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You can use any text editor to create Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) documents, but certain editors are specially optimized for HTML syntax.
After researching various options, we’ve selected these eight free editors as our top picks, based on their customizability, features, and overall functionality.
What We Like
Small download and program size.
Loads fast and runs light.
Auto-completion for words and functions.
Plug-in options to extend functionality.
Notepad++ is a favorite free note-taking app and code editor. It’s a more robust version of the Notepad software available in Windows by default.
Notepad++ includes features such as line numbering, color coding, hints, and other helpful tools that the standard Notepad application doesn’t have. These additions make it an ideal choice for web designers and front-end developers.
What We Like
Website server management is easy.
Good for HTML and CSS editing.
User-friendly and a good option for beginning designers.
What We Don’t Like
Many features are only available with the paid version.
No WYSIWYG editor (unless you purchase).
Not the best editor for coding languages beyond web design.
The CoffeeCup HTML editor has a free version and a paid full version. The free offering is a good product, but many of this platform’s best features require you to buy the full version.
CoffeeCup also offers an upgrade called Responsive Site Design 2 that supports responsive web design. This version can be added to a bundle with the full version of the editor.
Many sites list this as a free WYSIWYG editor. However, when we tested it, it required the purchase of CoffeeCup Visual Editor to enable WYSIWYG support. The free version is a very nice text editor only.
This editor scored as well as Eclipse and Komodo Edit for web designers but didn’t rate as high for web developers. However, if you’re a beginner at web design and development, or you’re a small business owner, this tool has more features appropriate to you than either Komodo Edit or Eclipse.
What We Like
A fast and lightweight program.
Multiplatform support (Windows, Mac, and Linux).
Bluefish is a full-featured HTML editor for various platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Noteworthy features include code-sensitive spell check, autocomplete of many languages (HTML, PHP, CSS, and more), snippets, project management, and autosave.
Bluefish is primarily a code editor, not specifically a web editor. This means it has flexibility for web developers who write in more than HTML. However, if you’re a designer and want more of a web-focused or a WYSIWYG interface, Bluefish may not be for you.
What We Like
Well-supported with updates and the addition of new features.
Supports a range of programming languages.
Nice, beginner-friendly design.
What We Don’t Like
Premium features come with a high price tag.
Heavy program that consumes significant memory and processing power.
Bit of a learning curve for new users.
Microsoft Visual Studio Community is a visual IDE to help web developers and other programmers create applications for the web, mobile devices, and the desktop. You may have used it previously, but Visual Studio Community is the software’s latest version.
Microsoft offers a free download and paid versions (including free trials) for Professional and Enterprise users.
Microsoft Visual Studio Code is a free coding-only app that’s part of the Visual Studio suite but stands alone. It’s an excellent standalone code editor for dozens of coding and scripting languages.
What We Like
Extensible through plug-ins.
Customizable appearance.
Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Excellent for XML editing.
There are two versions of Komodo: Komodo Edit and Komodo IDE. Edit is open source and free to download. It’s a trimmed-down version of IDE.
Komodo Edit includes many great features for HTML and CSS development. Additionally, it allows you to add extensions for more language support or other helpful features, such as special characters.
Komodo doesn’t shine as the best HTML editor. Still, it’s great for the price, especially if you build in XML, where it truly excels.
What We Don’t Like
Takes some time to learn.
Consumes a lot of system resources while running.
Can be slow to execute commands.
Apache NetBeans features a Java IDE to help you build robust web applications.
Like most IDEs, Apache NetBeans has a steep learning curve because it doesn’t often work in the same way as other web editors. Once you get used to it, however, you’ll find it very useful.
The IDE’s version control and developer collaboration features are handy for people working in large development environments. If you write Java and web pages, this is a great tool.
What We Like
Good for JavaScript.
Multiplatform support (Windows, Mac, and Linux).
Plug-ins expand supported languages.
Aptana Studio 3 offers an interesting take on web page development. Instead of focusing on HTML, it focuses on JavaScript and other elements that allow you to create rich internet applications.
Aptana Studio 3 may not be the best fit for simple web design needs. But, if you’re looking more toward web application development, its toolset may be a great fit.
What We Don’t Like
Not as light as other editors.
Consumes considerable system resources, especially on large projects.
Eclipse is a complex development environment perfect for people who do a lot of coding on various platforms and languages. It’s structured in a plug-in design, so if you need to edit something, find the appropriate plug-in and go to work.
If you create complex web applications, Eclipse has many features to make your project easier to build. It offers Java, JavaScript, and PHP plug-ins and a plug-in for mobile developers.
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