coding skills at all and experience in the web design industry.
Requirements for novice web designers
The "minimum requirements" for people who are thinking about becoming a web designer and want to create their first website are pretty simple. If you know what folders are, graphic text files, you can start.
However, although getting started is simple, creating a really good site is a real art. There are many skills that you will need to learn. You will need to learn about color theory, graphic element hierarchy, fonts, and the overall organization of the site.
Also, you will need knowledge of the main coding languages, namely HTML and CSS, we'll talk about that too.
Then you might want to learn basic JavaScript programming and figure out how to use it to manage different parts of your site. And desperate drummers who want to dig even further can dive into the systems content management, search engine optimization and marketing.
But you should not rush to everything at once, skills will come with experience and necessity, I will just try to direct you in the right direction. And if you have read up to this part of the article, then I can safely say “Welcome to the wonderful world of web design, newbie. Be prepared to mess things up repeatedly and don't forget to have fun!"
How to use this web design guide for beginners
Read it! This will be enough to get you started. Make your first, most likely clumsy site. Come back and read again. Fix your mistakes. Repeat.
No, you probably don't want to read everything at once. There are many other resources, many different approaches that can be used. It's okay, but I still recommend reading a little and trying to go through the first steps.
Design in the browser for beginners
You probably know that most designers first use graphic editors, and only then they give their projects to the coder for layout. Photoshop is the most commonly used tool, but designers also use programs such as Sketch, GIMP, inkscape and Illustrator.
Undoubtedly, you need to try a few of them and use the tools that work best for you. However, if you want to create websites, then try to immediately do it in their natural habitat - in the browser! Ideally - do this in multiple browsers - because people don't view sites in Photoshop and see them the way you do through a graphics editor interface.
The browser-based workflow has a number of other benefits:
1) You see exactly what you get. Even professional mockups don't convey the interactive or animated parts of websites. By creating a browser-based design, you will be able to see exactly how it works.
This is especially true when it comes to responsive design. (For the uninitiated, a responsive or responsive design is one that renders correctly on different screens and devices, be it mobile, tablet, or PC.)
2) Browser based design can make you a better designer. When you know the whole process yourself, you will be able to understand what works and how, and warn yourself against many mistakes. The nightmare of any designer (or layout designer who will have to do this) working in, say, Photoshop, is his further "stretching" on a live site.
In any case, here are a few resources that can be helpful when working with photo editors.
Design in the browser can change the way you work in many ways and encourage you to learn new things about HTML and CSS. Basically, the more you mess around with the dirty code, the better you will understand how websites work. It won't make you an amazing designer; but it's a great start.
Skills You Need to Become a Web Designer
If you want to become a professional web designer on your own, you will need some special skills. In this section, we will answer the question “How do I become a web designer myself?” and also focus on the skills required to actually design and build a website. Of course, you will also need business and communication skills, but that's a slightly different story. So, to become a web designer on your own, you need to know the following.
UX / UI design
User experience oriented design or UX design is how the user interface as a whole will look and work. It's a process, it's a philosophy, and it's a lot of work. A really good site can only be created by knowing what path the visitor takes on it, and how his behavior changes depending on the change in graphic elements.
More information about this can be found in the article “What is UX / UI design really? »
Aesthetic skills
Aesthetics is a complex thing. It seems like a great color scheme for some people might look downright weird for others. Fonts that look “just right” for you in this place may not like the customer at all. It seems very, very subjective, but still, each of these aspects has its own rules, which we will talk about now.
Font combination and typography
The Internet is text. These are words. And these words must look amazing. However, typography is about more than just choosing the right font. This is, first of all, ease of use. It is necessary to correctly select and combine sizes, types and styles of fonts in the design to create a graphic hierarchy in the design.
To take you "from A to Z", I suggest looking at Emil Ruder's book Typography. Reading can be quite long, so for those who want to immediately start practicing - a short video on the topic, as well (this is if suddenly you have already found a good example of text and would like to identify its font).
After you have learned the rules of typography, you can try out some fonts for your project. There are actually a lot of good free fonts on the web, so look around.
Many people, myself included, choose their fonts from . Google fonts can be "embedded" in the site and it's quite convenient. Moreover, you can use ready-made font combinations:
Other similar examples can be found online.
If you want to create your own Google font pairs, try the "Web Font Combinator". This is a tool that allows you to quickly view font combinations in real time by changing the font, size, color, line width.
If Google Fonts is not enough, then you can look at WebDesignerDepot, Fonts-online, and other sites.
Color theory and color schemes
Color theory has little to do with the technical names of colors. If your client is asking for fuchsia but really wants a hot pink, the choice is yours. Color theory primarily studies the relationship between color combinations and the emotions of the person who perceives it. This is real science.
To understand the basics of color theory, there are several excellent publications:
Of the required tools - Adobe Color CC
Remember that color theory is closely related to typography. For example, if the color of the text is too close to the color of the chosen background, it will be difficult to read and visitors are likely to simply pass by this part of the site, or even leave it.
Composition and general organization
How to become a web designer without knowing the basics of composition? No way! For me, this part is perhaps the most important. After all, you can pick up beautiful fonts, an excellent color scheme, and then simply mess with the correct arrangement of blocks, hierarchy and proportions and get “the most disgusting dish of excellent products.”
There are several useful publications on this topic, after which it comes from the first (or almost from the first) time.
- Using the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Three in Web Design
Web design trends
You can talk endlessly about trends in web design. What role do they play? Most likely, all customers, before coming to you, have already looked at several examples of cool fashion sites, and perhaps even read a couple of articles with web design trends. Knowing fashion and popular design elements is simply necessary to understand what they are asking for and to have something to offer them.
Since web design trends are constantly changing, it makes no sense to cite any specific publications as an example. Here I can just advise you to keep an eye on websites for web designers, here are some good examples:
- abduzeedo.com
- behance.net
- noupe.com
- webdesignerwall.com
- flickr.com
- wwwards.com
How to Become a Web Designer: HTML and CSS
HTML it is "Hypertext Markup Language". Every website you've ever looked at is based on HTML. HTML is the language by which your browser understands that the site contains text, an image, a link, a video, or other elements. Your browser then translates the code into what you see on the screen.
Another language that in simple words makes the site beautiful is called css, which means "Cascading Style Sheets". CSS tells the browser what font is in the text and what colors are being used. CSS, in simple terms, defines the look and feel of your site (buttons, styles, colors, animations).
Learning these languages on your own, or at least getting a basic understanding of how they work, is pretty easy. These are the simplest computer languages. However, they are also quite extensive and can be used in many variations to create stunning designs.
For those who want to get started right away, we have selected two good tutorials with detailed lessons.
Once you know the basics, there is a really amazing number of sites where you can learn more about how to become a web designer and learn programming languages on your own.
Pouring out live
Ready to put your website on the Internet? Do you have a domain name (for example: mywebsite.com) and hosting (space on a computer permanently connected to the Internet or online hosting purchased from third-party providers)? Upload your files to your hosting, sit back, relax and…
What to do after the launch of the site
Correct mistakes and finish what you forgot
“Ah, yes, that’s it… I definitely wanted to fix it.”- It happens to everyone. It's almost inevitable that errors pop up after launching any site. And the larger the site, the more likely it is that you missed a mistake or forgot something. For your convenience, here is a fairly detailed checklist:
Gather Feedback
You can't improve if you don't know where you made mistakes. Time and experience can teach you this, but others can teach you faster.
When you're trying to become a web designer from scratch and learning on your own, I encourage you to join communities to connect with other designers who can help you and give you professional advice.
How to become a web designer - summary
The article came out quite long, but it would be difficult to fit all this in fewer words, so I want to congratulate everyone who read to the end and sincerely thank you for your patience. If you want to know more about web design training, or about specific tools and strategies for working, write it in the comments, and we will definitely create more useful materials on the topic. Good luck to all!
And if you are ready to test your skills on a live project and you need a good hosting - as a bonus, you can buy hosting for a year from our partner Inmotion for only $1.
Software plays an important role in creating web design. Maybe that's why various applications are gaining more and more popularity lately. And which ones are the best? Let's find out.
Create websites for desktops, phones and tablets with these free web design programs.
Make your own professional website in minutes
The paid CoffeeCup products are great, but the CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is just as great. It combines WYSIWYG coding and design. And all this in an application that is fast, easy to learn and can create great websites.
Of course, it lacks some features like its brethren. For example, such as Color Schemer and built-in FTP upload were intended for paid products. However, unlike some competitors, the app is in constant development to be up to date.
If you're looking for an app to "do everything" on Windows, then you should check out CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor.
Powerful editor with additional tools for web developers
PSPad may not be attractive, but it's pretty good. Inside the defiantly old-school Windows interface is a powerful programmer's editor that includes an FTP client for server editing, templates for common languages such as HTML, PHP, and VBScript and many more, as well as multiple document editing and macros that can be used to create and run frequently used codes.
This application is not for people who prefer a WYSIWYG interface, but if you are an experienced coder then this is a great tool for you.
Create stunning HTML5 animations for your website
The name Google Web Designer is a bit misleading because it's actually an ad and animation designer. It is best suited for people who need to create animated cross-platform elements that can then be used in another program. If you are one of those people, then you will surely enjoy a lot, including Google Drive integration, 3D objects, layers and events.
It is worth noting that the application is capable of producing really impressive results.
An old website builder but still a favorite
We have a soft spot for KompoZer, which is a fork of Mozilla created by Firefox. But if Firefox has been in constant development since its very first day, then KompoZer has not been updated since 2010.
This is a serious problem because the languages used on the Internet have not stood still. While it's still possible to create websites in KompoZer, we still think there are better and easier ways to do it. For example, the BlueGriffon app, which is also based on Firefox and offers a more modern approach. However, unlike KompoZer, BlueGriffon requires a paid license for its most useful features.
Text based editor for more experienced web developers
The app will be overkill for beginners, but if you're an experienced coder, then SynWrite is worth a look, and not just because it's so small you can carry it on a modest flash drive.
It's a full-featured code editor with macro recording, plugins, clipboard history, text clips, helpers, color palette, file preview, search and replace. The app has been designed for all kinds of jobs from layout to programming and is a good choice for advanced users.
Build responsive websites that look great on desktop and mobile devices
How it works: You select the type of block you want, drag and drop it where you want, and change the default content to suit your requirements. You can easily see how your design will work on a desktop, smartphone, or tablet, and you don't have to use the predefined styles if you don't want to.
Another responsive design tool, but be aware of the limitations
The free version of TOWeb is designed to promote the more powerful paid versions of the program, so as expected, the application has its limitations. You can only create one website and the size limit is 10MB. The application is quite simple, based on customizable and generally beautiful templates, and supports many languages.
If you can live with the limitations of the free app, TOWeb is a decent option for simple sites.
A simple editor that's perfect for creating your first website
We avoided online services in our review as they tend to be geared towards web developers rather than web designers, but Weebly is a bit different as it allows you to create your page content via drag and drop.
You also get free hosting and unlimited pages, and while you can't remove the Weebly branding, you can pay £5 a month for a starter pack that lets you use your own domain name.
A web site builder that is capable of a lot, but intimidating for beginners
The dark, dense interface can be a bit off-putting for absolute beginners, and it's not as easy to use as other competitors. But there is no doubt that openElement has a lot of power to offer more confident designers.
The program does a lot more than most other WYSIWYG applications, and in the right hands it can do great things. However, we still find the interface a bit confusing compared to similar useful apps like CoffeeCup Free.
Stylish online web builder if you don't mind ads and limited views
Like Weebly, Webflow is an application that is part of a paid service package. Therefore, there are also restrictions on what you can do with it. The free version will not allow you to export HTML/CSS code for use outside of Weblfow hosting, your site will contain ads, there is no technical support other than forum discussions and you are limited to 1000 page views per month.
Alistapart.com; alistapart.com link=http://alistapart.com; Design and development publication. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. Awwwards;www.awwwards.com link=http://www.awwwards.com; A selection of the best works of agencies and web studios from around the world. Recommend: Maxim Kyshtymov and Georgy Rostomov. Behance; www.behance.net link=https://www.behance.net; Designer portfolio catalog. Recommend: Maxim Kyshtymov and Georgy Rostomov. COLOURlovers; www.colourlovers.com link=http://www.colourlovers.com; Ready-made palettes and examples of color combinations. Recommends: Georgy Rostomov. CreativeLive; www.creativelive.com/design link=https://www.creativelive.com/design/ux-web-design?via=topic-list_6; Educational platform with courses for designers. Recommends: Roman Kvartalnov. CSS Winner; www.csswinner.com link=http://www.csswinner.com; A selection of the best sites. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. deadsign; deadsign.ru link=http://deadsign.ru; Translation of articles about design and digital from English. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. Design Shack; designshack.net link=https://designshack.net; Web design publication: articles, inspiration, galleries. Recommends: Viktor Antonov. developer.apple.com/design; developer.apple.com/design link=https://developer.apple.com/design; Apple guidelines for designers. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. DigestMBLTdev; digest.mbltdev.ru link=http://digest.mbltdev.ru; A digest of articles for developers. Recommends: Viktor Antonov. Dribbble; dribbble.com link=https://dribbble.com; Community and portfolio of good designers. Recommend: Maxim Kyshtymov and Roman Kvartalnov. Getpocket of the CreativePeople team; getpocket.com/@korumart link=https://getpocket.com/@korumart; The CreativePeople team preserves and shares interesting content. Recommends: Alexander Kovalsky. Graphiclovedesign.tumblr.com graphiclovedesign.tumblr.com link=http://graphiclovedesign.tumblr.com; The best examples of graphic design. Recommends: Nick Zaporizhsky. Great Apps Timeline; greatappstimeline.xyz link=http://greatappstimeline.xyz; A design retrospective of the most popular applications. Recommends: Roman Kvartalnov. Growth Supply; growth.supply/free/design-code link=http://growth.supply/free/design-code; A selection of free resources for the designer. Recommends: Georgy Rostomov. jvetrau.com; http://www.jvetrau.com link=http://www.jvetrau.com; Dijet about Yura Vetrov's interfaces. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. infogra.ru; infogra.ru link=http://infogra.ru; Collections of cases, useful tools and films for designers. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. vision; blog.invisionapp.com link=http://blog.invisionapp.com; About how to achieve efficiency in projects when collaboration of different specialists is required. Recommends: Alexander Kovalsky. Land-book; land-book.com link=https://land-book.com; A selection of the best landings. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. Marvel; blog.marvelapp.com link=http://blog.marvelapp.com; Articles about the design. Recommends: Viktor Antonov. Material.io material.io link=https://material.io; Google Resource for Designers: Theory, sources, and tools for creating digital products. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. mediascunk; mediaskunk.ru link=http://mediaskunk.ru/; Mikhail Kalashnikov's blog about media and technology. Recommends: Merdan Agayev. Muzli; muz.li link=https://muz.li; Design blog. Recommended by Alexander Kovalsky. Nathan Curtis; medium.com/@nathanacurtis link=https://medium.com/@nathanacurtis; Blog by Nathan Curtis, founder of UX company EightShapes. Recommends: Alexander Kovalsky. osasto.tumblr.com; osasto.tumblr.com link=http://osasto.tumblr.com; The best examples of graphic design. Recommends: Nick Zaporizhsky. Product Hunt; www.producthunt.com link=https://www.producthunt.com; Showcase of new IT products. Recommends: Viktor Antonov. Re: Vision; revision.ru link=http://revision.ru; Designer portfolio. A lot of good works from designers from the CIS countries. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. SiteInspire; www.siteinspire.com link=https://www.siteinspire.com; Catalog of the best examples of web design. Recommended by: Maxim Kyshtymov and Merdan Agaev..education link=http://site; Library of knowledge about web design and internet marketing. Recommends: Nikita Obukhov. Vc.ru; vc.ru/interface link=https://vc.ru/interface; A publication about startups, growing businesses, new models of earnings, extraordinary heroes from around the world and growth technologies. Recommend: Olga Pavlova and Alexander Kovalsky. underconsideration; underconsideration.com link=http://underconsideration.com; Design blog. Recommends: Nick Zaporizhsky. ux.pub; ux.pub link=https://ux.pub/; Articles about product design and interface design. Recommends: Stanislav Osipenko. Waitbutwhy.com; waitbutwhy.com link=http://waitbutwhy.com; Popular illustrated longreads about almost everything in the world. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. Zeldman.com; www.zeldman.com link=http://www.zeldman.com; Web design news. Recommends: Ivan Vasiliev. Blog about design and interfaces; blog.shaihalov.ru link=http://blog.shaihalov.ru; Blog of Maxim Shaikhalov, interface designer. Recommends: Olga Pavlova. Design tavern; designpub.ru link=https://designpub.ru; Collective blog of designers. Recommended by: Olga Pavlova, Maxim Smirnov, Daria Prokuda and Alexander Kovalsky. Type.today magazine; Type.today/journal link=https://type.today/ru/journal; Journal of the project by Ilya Ruderman and Yuri Ostromentsky. Recommend: Merdan Agaev and Nick Zaporozhsky. Font magazine; typejournal.ru link=http://typejournal.ru; Online publication about type and typography. Recommend: Stanislav Osipenko and Georgy Rostomov. Directed by Artemy Lebedev; artlebedev.ru/kovodstvo link=http://artlebedev.ru/kovodstvo; Notes on design, history of important inventions, interfaces, semiotics, etc. Recommended by: Stanislav Osipenko. Runet rating; www.ratingruneta.ru link=http://www.ratingruneta.ru; Competition of Russian Internet sites. Recommends: Maxim Kyshtymov. Website of Ludwig Bystronovsky; ludwigbistronovsky.ru link=http://ludwigbistronovsky.ru; Site of the designer and art director: links to publications and announcements of performances. Recommends: Stanislav Osipenko. Tips. Design Bureau of Artem Gorbunov; artgorbunov.ru/bb/soviet link=http://artgorbunov.ru/bb/soviet; Tips on design, layout, text editing and negotiations with clients. Recommends: Stanislav Osipenko. Habrhabr; habrahabr.ru/flows/design link=https://habrahabr.ru/flows/design; The largest Russian IT community. Recommends: Olga Pavlova.
Problems
