Basic Web Development IDE/Editor like Dreamweaver?

Question

I've used Windows for many years, using Dreamweaver as my editor as it had a file tree which is based on a project (via Local, FTP or SFTP).

I need a web development IDE with the following functionality:

• syntax highlighting for PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript

• file tree - Local, FTP, SFTP, Project-Based (e.g. via the methods of Local/FTP/SFTP) in other words, like Dreamweaver

• can open multiple files (tabbed)

Additionally, I wouldn't mind features like debugging, class listings, etc, as long as I can hide them away.

Solution 1

Even when I added the accepted answer at the question mentioned by @fossfreedom, more precisely at Dreamweaver alternative in ubuntu?, in the comments of your question. I must accept that I didn't notice before the existence of Aptana Studio.

I include here a few screenshots for you, covering some of the points of your interest.

Syntax Highlight for PHP:

Syntax Highlight for HTML:

Syntax Highlight for CSS:

Syntax Highlight for Javascript

File tree illustrated in these screenshots and this examples:

Project Explorer:

Application Explorer:

Multi-Tabbed files

illustrated in the above screenshots.

I have noticed that there is support for FTP/SFTP file browsing/management but these are features that I don't use so I can't provide further details but I am sure you will find it in the Aptana Studio site.

In my experience, I stopped using all these tools that I formerly used in order to start enjoying this excellent application, that tops all the other similar alternatives.

I suggest you to try it. Is as easy as download and run, or follow the instructions of the producers in order to have this application installed and running in your system. For me is good to have it inside of my home folder, from where I start it by double clicking the program's icon. The application will find its updates and download to the appropriate folder when necessary.

There are several alternatives, like those mentioned in the previous questions, including those that features WYSIWYG editors. But this is also a great alternative.

Good luck!

Solution 2

For a DW replacement software, there's probably nothing closer than Quanta, which unfortunately drags in a lot of KDE dependencies on the standard GNOME desktop.

While Kompozer/Nvu let you toggle between code view and and WYSIWYG, they both lack some of the features of DW, though there's definitely a good range of features to love about each.

My favorite development platform is Bluefish, for its excellent syntax highlighting.

For a more full-featured development environment, there's Aptana, Komodo, and Eclipse.

Some others that are very popular, but i can't personally recommend as not having worked with them much, are Geany and Screem

A buddy of mine has a great article about web development on linux on his blog

Solution 3

If you're looking for a simple editor I would go for gedit + gedit-ftp-browser. Gedit has a lot of extension and you can add a class browser etc...

You can use of course Eclipse + plugins but it's really like using a bomb to kill an ant.

Solution 4

Well, there is a younger cousin of Adobe Dreamweaver. Its called Brackets. It has almost the same features as adobe Dreamweaver, and on top of that, new and amazing features like the ability to extract code hints from a .psd file, and better yet, its free... :)

Also, Brackets has a tasty feature, called live preview, whereby each and every change you make in either your css or html file in the active project is previewed instantly in a browser running alongside :

Solution 5

I would probably have to recommend KompoZer, which is an unofficial bug-fix release of the popular application, Nvu.

To quote the KompoZer features page:

Finally, a top-notch WYSIWYG web page program for the rest of us! Now there's no need to >pay a little fortune for a program to create and edit great-looking web pages, including >powerful and easy to use CSS capabilities.

KompoZer is a complete Web Authoring System that combines web file management and easy-to-use WYSIWYG web page editing capabilities found in Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe DreamWeaver and other high end programs.

KompoZer is designed to be extremely easy to use, making it ideal for non-technical >computer users who want to create an attractive professional-looking web site without >needing to know HTML or web coding.

KompoZer version 1:0.8~b3.dfsg.1-0.1 is currently available in the maverick and natty universe repositories.

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Comments

[suhridk]

Have you considered running Dreamweaver itself under Wine ?

[Rob]

I can run some of the Adobe CS2 suite under Wine but I don't have the current version of Dreamweaver. I was just thinking of a solution on Linux and that was either free or low cost.

[Tcll]

I really don't understand how this is a duplicate of the given question... it's not like he's asking for the best IDE for linux/ubuntu, just the best Web IDE that suites his needs, by which what's listed here is far different from what's listed there.

[DrKenobi]

KompoZer is OK, but never like Dreamweaver. I stopped using Dreamweaver and now I only use KompoZer, only because I like to use Free Software, so I'll go on using KompoZer. But I know that this software is not the best.

[Rob]

Thanks for the tips and the blog link is very helpful as well. I really like Komodo and Kompozer, I am also doing some text editing so they will both work out.

[Rob]

Great links! I'm downloading them as I type.

[frabjous]

The garbage KompoZer entered into the document I was working on is what finally pushed me over the edge to decide that WYSIWYG editors should never be trusted. Now I use vim, and am so glad I made the switch. So in a weird way, I have KompoZer to thank for inspiring me to starting doing things the right way.

[acapuster]

If I rename a site in dreamweaver it updates other pages which involve link to that site. Is it available in amya?

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

I am not sure about it, I am going to test it today and will let you know if I succeeded on that. Please be patience, I don't have Amaya installed right now. :)

[acapuster]

Okay. I am giving Blue Griffon a try

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

I dropped an edit for you @RAHUL PRASAD, Good luck!

[TheXed]

While Aptana Studio is a great program in its own right, it is in no way a replacement to Dreamweaver as it has no interface to use for "WYSISG" for designers. I know that the OP did not ask for this feature, but they did ask for a program like Dreamweaver, so I just thought I would mention this for anyone that might happen across this question looking for a designer interface.

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

I can't see your suggestion about it @TheX, but I am sure all we are waiting for it. Thank you for the clarification and please include your suggestion as an answer, which -of course- I will upvote, my friend.

[TheXed]

I guess I don't really have a suggestion because in my experience web development software for Linux has been fairly lacking and those that are around are unsupported or barely supported. I wasn't trying to downgrade your response or anything, was just trying to provide some clarification for anyone else that might happen upon the question. In fact I even up-voted your answer, as it is a great suggestion for what the OP is asking for. Cheers.

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

Sorry if my comment sound rude @TheX. I am sure that me and others would love to have such a visual editor for this question and I started thinking somebody already has a solution but they don't wish to share with us. LOL! However, in my experience, visual editors make inefficient programmers, and if I can have a separate browser to be used as "preview" for my project that's much better than having a kind of a browser embedded inside of the application itself. You can -in example- get lost in dreamweaver visual tools, which won't happen if you know how to work with and fix the code. Thank you!

[TheXed]

I can agree that a visual editor does make lazy coders, and code give the upmost control of a design. But we have to remember that not every web developer is a coder. In fact I would venture to say that most web developers are not coders, or only code what they can not control from the visual editor. I agree it is very easy to get lost in Dreamweaver. But... it is still there and some people prefer to work with it.

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

Absolutely agree...

[Geppettvs D'Constanzo]

let us continue this discussion in chat

[Csabi Vidó]

KompoZer's last release was in 2010, Wikipedia quotes a developer that project development has stalled. Packages have been removed from the repositories.

[Tcll]

PyCharm does much more

[Tcll]

doesn't properly do code folding of minified HTML inside indented HTML, PyCharm does

[Tcll]

funny enough, as someone who prefers featurability, PyCharm seems to do more than most of the stuff (I havn't tried everything) recommended here, you should check it out and see what you think. :)

[Tcll]

bluefish seems to freeze with large generated HTML files...

[Tcll]

I beg to differ with your opinion, I ditched Windows and am glad I did, but funny enough, a tool designed for python seems to do better than most HTML editors for linux, but still, you can get pretty far on linux. ;)

[Tcll]

I agree, rich text editors are generally bad, however stuff that helps you code (like tag suggestion and completion) is really helpful.

[Tcll]

code folding? tag suggestion/completion? advanced featurability?

[Mubbasher Khaliq]

should you be editing minified HTML?

[Tcll]

for my particular use case (not explaining the details), yes, and I'm sure there's other perfectly valid reasons for needing to modify minified or generated HTML.

[linusg]

@Tcll - As the name says, PyCharm is for Python...

[Tcll]

@linusg - then tell me why it does HTML better than most IDEs here

[linusg]

@Tcll - AFAIK it has not even HTML automplete... But anyway, we have to find the best IDE for us ourselves.

[Tcll]

I don't disagree with that, not everyone focuses on the code side of HTML like I do... but yes, PyCharm has more HTML (coding-related) features than most IDEs here, it does not do WYSIWYG (which preferably is disgusting to begin with), and it lacks auto-refresh (or I just haven't looked into it's alternative yet). hitting F5 in chrome doesn't bother me though.