Linux
PINGENDO
https://pingendo.com
In many regards Pingendo is like Pinegrow,
only a bit simpler and running on a paid
monthly or annual subscription basis (like $9 per
month). The application is ideal for producing
landing, portfolio, food menu or personal web pages
thanks to the 17 nicely styled templates. Of course,
this limits creativity in some ways but in return you
get quick recipes for getting things done.
Pingendo offers a rich set of things to drag
and drop to your web page, including all sorts of
navigation items, spinners, switchers, badges,
cards, Google Map parts and more. The Pingendo
interface may feel more basic than Pinegrow’s but it
is also clearer and easier to get used to. The top bar
has preview options and lets you instantly see how
the web page will look on a smartphone, tablet or
notebook screen. The retractable left side panel is a
good example of hiding a huge number of elements
inside a compact toolbar. While most panels and
sections are docked to the sides, some elements float
like separate sub-windows. For example, you can
arrange the Projects tree and HTML/SASS windows
how you like or close them if they get in your way.
The only possible letdown of Pingendo is that it is
solely a Bootstrap builder and not a universal web-
page editor. At the same time it is one of the best
solutions for building Bootstrap-based sites, using a
superb interface with a lot of fit and finish.
APTANA STUDIO
http://www.aptana.com
Take a little rest from paid software, as the big
blue Download button from the official Aptana
site leads directly to the project’s GitHub page (head
over to Releases to get the software quickly).
Aptana is Java-based software that looks more
like a developer’s IDE. The software has, however,
a strong focus on web-related things and may be
interesting for web developers and administrators.
You start with an empty screen and probably first
Our website builders’ guide represents two major types of
software for web development. The first is an integrated
suite with a WYSIWIG approach, where users can create their
home pages, student or personal projects without needing to learn
HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other technologies. Such suites are a
good choice for novice users and unexperienced devs who want to
start learning how to create simple static pages.
The other type is a next-gen text editor on steroids, optimised
for writing code and deploying it to remote locations. Modern
text editors are equally good for software programmers and web
content creators, provided that they have some experience in
markup languages. The most important advantage of apps like
Sublime, VS Code and such over convenient Notepad-like editors is
plugin systems that can turn a minimalist app into a versatile all-
in-one beast. Using such professional text editors implies having
advanced skills in writing a web site code by hand, although apps
like VS Code offer tips and clues for tags, function names and
other things you may not necessarily know by heart. Both types of
applications have their target audiences and, whichever happens
to be your cup of tea, in general Linux introduces no limitations for
a web developer.IDE OR EDITOR?
IN-DEPTHgo to the New project wizard. Notice some handful
presets that include Ruby, Rails and PHP templates.
Using the Project Explorer panel on the left side
of the screen, it is possible to navigate inside the
directory structure and create files. The main area
of the Aptana Studio window is devoted to a text
editor with line numbering, code highlighting,
tabs and other essential features. Similar to other
high-quality IDEs, Aptana has a code assistant that
provides tips for HTML5 and CSS tags, as well as for
Java and PHP/Ruby objects.
There are also a code debugger and advanced
deployment tools included and, in our view,
this alone makes Aptana a more preferable web
development tool than a browser-based editor.
For instance, Aptana works just fine with modern
secured SFTP and FTPS connections right out of the
box, which is apparently a problem point for many
simpler applications.
Also, don’t miss the Terminal tab below the main
editing area in Aptana. Terminal is an efficient way
of deploying web applications (eg with $ mvn clean
deploy), as well as quick access to code pulling,
syncing and merging (eg via Git).