Free Web Development Tools For Mac
In most cases, however, there are free alternatives available, many of which are very, very good indeed. Below, you’ll find 15 Best Free Online Tools for Web Design and Development. Rather than narrow our focus, we’ve covered various aspects of the design and development process, to include the admin side of freelancing or running a small. From the above list of the top Web Development Tools, Sketch, Sublime Text, GitHub, and CodePen are licensed tools. GitHub and CodePen offer a free plan too. AngularJS, Visual Studio Code, TypeScript, Grunt, Sass, etc. Are available for free.
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Web development tools have come a long way in just a few short years. Thanks to this progress, we can harness the power of highly tested libraries to improve our workflow and benefit from greater possibilities when it comes to responsive design. Not only that, we can build things together thanks to ever-improving version control systems. From browser add-ons and plugins, to processors that streamline your code, there have never been more possibilities for creating awesome web applications.
But with the number of web dev tools increasing almost daily, finding the best software to get the job done can sometimes feel daunting. To help you out, we’ve created a list of essential tools for frontend development to get you started. If you’re interested in finding out about one in particular, simply select it from the list below.
Not keen on reading? Then watch the video below in which Will, one of our course specialists, talks you through the tools.
1. Sublime Text
Let’s start with the basics: a first-rate code editor – one that features a well-designed, super efficient, and ultra speedy user interface. There are several that do this well, but arguably the best (and most popular) is Sublime Text.
Artfully run by a one-man development team, the secret to Sublime’s success lies in the program’s vast array of keyboard shortcuts – such as the ability to perform simultaneous editing (making the same interactive changes to multiple selected areas) as well as quick navigation to files, symbols, and lines. And when you’re spending 8+ hours with your editor each day, those precious few seconds saved for each process really do add up…
You can start coding with Sublime in this free web development tutorial (no sign-up necessary).
2. Chrome Developer Tools
Wouldn’t it be great if you could edit your HTML and CSS in real-time, or debug your JavaScript, all while viewing a thorough performance analysis of your website?
Google’s built-in Chrome Developer Tools let you do just that. Bundled and available in both Chrome and Safari, they allow developers access into the internals of their web application. On top of this, a palette of network tools can help optimize your loading flows, while a timeline gives you a deeper understanding of what the browser is doing at any given moment.
Google release an update every six weeks–so check out their website as well as the Google Developers YouTube channel to keep your skills up-to-date.
3. jQuery
JavaScript has long been considered an essential frontend language by developers, although it’s not without its problems: riddled with browser inconsistencies, its somewhat complicated and unapproachable syntax meant that functionality often suffered.
That was until 2006, when jQuery–a fast, small, cross-platform JavaScript library aimed at simplifying the frontend process–appeared on the scene. By abstracting a lot of the functionality usually left for developers to solve on their own, jQuery allowed greater scope for creating animations, adding plug-ins, or even just navigating documents.
And it’s clearly successful–jQuery was by far the most popular JavaScript library in existence in 2015, with installation on 65% of the top 10 million highest-trafficked sites on the web at the time. If this sounds like something you’d like to look into some more, we have a full guide to jQuery vs JavaScript.
4. GitHub
It’s every developer’s worst nightmare–you’re working on a new project feature and you screw up. Enter version control systems (VCS)–and more specifically, GitHub.
By rolling out your project with the service, you can view any changes you’ve made or even go back to your previous state (making pesky mistakes a thing of the past). There are so many reasons why GitHub is vital to developers. The repository hosting service also boasts a rich open-source development community (making collaboration between teams as easy as pie), as well as providing several other components such as bug tracking, feature requests, task management, and wikis for every project.
Many employers will look for finely-honed Git skills, so now’s the perfect time to sign up–plus it’s a great way to get involved and learn from the best with a wide array of open-source projects to work on.
5. Twitter Bootstrap
Getting tired of typing in that same styling for a container? How about that button that keeps cropping up? Once you start building frontend applications regularly, you’ll start to notice the same patterns emerging.
UI frameworks are an attempt to solve these problems by abstracting the common elements into reusable modules – meaning developers can scaffold the elements of new applications with speed and ease.
The most widely used of these frameworks is Bootstrap, which is a comprehensive UI package developed by the team at Twitter. Complete with tools to normalize stylesheets, build modal objects, add JavaScript plugins, and a plethora of other features, Bootstrap can dramatically cut down on the amount of code (and time) needed to build your project.
6. AngularJS
HTML is usually the cornerstone of any frontend developer’s toolbox, but it has what many perceive to be a serious flaw: it wasn’t designed to manage dynamic views.
This is where AngularJS, an open-source web framework, comes in. Developed by Google, AngularJS lets you extend your application’s HTML syntax, resulting in a more expressive, readable, and quick to develop environment that could otherwise not have been built with HTML alone.
The project is not without its critics: some feel that this sort of data binding makes for a messy, non-separated code, but we still think it’s an invaluable skill to have in your frontend kit.
7. Sass
Web dev tools that save time are your best friend, and one of the first things you’ll learn about code is that it needs to be DRY (“Don’t Repeat Yourself”). The second thing you’ll probably learn is that CSS is usually not very DRY.
Enter the world of the CSS preprocessor, a tool that will help you write maintainable, future-proof code, all while reducing the amount of CSS you have to write (keeping it DRY).
Perhaps most popular among them is Sass, an eight-year-old open-source project which pretty much defined the genre of modern CSS preprocessors. Although a little tricky to get to grips with initially, Sass’s combination of variables, nesting, and mixins will render simple CSS when compiled, meaning your stylesheets will be more readable and (most importantly) DRY.
Conclusion
If the idea of learning these frontend tools and setting out on a 7-month journey to become a web developer appeals to you, I really recommend you look at our Full-Stack Web Development Program. It’s designed to teach you the core frontend technologies from scratch, before proceeding to endow you with much sought-after skills in JavaScript development.
If you’re still considering your own career switch to web development, or are simply curious to learn more about the area itself, then some of these articles may interest you:
Last Updated 15 December, 2020How much did you pay for design software last year? $100? Maybe $1,000? And don’t forget about that vendor ecosystem you’re now inextricably tied to.
If you’re getting tired of mounting fees and proprietary systems, then it’s time to try the newest crop of open source design software.
Wait, Free and Open Source Apps for Design?
Yup. Free and Open Source Software (or FOSS for short) has been around a while. But the design world hasn’t always gotten much love. Believe it or not, “Design programs made by volunteer developers” was not an easy sell to folks who value aesthetics and usability.
But now, the game has changed. While prim and polished apps have been busy optimizing their pricing plans, open source has been optimizing value. Open source has been catching up.
These days, free and open source design applications are a great way for new designers to hone their skills with zero overhead. Even seasoned veterans are expanding their knowledge set, and contributing back.
The best part is that open source design programs often work great as stand-alone apps, or alongside existing design stack. Open source software tends to be more platform agnostic. So many times, it’s even available on all major operating systems.
From solo designers to employees, promising new open source alternatives are everywhere. There has been no better time than now to try open source apps in your design workflow.
Article Contents
- Your Best Bets for Open Source Design Tools
- The Pencil Project
- Alva
- Akira
- Inkscape
- GIMP
Your Best Options for Open Source Design Tools
This article picks out your best options for open source digital design apps, selected through first-hand research and experimentation. There’s a little something for everyone. Professionals in UX, UI, digital product design, visual design and web design all have open source alternatives to check out.
Every design application listed here is completely free and open source. In no particular order…
The Pencil Project
Best Uses: UX, Interactive Prototyping
Comparable to: a cross somewhere between Axure, XD, and InVision Studio
Available Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux (Ubuntu & Fedora)
Development for the Pencil Project started in 2015, but slowed around June 2017. Fast-forward to the major release of version 3.1 in Oct 2019 and the Pencil Project is rolling once again. Sure it’s been a little over a year since the last big release, but the Pencil Project is still an amazingly powerful tool for creating interactive prototypes. It comes with libraries (called collections) of built-in components, and lets you import additional libraries from fellow Pencil enthusiasts.
Alva
Best Uses: Web Design, Interactive Prototyping with actual code libraries
Comparable to:Zeplin, Sketch+Sketch2react, InVision DSM+Bit
Available Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux
Alva promises the ability to create living interactive prototypes with actual code components. Basically, you connect a react library to the app and then pull in that library’s components to create designs and add interactions.
Akira
Best Uses: UX, UI, Product Design, Visual Design, Web Design
Comparable to:Sketch
Available Platforms: Linux (sorry mainstreamers)
Currently in active development, Akira is a vector design app specially created for Linux operating systems. It looks to be the open source answer to digital-first vector design programs like Sketch. The GitHub page still sports its ‘early development’ stage warning, but Akira’s developers have made it easier to download the Alpha. You can find Akira on the elementaryOS App Center, FlatHub, the Snapcraft Store, and of course Akira’s official GitHub page.
Inkscape
Best Uses: UI, Visual Design, Graphic Design
Comparable to:Illustrator
Available Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux
Inkscape is a direct free and open source alternative Adobe Illustrator. The short tutorial above should give you a rough idea of what it’s capable of. The key shortcuts take some getting used to, and the interface isn’t quite as polished. But Inkscape is an incredibly powerful tool. And it’s amazing that it’s free. Inkscape can open Illustrator files (.ai) and saves to a cross-platform format (.svg) by default.
GIMP
Best Uses: Photo Editing, UI, Visual Design, Graphic Design
Free Web Development Tools For Mac Air
Comparable to: Photoshop
Available Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux
The GNU Image Manipulation Program (aka GIMP) the open source answer to Adobe Photoshop. Like Inkscape, GIMP is a straight replacement for Adobe’s popular photo editor. Most commonly used for editing photos, creating banners and generally working in pixels, this is a great design tool to add to your arsenal.
Free Open Source Design Apps Offer a Promising Alternative
Vendor Lock-In
For professional designers, vendor lock-in is a real problem. With the advent of SaaS and monthly pricing structures, one-time software purchases have become rare. And the file types are often proprietary.
The subscription pricing model hasn’t come without its advantages. For one, the average release frequency of our favorite digital design apps have dramatically increased.
It’s also worth noting that not all modern design tools fall squarely in either the ‘free’ or ‘exhorbianntly expensive’ categories. Some companies have found creative ways to give pricing control to their consumers (in this case, designers) while still making responsible profits. These rare cases like Sketch allow one-time purchases, and offer optional ongoing fees for ongoing support and releases. Others like Figma are growing in popularity using a freemium pricing model.
But this is uncommon. Most vendors offer monthly pricing only, with the option to lower your monthly bill by agreeing to year-long subscriptions. In these cases, it’s common to have a freemium product designed to get you embedded into their ecosystem. Then before you know it, you’re hooked.
By the time you’ve bundled, expanded, and free-trialed yourself into oblivion, you’re stuck with fine-print agreements and sizable cancellation fees.
Design’s Open Source Alternative
Free and open source software offers design professionals a viable alternative. One where we are all users and contributors. And how often do you get to be the target user of your product while you design it?
On a fundamental level, open source appeals to the design mindset: clear communication, cooperation, and innovation. Open source gives us an opportunity to sharpen our skills by working with developers and learning open source models.
The rewards for contributing? You get to use software that not only works the way you need it to, but that you helped build.
Software that helps you do your work better.
Did I miss something? Did you try one of these design software programs? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!