Once you've decided to write your own HTML, and you've got some
idea of how it all works, there's one thing left to think about:
which program are you going to use to do it? While you can use
programs like Notepad or Wordpad that come with Windows, they
don't have any specialised HTML editing features, and that can
slow you down more than you'd think.
The choice of HTML editors out there, though, is bewildering:
there are literally thousands. Here's a guide to things you
should look for when you're searching for your perfect HTML
partner.
Syntax Highlighting
One of the most vital features for any editor is syntax
highlighting. This means that it understands how HTML works, and
will make tags a different colour from text, making it easier
for you to see what you're doing.
You should try to find an editor that has up-to-date syntax
highlighting and checks whether your tags are valid or not.
Instead of just colouring anything you put between angle
brackets, it should check whether what you're entering is valid
HTML, and warn you if it isn't (usually by turning it red).
Another thing to look out for when it comes to syntax
highlighting is what the editor supports that you might want to
use with HTML: it's good to have highlighting for CSS and
Javascript, as well as PHP or Perl (or whatever you use
server-side). Some editors mark them in the same colour to
indicate 'not HTML', while some highlight them in a useful way -
this is what you want.
Tag Suggestion
It's good to get an editor that knows about valid HTML tags and
how they're structured, as that means it can let you know what
you should be including and let you browse through tags to find
the one you're thinking of. If you type '
Tag-suggesting editors can often save you typing, if they come
up with a drop-down when you start typing and allow you to
accept their suggestions easily by pressing tab or space. This
can speed up your HTML editing significantly.
FTP Upload
It will save you quite a lot of time if the HTML editor you
choose has a built-in FTP upload facility, allowing you to enter
your server, username and password, and upload the files you've
just edited to the server. If your program doesn't do this,
you'll have to use a separate FTP program and mess around
finding where you saved your files.
Easy Text to HTML Conversion
If you're making a lot of text content into HTML, one important
feature to look for is easy conversion - otherwise you'll spend
a long time putting
tags at the start and end of each paragraph. Ideally, the
software should be able to spot pieces of text that are
headings, lists and so on, and add HTML tags for you
automatically. It won't be helpful for everyone, but for
text-heavy pages it's indispensable.
You might also be able to find editors that can accept input in
text formats that aren't plain text - Microsoft Word documents,
for example - and turn it into sensible HT
A Few Suggestions
Metapad (
www.liquidninja.com/metapad). A good drop-in
replacement for Notepad, but lacks HTML-specific features.
SciTE Editor (
www.scintilla.org) has excellent syntax
highlighting, making it easier to be sure that you're writing
correct HTML tags and you haven't made any layout mistakes.
Crimson Editor (
www.crimsoneditor.com) is popular, although you
might find it a little technical. Its biggest advantage is that
it has built-in FTP uploads.
HomeSite (
www.macromedia.com/software/homesite). Has good tag
suggestion features, although it might be a little bulky for
some tastes. Very good if you have trouble remembering tags.
As a final note, you might try editing HTML in the 'code view'
of one of the visual editors - Dreamweaver is especially good at
this, if you have it. This lets you switch back and forward
easily to see what effect your changes are having.
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