I can code clean code, but if my client is not happy what have I gained. The side of web design that rarely gets discussed is how to manage a successful project.

FireBug – Amazing alternative for the JavaScript Console normally used in FireFox allows you to get the value of variable used in JavaScript instead of hand coding alerts (I just found the Venkman JavaScript Debugger but have not used it enough to recommend it)įor more information, I recommend reading Rapid Web Development and Testing with Mozilla Firefox.

Collorzilla – Eyedropper for your browser.

View Formated Source – Organize messy code, allows you to collapse elements and brings all external scripts in-line.

DOM inspector – Windows FireFox users need choose Custom Install and then select Web Developer Tools in order to get the DOM inspector).

Here are the ones I have found most useful for either debugging my own code or editing legacy code:

I am still looking for the killer, cross-browser live XHTML/CSS editor. I have used TopStyle and Style Master especially when I was first learning CSS, but rarely find them useful anymore. The new Internet Explorer Toolbar is the Microsoft clone, but it does not allow you to edit live CSS. To tackle Explorer CSS issues, I still use and hit refresh. It allows my to edit live CSS in FireFox. I code CSS in Dreamweaver (I do not have 8), but the real work is done in FireFox using the Web Developers Toolbar extension.

When working on a redesign or with legacy code, I often use WinMerge which allows me to compare code from two different files. The other editor I use is HTML-Kit because it highlights matching ( ) pairs when you cursor over them (very nice when debugging JavaScript). I also like NoteTab Pro It is lightweight, clean and affordable. Until I learn something else, it is the environment I use to develop web applications in classic ASP using VB Script. Coding toolsĪlthough I code XHTML and CSS by hand, I hate to admit that I still use Dreamweaver as my primary application. So, here are the tools that I use to code, debug and manage projects. Hopefully, you will agree with most of my picks and possibly discover something that will improve your work. I know that everyone has their favorite tools, and equally tools that they despise. My feeling is that the best tools help me work faster, cleaner and better. I thought and decided that basically I am lazy. One of the designers on my team recently asked how I know about so many “tools” for web design. | Posted: 8 April 06 in Tutorials, by Tim Bednar Tools I Use

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