The lion's share of Web design work involves formatting elements on a Web page with HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) tags, an exercise in repetition that can quickly make you forget you're on the exciting forefront of electronic publishing. That's where HTML editors come in.
These programs let you add tags to Web pages via keyboard shortcuts, pull-down menus, or buttons arranged on floating palettes. In the process, they help you cut down on mistakes. A raft of sub-$100 HTML editors debuted in 1996. While a number of shareware editors cost less than $50 to register, you can try them for free. In addition, freeware editors are exactly that--free. (Check out the HTML editors resources page for more information.)
Every Web designer should have at least a freeware HTML editor, such as HoTMetaL Pro 2.0 or BBEdit Lite. If you're fairly HTML-savvy and are planning a relatively simple site, these freeware versions are all you'll need.
If you're looking for advanced features such as spell-checking, HTML validation (which points out mistakes in your code), and tools for generating complex elements such as tables and frames, you'll want to spend a little more. Commercial editors like the $119 BBEdit for the Macintosh also include sophisticated search tools that find and replace across all files on a site with a few mouse clicks. The more expensive editors, such as Adobe's $99 PageMill or Microsoft's $149 FrontPage, also tend to incorporate more Wysiwyg (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) capabilities, letting you use such techniques as drag and drop to work with text and graphics as they will appear in a Web browser's display. Wysiwyg editors have two benefits: you don't need to know HTML code inside and out, and you can more easily see what the finished product will look like as you build a page.
