What Tools can I use?

Web Authoring Packages

There are many tools to help you when designing a web site, all with a range of different features. The main tools a web designer may use are web authoring packages, these include:

Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver by Adobe (formerly by Macromedia) is a very popular web authoring packages which comes as part of a range of products call Studio which are geared towards interactive on and offline design.

Dreamweaver is very popular because it is relatively easy to learn and lends it self well to both home and professional users.

FrontPage

Frontpage by Microsoft is an easy to learn authoring package that is popular in schools and colleges. Frontpage has a range of features and its WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") editor is useful feature, particularly to novices who are less concerned with the underlying HTML code.

Full the more advance user there is full coding support including built in scripting tools and support for XML data-driven web sites.

CoffeCup HTML Editor

Since its launch in 1996 CoffeeCup HTML Editor has had a large following, mainly due to its ease of use and its relatively low cost. CoffeeCup also sports a WYSIWYG editor and has a range of pre-defined web site templates.

There are also a range of wizards to help with common design tasks.

Windows Note Pad!

That's right, although not strictly a web authoring tool, you can make professional looking and exciting websites using windows note pad, all you need is a basic understanding of HTML or XML! Remember, web authoring packages often help speed up the design and development process by writing the code for you but it is important to look from time to time and the code to see how it works.

Useful Links

http://www.adobe.com/

Macromedia range of software including Dreamweaver

http://www.coffeecup.com/

CoffeeCup HTML Editor

http://www.microsoft.com/office/frontpage/prodinfo/default.mspx

Microsoft Office 2003 FrontPage