As with any other profession, the tools that a web designer uses are what turns a concept into reality. With numerous applications available in today’s modern world, only a handful stand out in a crowd. The tools discussed throughout this article are considered the most popular in web designing.
Photoshop
Available through the Mac & Windows operating system is the commercial graphics editor the ‘Adobe Photoshop,’ and it is the 5th most popular app of this type. This app is perfect for professional photographers, as well as designers who use it to manipulate images and for creating web graphics.
Photoshop provides the necessary tools, including different options one may need. For instance, filters. Filters add effects automatically to an image. It also gives options that let one select their own sections in the image, including automation and extensibility by using Brush Strokes, different Actions, Scripting, including features such as Layer Comps and a Revert option for workflow enhancement.
Fireworks
Available for use with Mac & Windows operating system is ‘Adobe Fireworks’ from Adobe. A commercial raster with vector graphics editor hybrid. It is different than Photoshop, although it has been designed for web designers specifically. Providing an abundance of different tools and options which enable breezing through an entire web layout of prototyping.
‘Slices,’ which is a notable feature and is used to slice & dice in a design mockup to create HTML/CSS to be able to create prototypes in a hurry, however, always avoid the use of automatically generated source codes at the end-build. Another notable feature is that it will allow an entire design to be a package as a PDF having clickable components to the interactive and impressive site prototypes, with optimization tools to keep web graphics weighing as little as possible.
Dreamweaver
Available to use with the Mac & Windows operating system, ‘Adobe Dreamweaver,’ that was intended to be an application for commercial web development. It offers the following tools and options: Smart Code Hinting, project manager, syntax highlighting, workflow options, an FTP client is built-in, workflow options geared to ease teamwork, including a Live View, that gives a preview to the source code.
Dreamweaver is connected in a tight circle with Adobe’s other popular products, like Photoshop, which enables fast and simple updating for the sharing of Smart Objects.
Panic Coda
This application for shareware web development works with the Mac OS X operating system. It was designed to decrease the number of different applications needed for the development of websites, such as CSS editor, FTP clients, and a system for version control, among other apps for improving the team’s workflow.
Coda’s philosophy is that of one-window web development using a tabbed interface when editing text, CSS, SVN, file transfers, and ‘Books.’ If searchable, they will be embedded. Although one can use their own, it also is included with ‘the Web Programmers Desk Reference.
Having an easy to use interface that enabled Coda to corner Apple Design Awards with the Best Mac OS X User Experience of 2007.
Firefox Developer
This version of Firefox Developer Edition was created especially developed for web developers. It gives the developer the ability to access their DevTools. There are many features included, such as building(s), debugging, analyzing, designing with the use of the CSS grid, and a style editor, including other tools to provide great assistance.
