Establishing a firm career in Web Designing may seem an easy task and quick source for revenue making from the top. But if you enter into its depth and find each and every aspect of it then it turns out to be complicated. In this world, where millions of websites are running over the net, if you start as a fresher then you have to face a tough competition from others. Developing a website needs lot of exploration and knowledge.
The first thing which a user looks when he visits your website is its aesthetics and designing. For a neophyte it may become quite difficult to look at each and every aspect necessary in making a website. Any website creation requires first of all the knowledge of HTML, CSS, scripting and programming languages to develop the base of the website. After that further refinements can be done using the various tools.
Today, thanks to internet, which makes everything available at the finger tip, now you can use various tools which are really very helpful for the creation of website. There are prototyping tools, designing tools, coloring tools, graphics tools and others which play important roles during development.
If you are a new web designer, you will find this article really helpful as we have listed below the crucial tools and links which make your job a lot easier and quick. The list has been categorized under the various section like IDEs required for writing scripts and doing programming, prototyping tools which shows the dummy model for your website, coloring tools for selecting the proper color and combination to give a real look to the website, typographic tools which are helpful in selecting the proper font which is most suitable for your website, some links to the websites which provides the readymade scripts for you in different languages and at the last we have also stated some tutorial websites guiding you in the best way.
IDE & Development Software
1. Dreamweaver CS5.5
Adobe Dreamweaver CS5.5 is the industry-leading web authoring and editing software developed by Adobe. You can create standards-based websites and designs for the desktop, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. It provides both visual and code-level capabilities and supports CSS3/HTML5, jQuery Mobile integration for adding advanced interactivity with jQuery code hinting, multiscreen Preview panel and new PhoneGap functionality to build and package native apps for Android and iOS.
Dreamweaver supports many languages to build the applications and websites like Active Server Pages (ASP), C#, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), ColdFusion, EDML, XHTML, XML, HTML, Java, JavaScript, PHP and others.
2. NetBeans IDE 7.0.1
NetBeans is a platform framework for Java desktop applications and also a integrated development environment (IDE) developed by Oracle Solutions. The IDE is written in Java and is highly compatible.
NetBeans is a free, open-source Integrated Development Environment for software developers for developing with Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Groovy, C, C++, and other languages. It contains all the tools needed to create professional desktop, enterprise, web, and mobile applications.
The latest version is the NetBeans IDE 7.0 which introduces language support for development to the Java SE 7 specification with the JDK 7 language features. It also supports GlassFish 3.1, Oracle WebLogic, Oracle Database, Maven 3, HTML 5 and more.
3. WYSWYG Web Builder
WYSWYG is the web designing solution that makes building of websites quite easier and quicker. The software requires no HTML web designing proficient knowledge and gives you “One Click Publishing” feature. No FTP program needed. You can easily create forms using the built-in Form Wizard plus Form validation tools and built-in CAPTCHA. It also includes many jQuery features like Accordion, Tabs, animations, AutoComplete, Dialog etc.
It also features many graphic and navigation tools and has 100 free templates to choose from. WYSWYG supports AVA, Flash, Windows Media, YouTube, Flash Video, Quicktime, Real Audio and other Plug-ins with more than 250 extensions.
4. Aptana Studio 3
5. Eclipse IDE
Coloring Tools
6. ColorSchemer Studio2
ColorSchemer Studio 2 is a professional color matching application useful for web designers and advanced professionals. It helps you to build beautiful color schemes quickly and easily. You can also use ColorSchemer Studio to identify color harmonies for the web (RGB) or print (CMYK) and can create palettes from photos and gradient blends. It also provides you the facility of to transform a single color into a complete color scheme.
7. Pixie
Pixie is a utility software for webmasters and designers. It is a color picker with few extra goodies. It is a freeware software which tells you the hex, RGB, HTML, CMYK and HSV values of that color you point on. You can then use these values to reproduce the selected color in your favorite programs. Pixie will also show the current coordinates of your mouse pointer.
8. COPASO : Color Palette Software
9. Color Palette Generator
Mockup Tools
10. Mockup Builder
Mockuo Builder performs many tasks like UI mockups, interactive wireframes, website layouts, desktop software prototypes, website design, sitemaps or screen navigations by using light version via your web browser and Microsoft Silverlight installed. It gives a new look to solve old problem with prototyping and sharing mockups with customers.
11. LUMZY Mockup Tool
Lumzy is a Mockup and Prototype creation tool for websites and applications.You can quickly sketch your website or application you are planning to build will look like and can create prototypes of how the site or application will function by adding events within your Lumzy controls
You can create Message Alerts, Page navigation or Links to external content when your client interacts with your Mockup, yet with the hand drawn feel of a sketch. Lumzy gives the extensive list of controls and also features collaboration tools for team editing.
12. SimpleDiagrams Free Version
Typographic and font tools
13. FrameBox
Typechart is a font selection tool that lets you flip through, preview and compare web typography while retrieving the CSS. You can browse numerous typographic styles.
You need to download CSS and each style corresponds with a “style ID” which allows you to annotate prototypes and retrieve the css while coding.
14. TypeChart
Typechart is a font selection tool that lets you flip through, preview and compare web typography while retrieving the CSS. You can browse numerous typographic styles.
You need to download CSS and each style corresponds with a “style ID” which allows you to annotate prototypes and retrieve the css while coding.
15. FontStruct
16. What The Font
Programs & Scripting Source
17. Hot Scripts
HotScripts is a website containing more than 48,000 scripts in various categories. Having 750,000 active worldwide members serving for Web scripts and web development resources, Hotscripts provides resources and pre written scripts for the developers from beginners to experts. You can also review, rate and vote for your favorite scripts listed in the directory and can get discounts on certain scripts, services and products.
18. MSDN Library
From MSDN Microsoft site you can get essential source of information helpful in using Microsoft tools, products, technologies and services. The MSDN Library includes how-to and reference documentation, sample code, technical articles, etc. The site contains all the sample codes of all libraries for developing any desktop, web, game, phone or even cloud application. To find the content you just browse the table of contents, use search, or use a Quick Link to jump to some of the most popular areas of the library.
19. Dynamic Drive
Dynamic Drive is a place on the net which provides free, original DHTML & Javascripts to enhance your web site. The site contains scripts for creating calendars, games, text effects, form effects, scrollers, image effects, games and many more. You can become an exclusive member and can participate in listing submission, favorites, and referrals programs.
20. PHP Scripts
Learning Resources
21. W3 Schools
W3 Schools forms the basis for all the new comers in software development field. It provides you with the basic learning of languages and scripts through their online tutorials and examples. The site contains tutorials for HTML, CSS, XML, JavaScript, ASP, PHP and others. After learning the basics you can also opt for the online tests to check your knowledge and gain some expertise on the topic that interests you.
22. Web Design-Tutorials
Web Design Tutorials contain thousands of tutorials required for web designing. You can learn website creations, adobe photoshop editing, javascript, PHP coding and many other scripting languages. It also teaches you graphic effects, animations and etc. It is very useful for the beginners.
