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The Ultimate Guide To Finding The Best WYSIWYG HTML Editor

A title or heading symbolizing a theme or topic in a digital context.

As companies release new features, they deprecate old ones. The result is that technology is advancing at a pace that makes it challenging to stay up-to-date. With so many new features and products available it can be overwhelming. It is difficult to try out new technology when you don’t know where to start. Thankfully, the internet is full of resources to help you stay on top of everything you need to know.

When it comes to software development, many developers are anxious when they try new tools. After all, each tool has a learning curve. New things take time to master. Fortunately, you can save yourself time and effort by doing some research and choosing the best tool right off the bat. Today, we are going to help you pick the right HTML editor. HTML editors help developers write better code and build more robust applications.

Some WYSIWYG HTML Editors, in particular, are extremely popular. When you look at an industry-leading HTML editor like Froala, it’s easy to see why. So, let’s take a closer look at WYSIWYG HTML Editors and see why it makes one of the Best WYSIWYG HTML Editors.

Why Should My HTML Editor Be WYSIWYG In The First Place?

Discussing the importance of What You See Is What You Get editors.

Irrespective of their design or features, the purpose of every  HTML editor is to enable you to comfortably and confidently code HTML. All the or features and characteristics are secondary to this prime directive. Despite this, some editors, even the most feature-loaded, are tedious to use. One of the main reasons for this is that they require constant refreshing to render changes.

Developers wanted a quick and simple remedy for this issue. One solution was a live preview the developer could use as a reference. Unfortunately, that solution usually just slowed the editor down and increased its footprint. To deal with that, the ‘What You See is What You Get’ editor became reality.

With WYSIWYG HTML editors, your text editing environment literally becomes your webpage. The way you arrange your content is precisely how it renders on your actual website. This feature allows you to directly add content without worrying about how it will look. It gives you complete control over what goes where. In the end, your webpage looks exactly as you intended it to.

Why Won’t Any WYSIWYG HTML Editor Do?

Focusing on the need for choosing the right editor.

In the perfect world, every tool should enhance your productivity as you tackle a specific task. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple, especially if you have to try out multiple tools before finding one that suits your needs. WYSIWYG HTML editors are no different. While most will contribute to your overall productivity, randomly choosing one can be counterproductive.

Because WYSIWYG editors help developers write better HTML, most place them high on their must-have lists. Despite this, many web developer forums are filled with complaints about HTML editors hindering productivity. This happens for many reasons. The complaints include unsatisfactory performance, poor feature offerings, and even security compromises. That is why just choosing any WYSIWYG HTML editor doesn’t cut it.

As every developer knows, building a website is not simply about making it look pretty. Among other things, a website needs to have a dependable back-end and ensure quality SEO. With the right WYSIWYG HTML editor, all of this is possible. Good HTML editors go way beyond simple text editing — they help you build high-performance websites.

What Should You Expect From The Best WYSIWYG HTML Editor?

Highlighting desired features and capabilities.

Even though most are constantly looking for the ideal WYSIWYG HTML editor, the cluttered market makes finding it difficult. Many HTML editors tend to overpromise and under-deliver. To help you avoid the pitfalls of making a poor choice, here is what you should look for.

Robust Text Editing Capabilities

The best WYSIWYG HTML editors have impressive text-editing features. Most users have very specific requirements when it comes to the appearance of their text. A great HTML editor has a wide range of text editing and processing features. It also needs to let you develop custom text by specifying fonts, size, and color.

Easy Integration With Other Powerful Technologies

A single technology or programming framework is rarely enough to bring a complex web application to life. You probably work with multiple technologies, so your ideal WYSIWYG HTML editor should too. This means straightforward integration with every popular development framework so your code plays nice with others.

Loaded With Robust Features

Very few developers want to design their sites in an inline text editing environment. The ideal WYSIWYG HTML editor offers features that allow you to thoroughly control every aspect of your web page. It also lets you integrate more features if it falls short.

Simple & Intuitive Interface

This is tricky. You want a feature-rich HTML editor but it can’t be messy. You need a clean and smooth interface that displays its features intuitively. After all, you can’t use features you can’t find.

Uncompromising Performance

This is the holy grail. Many WYSIWYG HTML editors commit the grave sin of promising functionality but lack performance. A good editor can’t offer top-tier features at the cost of flexibility and size. Performance shouldn’t depend on you running the fastest laptop ever made.

Why Does Froala Claim To Be The Best WYSIWYG HTML Editor Out There?

Focusing on Froala's unique selling points and strengths.

With a robust WYSIWYG HTML editor like Froala, you can develop with the confidence your journey is only getting easier.  It gives you an inline text-editing environment where you directly control the final visual outcome. Froala also provides everything you need to include rich visual elements and media that give your web apps vibrant appeal.

In addition, you will never be limited to only Froala’s built-in features. Instead, there are endless third-party plugins to choose from if you need them.  It’s simple, with Froala you get an improved user experience, robust back-end application, better accessibility, and overarching content control.  You will see the difference in your websites.

Ready to experience a whole new dimension of quality HTML development? Head over to Froala and see how you can radically improve your user experience.

5 Signs You Should Invest in An Html Editor

Froala Vs. CKEditor 5

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced developer, an HTML Editor can help you to code more efficiently because of its rich text editing capabilities that can help you when coding for your applications. HTML editors allow you to streamline your coding workflow. Investing in an HTML editor will enable you to create websites from scratch quickly while fine-tuning your editing skills. They can boost your productivity significantly. In this post, we will show you five signs that you should invest in an HTML editor. 

What is an HTML editor?

An HTML editor is a tool for conveniently creating and editing HTML code. They provide a variety of functionality for quickly building well-structured websites. HTML editors highlight syntax to help you recognize the code structures. They also scan for syntax errors to help you fix mistakes on the fly. In addition, many HTML have an auto-completion feature. This can save you a lot of time when writing longer pieces of code. 

What Types of HTML Editors are there?

There are two main types of HTML editors. 

WYSIWYG Editors

WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” This type of HTML editor has a visual interface. This means you can add or edit web page elements, like headings and images, visually. You don’t have to write a single line of code. WYSIWYG editors also have a live preview. If you are a beginner with little to no coding experience, a WYSIWYG editor is the best option for you.  

Text-based HTML Editors

Text-based HTML editors support intricate coding practices. They help you write and compile your own code. This gives you more control over your work. Similar to a WYSIWYG editor, text-based editors have auto-completion, syntax highlighting, and error detection features. However, they don’t offer live previews. This means you need HTML knowledge to use a text-based HTML editor. 

5 Signs you need An Html Editor

Do I need to create websites faster?

Coding a business website from scratch is a very lengthy process but few developers today have unlimited development time. That is why you need a solution to help you build sites quickly. 

An HTML editor comes with features that help you code more quickly and easily. For example, auto-complete automatically adds your closing tags for you.  With a WYSIWYG editor, you can also add or edit elements to your website without writing a single line of code. As a result, you can develop websites faster than ever before. 

Do I want to edit web pages effortlessly?

Wouldn’t it be nice to edit web pages visually by simply adding the necessary elements? It would massively boost your productivity. You wouldn’t need to spend several hours manually modifying code to make your changes.

By using a WYSIWYG editor, like Froala, you can effortlessly edit web pages. You can make the changes visually without writing any code. Let’s take a look:

Let’s take a look at it

When you select some text, all your editing options show. You can make your adjustments, like changing alignment and paragraph style, visually. You can also add images or videos by clicking the + icon. 

Also, you can add images or videos by clicking the + icon

As you can see, the Froala WYSIWYG editor simplifies the process of adding or editing elements on your web page. 

Do I need to optimize my code for SEO?

HTML editors provide very clean code output. This makes it easy for search engines to crawl. You can also easily set image alt tags. This improves search engine image indexing. In addition, setting image alt tags boosts your site’s Search Engine Result Page (SERP) rankings. Finally, HTML editors allow you to set the link titles easily. This results in a better user experience by allowing visitors to easily navigate through your content.  

Do I want to debug efficiently?

HTML editors come with a debugging feature. It looks for errors in your code and reports them back to you. With this feature, you don’t have to go through your code manually, line by line, to identify and fix issues. HTML editors also have code validation. Code Validation checks your code to make sure that it is free of syntax errors. For example, the editor notifies you if you forget to put the end tag “</” in a code element. This helps you save time and avoid mistakes.  Simply put, it makes the debugging processes more efficient.

Am I looking for easier integration?

Most HTML editors are very easy to integrate. They only take a few minutes to incorporate into your projects. You don’t even have to be an advanced coder to integrate them. You just need to know your JavaScript and HTML basics.  As a result, even beginners can easily incorporate HTML editors into their projects. 

Should I really invest in an HTML editor?

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced coder, an HTML editor can come in very handy. They help you identify and fix bugs and syntax errors.  They also let you quickly create and customize web pages. As a result, you save time and can focus more effort on growing your website. So, yes, you should definitely invest in an HTML editor. 

Froala is a lightweight WYSIWYG HTML editor that offers rich editing capabilities. Try it now for free. 

Froala Editor V4.0.7 — Awesome Improvements For Top Features

Froala_newrelease

Froala Editor is here with a new update!

We’re back at it again with an update for your favorite Markdown Editor. We’ve been working hard to bring you all the new improvements with Froala version V4.0.7, and I know you’re going to like this one too. View the documentation guides that consist of getting started, migration guides, concepts, API, framework plugins, server integrations, server SDKs, plugins, and examples that can help you maximize the potential of Froala Editor.

There’s more:

At Froala, we believe great products are the result of a collaboration with our customers, rather than the result of one person’s decisions. That’s why we developed a feedback loop between Froala and our users. This loop allows you to communicate directly with the Froala team and gives us the motivation to create this best-ever version of Froala, packed with the features and enhancements that you asked for.

Froala’s latest update brings a lot of new improvements for you to look forward to. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a developer or designer. Because Froala Editor is such a versatile editor, there are several very different use cases improvements covered by this Froala user-centric release. 

A Deep-Dive of the New Froala Editor V4.0.7 Featuring Various Updates:

Froala V4.0.7 is available now with many improvements over V4.0.6. This update brings some exciting improvements to our Track changes, Markdown support, and mobile support, among other things. If you use any of these features regularly, scroll down to learn about the improvements you can start enjoying right away! 

    1. Improvement to paste from Google Docs and from plain text

Your content is in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, an Excel Sheet, or a Google Sheet, and you want to paste it into the editor, but you are worried that your content formatting will be lost. With Froala you don’t have to worry, as you have an excellent feature for pasting from a document or sheet. It not only keeps the copied content’s formatting, it also generates clean HTML code related to your content. 

If you don’t want to keep the content format,  set the pastePlain option to true and your editor will filter the pasted content, keeping only the plain text by removing all its rich formatting.

In this version, pasting content is improved in several ways:

  • We fixed the issue with the editor view jumping to the top when pasting content in the editor after adding the CSS transform property.
  • When pasting multiple lines of plain text, Froala will no longer separate the second, and subsequent lines will with “br” instead of “DIV.” 
  • We also fixed the nested list breaks when a user hits Enter after pasting their content from Google Docs.

    2. Improvement to multiple bullet list items

Applying Outdent/Indent to multiple bullet list items was not working as expected. We fixed it.

    3. Improvement to the markdown feature

Markdown feature is a new version 4 feature. Our community highly requested it. With Markdown active, your editor is split into two panes: the left pane where you can write the Markdown syntax code, and the right pane which displays your rich content in real-time.

The Markdown editor ignored the value of the heightMin option, but this new release takes this value into consideration so you have more control over the height of the markdown editor.

Try Markdown Feature Now

    4. Improved Firefox support

With this new version, you can upload multiple images and drag elements inline on the Firefox browser. Also, the error “Uncaught TypeError: r is undefined,” which appeared while resizing Firefox window, has been fixed.

    5. Improvement to the Track Changes feature

The Track Changes feature is another Version 4 feature that our community requested. With Track Changes, you can test how your content look if you edit it in a certain way. Once you are done, you can accept the changes you like and discard the ones that don’t look good.

With Track Changes, users can track all the changes made to their text, images, tables, styles, formatting, and more.

In this new version of Froala, we improved Track Changes in several ways:

  • You will be able to track images deletion.
  • Fix text deletion issue when accepting changes of background color on text.
  • Track text deletion when you integrate Froala Editor with KnockoutJS.

Try Track Changes Feature Now

    6. Improved mobile support

Froala supports Android and iOS devices. It has a responsive design that works on any screen.  It is also the first WYSIWYG editor with a toolbar that you can customize for each screen size.

Using toolbarButtons, toolbarButtonsMD,toolbarButtonsSM, and toolbarButtonsXS options, you can display different toolbar buttons on large, medium, small, and extra small screens.

With this new version:

  • Switch between basic formats on a mobile device issue that some users experienced has been fixed.
  • The ‘Select all’ and ‘Delete’ functions work correctly in Android while Froala Editor is integrated with Flask.

Get Froala V4.0.7:

How Do I Upgrade to V4.0.7?

If you are loading Froala using the following CDN links:

<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/froala-editor@latest/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/froala-editor@latest/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js"></script>

then you are already using Froala version 4.0.7, but if you are hosting it on your server, download this new version now.

If you are on a version earlier than version 4, these migration guides will help you to upgrade your Froala Editor.

There’s more:

Why Should I Upgrade to V4?

    1. Upgrading Froala is super easy and takes less than five minutes. Read about it in the next section.
    2. Upgrading Froala will not break your products — we cover most of the editor’s functionality with unit tests.
    3. If you are on an active perpetual plan, once it ends you will be able to use the latest version of Froala available for a lifetime, so it is better to always update to the latest version.
    4. Benefit from the Track Changes and Markdown features, which were highly requested by our users.
    5. Get the latest editor fixes and improvements.

Read this blog post for more details about why you should upgrade to V4.

Final Notes:

Technical Support

Thank you for your trust and for the feedback loop. You are making us better every day. Over the years, Froala built different features that were requested by our users, which made Froala better and more beautiful, but it always stayed true to the mission of offering the best WYSIWYG editor on the market. We hope you love all the new updates we’ve introduced this year!

If you have a technical question, you can check to see if it has already been answered at our help center. If not, contact our Support team.

Community

Let us know what you think about our latest release! Join us and our product managers in our GitHub Community to talk about all things Froala.

The Ultimate HTML Cheat Sheet

A laptop displaying a web design or editing interface, highlighting modern web development tools.

HTML is the fabric of the world wide web. It defines the constitution, organization, and structure of every web page. Whether you are a professional graphics designer, developer, or novice web designer, familiarity with the hypertext markup language (HTML) is a must-have skill.

As a result, we’ve created an HTML cheat sheet for you to use when writing HTML documents, and you can refer to it whenever you need to. If you’re learning HTML, you can experiment with the various HTML markups and tags in the Markdown Editor, which is depicted in the figure below.

Froala Editor interface, showcasing its extensive editing capabilities and layout.

Use the right-hand window to enter HTML and see it rendered on the left. If you are not too familiar with HTML, then you can edit text directly in the window on the left and see the corresponding HTML in the right window.

What are HTML Document Level Tags?

At the main document level, you need the following tags:

Tag Purpose
<html> </html> Specify the start of a document with type HTML
<head> </head> Start of HTML header. Put the title and styles in this section. Anything that goes here would not be displayed.
<title> </title> Name displayed in title bar of the HTML page
<body> </body> Start of the section of page that is displayed

What are Document Level Tags in HTML5?

For HTML5, you no longer need <html></html> tags. Just specify <!DOCTYPE html> at the start of the page and you are good to go. It’s also best to specify a title for your HTML page using <title></title>.

How do I make Headings on an HTML Page?

Use the following tags to create various headings in the body of your HTML document.

Tag Purpose
<h1> </h1> Main heading at level 1
<h?> </h?> Replace the ‘?’ with numbers from 2-6 to specify the heading level

What is Basic HTML Text Formatting?

Here are some important tags for basic text formatting:

Tag Purpose
<b> </b> Bold text
<i> </i> Italics text
<em> </em> Emphasize text (normally in italics)
<font color=?> </font> Specify font color
<tt> </tt> Type-writer style text
<strong> </strong> Emphasize a word (typically in bold)
<font face=?> </font> Specify font
<font size=?> </font> Size of font

How do I Format Paragraphs/Blocks of Text?

You can also use these tags to format blocks of code.

Tag Purpose
<p> </p> Create a new paragraph
<br> Insert a line break
<blockquote> </blockquote> Display text indented on both sides within quotes
<div> </div> Create a division of content
<span> </span> Format inline content with CSS
<cite> </cite> Create citation (normally displayed in italics)

How do I make HTML Lists?

Using these tags, you can create different types of lists:

Outer Tag Tag Nested Inside Purpose
<ol start=?> </ol> Ordered list. Replace ‘?’ by number to start.
<li> </li> Individual list item
<ul> </ul> Unordered bulleted list
<li> </li> Individual list item
<dl> </dl> Definition list
<dt> </dt> Term name
<dd> </dd> Term description

How do I make HTML Tables?

You can also create HTML tables using these tags:

Outer Tag Nesting Level 1 Nesting Level 2 Purpose
<table> </table> Start of table
<tr> </tr> Start of table row
<th> </th> Table headers
<td> </td> Details in each cell

What Table Options/Attributes are there?

When you create tables, you should know these important attributes:

Tag Purpose
<table border=?> </table> Set the width of table
<table cellspacing=?> </table> Establish the space between table cells
<table width=?> </table> Set the width of table (specify pixels or percentage)

What are Different Input Options in HTML Forms?

HTML pages allow you to collect user input using forms. All the tags in the table below should be nested inside <form> </form>.

Tag Purpose
<input type=”text” name=? size=?> For text input (one line textbox)
<textarea name=? cols=? rows=?></textarea> Creates a textbox for multiple rows of input. The “cols” attribute sets width and “rows” attribute sets the height.
<input type=”radio” name=? value=? checked> Radio button for user input. Include “checked” if the item is to be checked by default.
<input type=”checkbox” name=? value=? checked> Checkbox for user input. Include “checked” if the item is to be checked by default.
<input type=”submit” value=?> Display a submit button
<input type=”image” name=? src=? border=? alt=?> Submit button with an image
<input type=”reset”> Reset button
<select name=?> </select> Pulldown menu for selecting an item
<select multiple name=? size=?> </select>

(nested tag <option> for each menu item)

 Create a scrolling menu. Size option sets the number of visible items before the user starts scrolling.

What Input Tags In HTML5 are there?

The following are additions in HTML5:

Tag Purpose
<input type=”email” name=?> Input for email addresses
<input type=”search” name=?> Textbox for searching
<input type=”color” name=?> Allows color input via color picker
<input type=”number” id=? name=?min=? max=?> Input field for a number. The number can be input directly or changed via controls.
<input type=”range” name=?> Displays a slider control for inputting a number

How do I include Graphics in HTML?

You can create graphics in the HTML document these tags:

Tag Nested tag Purpose
<hr size=? width=?> Horizontal line with specified height and width
<img src=? /> Insert an image. The src attribute is normally set to a URL
<canvas> </canvas> Used to draw 2D graphics on the HTML page via Javascript
<svg width=? height=?> </svg> Specifies support vector graphics components
<circle cx=? cy=? r=? stroke=? stroke-width=? fill=?  /> Creates a circle at (cx,cy) with radius r using stroke, stroke-width and fill attributes
<rect width=? height=? /> Draws a rectangle of given height and width
<polygon points=? style=?” /> Draws a polygon using the (x,y) coordinates of different points with the given style

How Can I Leverage Froala to Create Awesome, Complex, and Stunning Webpages?

Froala is a WYSIWYG HTML editor. It is not only a high-performance HTML document creation tool but also a platform, where users can easily and quickly learn HTML. Using Froala you can create stunning, complex, and awesome HTML documents without any HTML knowledge. Developers can also integrate Froala in their software using its APIs in their choice of programming language. Frola supports languages that include Django, Angular, ExtJS, Vue, and more.

What are you waiting for? Take a short tour of all of Froala’s features. You can use the online WYSIWYG HTML editor for free or sign up for a free trial.

Best Books For HTML And CSS You Should Read

A title or heading, symbolizing a topic or theme for discussion or presentation.

Computer programming is a prime example of applied human creativity. It involves deciding upon an outcome and using problem-solving skills to make it a reality. It doesn’t matter if you are designing a website, mobile application, or game, programming is a way to share with the world. If you want to create a unique website that stands out from others, you need strong web development skills. You need proficiency in the three fundamental languages of the web: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. While you can find many resources online to help you, many prefer high-quality written resources to guide them to web development excellence. So, they usually start their development journey by searching for the best books for HTML and CSS.

Most books about web development cover all three languages, but the best approach may be focusing first on HTML. In addition to books, you can also study how an HTML editor can help you master this essential skill. Books on html and css can provide invaluable insight into web development. These books are ideal for everyone from the absolute beginner to the seasoned web developer, with clear instructions, step-by-step guidance, and helpful examples. Through practice projects and coding exercises, one can gain a better understanding of the principles underlying website development and quickly and easily create dynamic pages. HTML and CSS are critical components of web development, and books can help you understand them quickly. HTML Editors help with Images in pair with plain HTML and CSS.

This article takes you through six carefully chosen books of various difficulty levels that help you get skilled at HTML and web development in general.

What are the best books for HTML and CSS?

Head First HTML and CSS: A Learner’s Guide to Creating Standards-Based Web Pages

Head First HTML and CSS: A Learner’s Guide to Creating Standards-Based Web Pages covers many of the most important do’s and don’ts of web design. It introduces key HTML and CSS concepts to help you understand and define your website’s main structure and visual layout. It starts slow, but the chapters get increasingly technical. Head First HTML and CSS is a great resource that avoids jargon and follows a visual learning approach.

Web development books sure are text-heavy, but Head First HTML and CSS use graphics and diagrams throughout. It contains helpful sections that answer your most basic questions about the web and HTML. Exercises at the end of each chapter also help you solidify your understanding. This book is a great place to start if you are just starting out and want to understand the web from the ground up.

Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics

Every learning journey starts with solid fundamentals. Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics is a helpful guide to get you started. It also serves as a quick reference once you become more skilled. The chapters are easy to understand and side notes provide additional clarity. 

In addition to learning about coding, you will learn about the internet in general and internet ethics. While some books focus on the more technical aspects, this book provides better approaches to implementing elements. It’s great if you want to be an intelligent web developer rather than a code monkey who just knows how things work. Finally, end-of-chapter exercises and challenges help you chart your progress as you improve. 

HTML5 and CSS3 All-in-One For Dummies

The ‘Dummies’ series is famous for concise but exhaustive reference books.  They also cover an expansive range of topics, including web development. With HTML5 and CSS3 All-in-One For Dummies, you will learn about HTML and CSS in the classic ‘Dummies’ style. 

Dummies feeds you critical knowledge one bite at a time. It won’t overwhelm you with jargon. Once you are confident with the fundamentals, you move to more complex topics. The book uses lists and visual cues to hold your attention and teach you all the web development essentials. 

It also provides snippets of code that you can implement on your own. Some sections include paragraphs dedicated to best practices. This helps you pick up professional-level web development techniques. Finally, with Dummies, you get regular use cases for handy reference.

HTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide

HTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide takes a step-by-step approach to turning you into a web development guru. It consists of half pages featuring both instruction and rich images that show results. This approach helps you develop a visual sense of web design, in addition to learning the technologies to implement it.

The chapters contain many tips and some sections provide complete code examples for your reference. In addition, HTML and CSS shows you diagrams that help you structure your web pages and optimize your visual layouts. The book doesn’t dive too deep into technicality but provides plenty of advice to get you started with your web development.

This book will relieve your anxieties and familiarize you with web development. When you are done, you can take up another resource to gain more in-depth knowledge.

Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS: Develop future-proof responsive websites using the latest HTML5 and CSS techniques

Just like its name suggests, Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS: Develop future-proof responsive websites using the latest HTML5 and CSS techniques shares an expert perspective on web design and development. It’s great for learning as a beginner or as a reference for more advanced readers. Either way, the book is a terrific resource and even has a dedicated GitHub repository of code samples. The author focuses on developing websites that are responsive and robust.

HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites

HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites actually explains its teaching approach before getting stuck in. You will learn HTML, then CSS, and move on to practical web development information. The HTML part emphasizes structuring a web page. The CSS section takes you through everything you need to know to know about presentation. You will also learn important topics like SEO and improving your website based on insights from analytics.

How Does Froala Help You With Writing Quality HTML?

Highlighting the editor's features and benefits

These resources are excellent guides for learning crucial web development skills. You don’t learn web design in a vacuum, however, even with the best HTML CSS book. You can ensure your HTML quality even further by utilizing a feature-rich HTML editing environment like Froala. Froala lets you write in-line text and generates your web page accordingly. It also comes with loads of productivity tools like built-in unit testing features to help you ensure the quality of your code. It even lets you upload and format images (click here to learn more).

In addition to text editing, you can include and extensively customize visual elements in Froala. Froala makes defining your graphic layout and user experience a seamless process. Its lightweight nature also makes integrating third-party plugins and expanding your feature set a breeze.

Are you excited to take your HTML skills to a new frontier? Try out Froala and its sprawling library of features today.

FAQs when finding the best books for HTML and CSS

  1. What is the best book for HTML and CSS for beginners?

    Any of the books on HTML and CSS that we’ve covered above pass as the “best” book for beginners. If you prefer the standard learning method, I’d suggest starting with HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites because of its procedural approach (SEO topics are a bonus). If you’re more of a visual learner, though, you might appreciate HTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide more. Just keep in mind that you need to have a balance between visual, practical, and theoretical learning for the complete experience.

  2. What is the best way to learn HTML and CSS?

    If you hadn’t already learned HTML and CSS in your formal education, then you’re in luck, because the internet is full of books, resources, tutorials, and online courses about them. Of course, ideally, you should learn from a book since it usually contains more information compared to others. If you don’t have the time, though, you could just scan through online tutorials, learn the concepts, and apply them through practical examples. You can also watch online tutorials, but they might not always be complete or accurate. Finally, there are online courses available if you have the time and money. My advice? Pick the one that’s most accessible to you, then move towards the other resources as you get better and more knowledgeable.

  3. Which book is best for CSS preparation?

    In our search of finding the best book to learn HTML5 and CSS3 (the latest stable versions at this time), we might wonder whether there’s a book that specializes more in CSS. While all the books we’ve discussed are excellent, The HTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide book can be extremely helpful for CSS preparation. That’s because CSS is about UI (user interface) design, and that book is all about showing how certain code will look once rendered.

  4. Can I learn HTML in 7 days?

    As with a lot of topics, you can learn at least the basic HTML concepts in a week or less, but it always depends on how diligent and quick you are. The learning resources you use also play a large part in this matter. So, you should use this guide to find the best HTML5 book for you. However, to truly familiarize yourself with HTML, you’ll need months or even years of experience.

 

7 Things About Html You May Not Know

7 HTML tags you may not know

The hypertext markup language (HTML) defines the structure and organization of a webpage. To do this HTML uses a set of markups or tags. Markup instructs browsers how to display and render webpages. Markup can be tricky, but with HTML editors, designing and creating web pages has become quick and easy. While these editors can create complex and sophisticated web pages in minutes, knowing some simple and awesome HTML tricks is a must for everyone involved in web design.

In this blog, we list 7 HTML tags that will improve the quality of any website you design. Go ahead and try them out in the free WYSIWYG editor. If you are not familiar with it, the Froala editor’s interface has two windows side by side. You simply type and format your text in the left window or type the HTML in the right window and see its effect on the left.

Froala Editor, showcasing its extensive interface and editing capabilities

1. The Color Picker

HTML comes with this awesome feature that allows users to specify a color object using the color picker. Use the <input> tag with type color as shown in HTML below:

<label for="colorPicker">Pick a color</label>
<input type="color" id="colorPicker">

This displays an input field that allows the user to select a color with a click.

Color selection or customization options within a software or editor

2. Visually Represent a Number With Meter Tag

You can use the <meter> tag to visually represent a number. The <meter> tag displays a gauge that shows the value of a numeric variable within its maximum and minimum range.  Here is an example HTML snippet:

Today's humidity level is 70% <br>
<meter min="0" max="100" value="70"></meter>

The result looks as follows:

A meter or gauge, possibly representing a measurement tool in a software application

You can also use high, low, and optimum values to show relative intensity levels in HTML:

<br> Today's humidity level: <br>
<meter min="0" max="100" value="85" high="70" low="40" optimum="60">Progress</meter>

Another meter or indicator, likely used within a digital tool or interface

3. Make Clickable Sections Of An Image With Map and Area Tags

HTML not only allows you to display images, it also allows you to make certain portions of an image clickable. In the code below we display an image is displayed using the <img> tag. Using the <area> tag nested in the <map> tag, we specify two sections of the image. Clicking the upper part of the image with “Froala” text opens the Froala link and clicking the bottom part opens the Idera link.

Here is an example HTML snippet:

<img src="https://froala.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/froala.svg" alt="FroalaImage" usemap="#froala" width="400" height="350">
<map name="froala">
  <area shape="rect" coords="0,0,399,230" alt="Froala" href="https://froala.com/">
  <area shape="rect" coords="0,231,399,349" alt="Idera" href="https://www.idera.com/">
</map>

In the <area> tag the shape can be both rect and circle.

A map area tool or feature in a software, focusing on geographical data representation

4. Insert Images According to Viewports With Picture Tag

In HTML5, the <picture> tag specifies which image you display on which device. Instead of detecting the viewport and resizing an image to fit a browser window, you specify different images for mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop. Here is an example, where we specify minimum width in the <source> tag. If none of the viewport source pages meet the criteria, it uses the media file of the <img> tag. Here is an example:

<picture>
  <source media="(min-width:1050px)" srcset="https://froala.com/wp-content/themes/jupiterx-child/assets/images/editor/pages/v3/full-editor.svg">
  <source media="(min-width:450px)" srcset="https://i2.wp.com/froala.com/wp-content/themes/jupiterx-child/assets/images/editor/pages/v3/editor-photo.png?ssl=1"> 
  <img src="https://i2.wp.com/froala.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/editor-inline.png?w=1000&ssl=1" alt="HTML editor" style="width:auto;">
</picture>

5. Add Popup Dialogs and Modals With Dialog Tag

The <dialog> lets you easily create modal windows or popup dialogs for your webpage. Here is an example:

<dialog open> <p>Froala is awesome!</p> </dialog>

This will display the following dialog:

A dialog box or pop-up window, illustrating user interaction within a software or application

6. Allow Users To Select an Option From a List via Datalist Tag

In HTML, with the <datalist> tag, your users can pick an option from a list and connect it to an <input> element. To connect them, the id of the <datalist> element should be the same as the element’s list id to connect them with each other. See the code here:

<form action="/showdatalist.php" method="get">
<label for="optionList">Choose an option from list</label>
<input list="options" id="optionList">
<datalist id="options">
<option value="Add a record">
<option value="Delete a record">
<option value="View a record">
<option value="Edit a record">
</datalist>
<input type="submit">
</form>

This HTML allows users to select an option from a drop-down list.

Various options or settings in a software interface, emphasizing customization and control

7. Use the Details and Summary Tags to Show Details and Summaries

As the title suggests, the <details> tag allows you to provide more information about an element. The <summary> tag on the other hand,  displays brief, summarized information. Take a look at it in use here:

<details>
<summary>HTML</summary>
Hypertext Markup Language
</details>

<details>
<summary>Froala</summary>
Froala is an awesome HTML editor!
</details>

Here is what you end up with:

Detailed settings or features within a software interface, focusing on precision and customization

Can I Learn HTML With Froala?

Yes! Anyone can learn HTML with Froala. Froala is an awesome, easy-to-use HTML editor. That is why it is ranked number one by developers and web page designers. It is also ranked as the best WYSIWYG HTML editor on G2. Froala makes it extremely easy for you to learn HTML. So, don’t wait, try out the free online HTML Froala editor. Type your HTML in the right window and see its effect directly on the left. If you don’t want to try the online version, sign up for a free trial or the full Froala editor.

 

 

The Ultimate Glossary of Terms About HTML

The Ultimate Glossary of Terms About HTML

When it comes to internet education and learning about the web, different people have different needs. Some folks want to know everything from the deepest tech to developing content strategies. At the same time, others want to understand internet marketing and what attracts users and what doesn’t. For developers, learning the internet usually means learning the language it is written in: the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

HTML is one of the fundamental technologies on which the internet is built. In addition to CSS and JavaScript, HTML is crucial to bringing the websites we use daily to live. Because it is a markup language, HTML focuses on structuring your website.  It lets you dictate how and where you will place your content.  HTML, therefore, doesn’t involve programming logic, just the tags, and elements that dictate how a site looks.

While most developers catch on to HTML quickly and have no trouble becoming proficient, almost all of them agree it can get tedious. Most HTML editors don’t have live previews to show the site your code is generating — it can get a bit like shooting in the dark. 

In this article, you will also learn about one of the best HTML editors, which will teach you all of the essential HTML terms you need to know in order to build quality websites. However, an HTML Code Editor such as Froala allows you to write inline content and have the HTML generated for you.

All The HTML Terms You Need To Know

Rapidly Integrate A WYSIWYG HTML Editor In React

HTML Tag

Tags are the most basic unit of syntax within HTML. You use them to insert a specific element into your document.  Your browser then renders them in the order you write them. An HTML tag begins with the ‘<‘ and ends with ‘>‘ characters. The term in between them specifies the element. You can configure tags by specifying their attributes.

HTML Elements

Elements compose HTML. Each element puts the content you provide into a particular category. An element consists of a starting tag, the content, and an ending tag. Certain elements help you define the metadata of the HTML document and some help section the document. In addition, some alter the text content, and some elements help embed media content into the HTML document. Not all the elements created made are still valid, and many are often deprecated.

HTML Attributes

Attributes help you better configure the elements you include in your HTML document. You can specify the attributes by including them in the starting tag and passing them the desired value. For example, the image element can take attributes to specify the particular width, height, or length of the image when the browser renders it. Similarly, if you want to make a text clickable, you can include the href attribute and put it in your link.

HTML Entities

Since HTML uses certain special characters within its syntax, you will need to replace them with character entities in your text. Entities are a unique way of using the characters, and you can use the relevant entity name or number. For example, if you wish to use the < or > character, you will have to use &lt. The same goes for characters like & and “.

HTML Link Types

Link types help specify the association between two HTML documents. You can use tags like the <form> and <link> to specify the link type shared by the documents. For example, for the author link type, you provide a link within your content that enables the user to contact its author. Similarly, to establish the help link type, you give a link that takes the user to a helpful resource about the document.

HTML Canvas

With the Canvas element, you can draw graphics into your HTML document using JavaScript. The browser renders your graphics within the dimensions that you specify. You can use additional attributes like width and height. The Canvas element is essentially a container for the graphics you draw with JavaScript. You include your graphics script by using the <script> tag or by including an external script through its relative path.

HTML Iframe

Using the Iframe element, you can display a webpage within your HTML webpage. You can include an Iframe element with its <iframe> tag and specify the URL of the webpage and any title you want the browser to render by selecting additional attributes. You can also set the dimensions of the container for a webpage and specify if you want the browser to render solid borders.

HTML Tables

You can display data on your HTML webpage in rows and columns using the table element. This element requires you to use multiple tags to specify each detail of your table. The <tr> tag specifies the row and the <td> tag specifies each table cell and the content it will hold. You can also use the <th> tag to set the header for your table. You can modify how it renders by altering your CSS.

HTML Forms

HTML forms help you collect structured user input on your webpage. After specifying the <form> element, you can put in additional tags to render your labels and headers. You can also choose to add textboxes, tickboxes, checklists, or a combination of these input methods to your form. Finally, you can insert a button element that submits all the provided information.

HTML Media

HTML  functionality lets you add media elements such as images, videos, GIFs, and audio. For each media type, the HTML standard supports specific formats. For example, HTML it only supports the .mp4, .webm, and .ogg video extensions. Similarly, it only supports the .mp3, .wav, and .ogg audio extensions. You can even embed YouTube videos within an Iframe. The best editors for HTML support adding media via WYISWYG functionality.

HTML Favicon

The little image you usually see in a browser tab, or beside the website’s name, is called the favicon. Within HTML, you can add a favicon by saving it in the root directory and adding a <link> element in your main “index.html” file. It can take attributes that define the location of the favicon and its image file type.

How Does Froala Help With Your HTML Editing Needs?

A device screen showing a web editor or design tool, highlighting modern interface and functionality

While you can learn all about HTML and become proficient by simply building web pages, the Froala HTML editor allows you to take a more intuitive path. One of the most popular WYSIWYG editors around, Froala gives you the freedom to write webpage content inline just as if you were writing in a text editor.  It generates your webpage and its codebase as you write, removing the hassle of figuring out its HTML.

What is one of the best editors for HTML?

With more than a hundred additional features like built-in text checking and unit testing functionality, Froala can boost your productivity by a significant margin. You can closely configure your webpage’s content structure and its user experience without worrying about it turning out different than you intended. You can also include third-party plugins and make use of additional intelligent functions.

Think you are ready to code with HTML in a dynamic new way? Try out Froala today and witness how your webpages become more beautiful and powerful.

A Beginner’s Guide to HTML

A device displaying a web design or editing interface, emphasizing sleek design and usability.

Are you looking to design your own webpage? You may be full of great ideas for creating a website, but wonder where to start. All the information on the internet can be a bit overwhelming and make it difficult for you to find a starting point. That is why we have put together an easy-to-follow beginner’s guide to HTML. It will help you get started and also inspire you to start using the Froala Editor for your next web project.

Read on to learn what a WYSIWYG HTML Editor is, what it can do when designing a website, and how it can help you get started with your first HTML document.

What is HTML?

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. We use markup languages to process additional information and annotations to the text. Each annotation is called a markup. Markups instruct browsers on how to display the text.

HTML describes the structure and organization of an HTML document. Just like with text, markups or tags instruct the browser on how to display entire HTML pages.

What is an HTML Document?

An HTML document is a simple text (.txt) file you can create in any text editor. You can use Notepad on MS Windows, TextEdit on the Mac, Emacs on Linux, or any other text editor to create a file with an .html extension. The file is platform and device-independent so it can be opened in any browser running on any system. 

Instead of using a simple text editor, we recommend you use a WYSIWYG HTML editor for typing and editing your HTML documents.

What is a WYSIWYG HTML Editor?

WYSIWYG stands for ‘What You See Is What You Get’. These editors allow you to either type in your HTML or format your code directly in a rich text editor. The editor displays your content exactly as it will appear in a web browser. You can create complex and sophisticated web pages in minutes without any knowledge of HTML.

Froala is an awesome WYSIWYG HTML editor. The picture below shows what the Froala online editor’s interface looks like. The window on the left allows you to input text directly and edit it just like you would using word processing software. The window on the right shows the corresponding HTML. You can also input HTML directly in the right window and observe the result on the left.

Froala Editor, showcasing its user interface and diverse editing capabilities

What are HTML Elements?

An HTML element is a basic unit or constituent of an HTML page. Examples of elements include paragraphs, lines, images, tables, lists, entire sections of text,  single words,  and more.

What are HTML Tags?

You use HTML tags to mark up various elements in your HTML page. HTML tags are enclosed in angular brackets <>.  You usually enclose your text/content is enclosed with both opening and closing tags </>. For example:

 <b> This is bold text </b>

The <b> and </b> tags instruct the browser to display the content within the two tags in bold. There are a few other tags that don’t need a closing tag. The <br> tag, for example,  tells the browser to start a new line.

It is also possible to nest tags within outer tags. For example, text enclosed within <table></table> define an HTML table. Within the two tags you can include <tr></tr> to start a new row of the table.

What are Attributes?

Sometimes more information is required about marked-up text. You add this information using attributes after the tag name. The type attribute below, for example, specifies the kind of button to display.

<button type=“submit”>My first button </button>

How Do I Make My First HTML Page?

Before HTML5, you needed to enclose all of your content in <html> </html> tags. Each page was divided into two parts: the head and body. The header contained but did not display key information about the document. The body of the HTML page contained all content you wanted to display

Here is an example of a very basic HTML page. You can copy this code in a text editor and save it as myfirstdoc.html. The <h1> </h1> tags specify the first-level heading in the document.

<html>
  <head>
    <title>First HTML Page</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>HTML is awesome</h1>
  </body>
</html>

When you open the file in a browser, you see the following page. Note the title of the browser tab is the same as the one we specified with the <title></title> tag.

Representing a specific feature or aspect of a software or web editor

What is a Basic HTML5 Document?

With the introduction of HTML5, all you need is the doctype tag at the start of your document:

<!DOCTYPE html>

It is also good practice to specify a page title. Here is an example of a simple HTML5 document. Again, you can save the text below as a .html file and open it in a browser that supports HTML5.

<!DOCTYPE html>

<title> My first HTML5 page</title>

<h1>HTML5 is awesome too</h1>

How Can I Add More Text to HTML Document?

You can continue adding headings or paragraphs to your myfirstdoc.html file. Use h2, h3, up to h6 to add level headings. You can add a paragraph using <p></p>. Here are a few more tags to help you format your text.

Tag Purpose
<b> </b> Bold text
<i> </i> Italics text
<em> </em> Emphasize text (normally in italics)
<font color=?> </font> Specify font color
<tt> </tt> Type-writer style text
<strong> </strong> Emphasize a word (typically in bold)
<font face=?> </font> Specify font
<font size=?> </font> Size of font

How Do I Add More HTML Elements?

You can add lists, images, SVGs, forms and more to an HTML document. We have compiled the ultimate cheat sheet on HTML for your reference. You can use the tags listed there to create your webpages.

Can I Learn HTML Using Froala?

Froala is not just a WYSIWYG editor. It is also a super cool way to learn HTML. Practice all your HTML in the window on the right and check to see its result on the left. If you do not know an HTML tag, you can always format text in the left window and look up the corresponding HTML.

Where Can I Find More Information on Froala?

Froala is a lightweight and blazing fast HTML editor. It has a simple-to-use interface, that lets you create HTML documents quickly and efficiently. In addition to creating documents, Froala’s awesome interface also allows you to learn HTML quickly. Use the free online Froala HTML editor or explore its features and find out more about what is a WYSIWYG HTML editor. You can also sign up for a free Froala trial.

 

What Is An HTML Editor And Why Does It Matter?

A title or heading, symbolizing a theme or topic in a digital context.

The internet never stops growing. Every day, more users respond to content created by others and create their own. This is in part due to the ease of accessibility offered by powerful web development tools. These tools let people with different interests share their passions with the world. Another factor encouraging the growth of personal websites is tools that take a visual approach to web development. They allow anyone to create and shape their own website.

Drag-and-drop tools are the perfect example of how web development tools have made web design intuitive and non-technical. Users can design web applications and add features by simply placing them where they want. Inline HTML text editors are a great example of this approach.

However, features such as inline text editing and drag-and-drop web design are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to accessible web development. If a tool is to help its users, even more, it must include additional robust features. Fortunately, tools such as Froala’s WYSIWYG HTML Editor offer much more than just inline HTML text editing. They give you complete control over your website and web development.

This article will walk you through the philosophy of HTML editors. It explains how they work, why they are so popular, and what to look for if you decide to try one.

How Does An HTML Editor Help You With Web Development?

Focusing on the role of editors in web design

Web development builds websites by dividing the work into two main domains: front-end and back-end. The user sees the front-end, which involves the website layout, user experience, interface, and web design. On the other hand, the back-end deals with the inner logic, functionalities, and website data. While the front-end may seem like the easier part to handle, it is challenging for websites with a very specific design.

The front-end determines a user’s first impression of your website. Based on your front-end, a user decides if your site is worthy of their attention. A carelessly designed front-end fails to fulfill its basic function by driving away your visitors. To avoid this, developers use frameworks and tools which give them complete control of the website design and layout, like HTML editors.

HTML is one of the core languages of the internet. It specifies the structure of your website. With an HTML editor, you get to define where different media like text, images, and videos go. It also specifies the internal or external sources of that media. HTML is the starting point when you build your website from scratch. With the right HTML editor, you ensure that your website is built on the proper fundamentals.

What Impact Your Choice Of HTML Editor Can Have On Your Website?

Emphasizing the importance of selecting the right tool

HTML editors are great tools. They significantly improve your web development productivity. That said, however, people were making excellent websites much before there were HTML editors. This begs the questions: Are HTML editors really that necessary for building a quality website? What direct advantages do HTML editors offer?

Simply put these editors have many benefits to offer.

With inline HTML editors, the most significant benefit is the editing environment. They are popularly known as WYSIWYG, editors because ‘what you see is what you get.’  This means you edit your site visually, directly on the page. You put your text, headers, images, and other media exactly where you want them. You also get to determine the layout and add content in real-time, without the hassle of constantly checking it in a browser. Essentially, this increases your development velocity and ensures your web design turns out the way you intended.

With a capable HTML editor, you also get an environment dedicated to a fully customizable and controlled web development experience. If you choose an editor like Froala, you get many more features alongside the rich text editing environment. You can grow the list of features by adding plugins any time you want.

What Are The Basic Features The Right HTML Editor Should Have?

Highlighting essential functionalities

In a market with plenty of options, deciding on the right HTML editor can be tricky. Each editor comes with its own sets of pros, cons, and setup requirements. In addition, some offer only a fraction of the features the others have. Some of them may not even be in your budget. 

When you decide on an HTML editor, check the basic features your choices offer. Here are the more important features to look out for:

Developer & SEO Friendly

An HTML must be intuitive and easy for developers to use.  A great HTML editor allows them to save time and effort by offering useful functionality. At the same time, an HTML editor needs to provide optimal SEO for your website.

Offers An Extensive Array Of Visual Themes & Elements

Website design is all about visual appeal and user-friendliness. HTML editors should offer graphical web design strategy options. After all, the user experience depends on the visual layout of your website and can be a determining factor for its success. Custom themes should definitely be on offer.

Supports Rich Image Editing & Inclusion Features

Images are part of the visual appeal of a website. They are very important if your website hopes to attract visual learners. Your HTML editor should let you include pictures and diagrams effortlessly. The ideal editor should also provide an image editor as part of the development environment. That way you can edit and include your images in one easy workflow.

Guaranteed To Work Everywhere

Everybody has a mobile device for viewing websites and browsing the internet. But that doesn’t mean every user will view your website just on a laptop or smartphone. Your HTML editor should recognize that. It should support every device your users can throw at it.

No Compromises On Performance

Whatever features an HTML editor packs, it shouldn’t compromise on quality. As you build and add more functionality to your website, its codebase will get heavier and more complex. In these cases, your HTML editor needs to be robust and keep providing dependable performance. Any lags or lack of support affect both your website and your productivity. 

With these requirements met, you can be confident that the HTML editor you choose will provide you with excellent value. Not all HTML editors cover all the bases, but Froala does. It has all these features and much more. Its lightweight nature and security features are another part of its popularity.

Why Should You Trust Froala For Your HTML Editing Needs?

Focusing on the reliability and features of Froala Editor

If you want to try out a powerful inline HTML editor, look no further than Froala. As one of the leading HTML editors on the market, Froala packs a ton of features to help you design the website you need. It enables you to structure and write text inline within its environment, and it’ll generate a robust codebase on the backend. With Froala you can choose from a library of visual themes or even create your own custom style.

You can customize Froala. You can choose which buttons go on the toolbars and which toolbars go where. It is also lightweight, supports a variety of third-party plugins, and is built to HTML5 standards. Finally, you can even run unit tests through it, and it runs on all popular browsers and devices.

Want to try out a feature-rich HTML editor that doesn’t let you down? Head over to Froala and witness just how much control you can have over your website’s front-end.

Is Tech Making HTML Editors Better Or Worse?

A developer working on a laptop symbolizes software development and coding.

Technology shapes our lives. It provides us with conveniences and benefits. As technology advances, the luxuries it provides us with usually do too. Unfortunately, not every upgrade is necessarily an improvement. The common phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is particularly appropriate here. Many examples of upgrades have made things more complicated.

Take software development tools, for example. Most of them improve with each upgrade. Upgrades introduce new and unique features, that generally improve the user experience. But the strategy of listening to user feedback to guide an upgrade roadmap is relatively new. Traditionally, the makers of a tool would decide on what to upgrade on their own.

When it comes to HTML editors, new products are constantly hitting the market. They have “new,” “different,” and “unique” features. However, somehow many manage to deliver these novel features without delivering upon basic functionality. Fortunately, an HTML Code Editor like Froala can focus on providing a rich inline HTML editing environment while transforming a basic Javascript tool that you can use with your existing tech stack. Only when we have that right do we start building the bells and whistles.

In this article, we are going to answer the question of whether or not recent innovations in HTML editors are actually bringing us valuable new features. More importantly, we are going to talk about what kind of editor features you should keep an eye out for.

What Different Kinds Of HTML Editors Are There?

Discussing various types of HTML editors

You know what an HTML editor is. You write HTML code in the editor, save it, and see the basic layout it generates. Most HTML editors come with toolbars and dropdown options to give you different development modes. They are divided into two kinds. Neither is much different from the other, but they offer distinct development experiences.

The two main kinds of HTML editors are:

  • Text-based HTML Editors: These are simple text editor environments. You enter your HTML code directly and can include more complicated HTML tags. Text-based editors are more likely to have robust text-editing features like code completion and error highlighting. However, most don’t have a live code preview option. This means you need so you need to have enough experience with HTML to avoid errors.
  • WYSIWYG HTML Editors: What You See Is What You Get HTML editors give you an inline visual editing environment. You structure your page and add text and other content graphically. The way you design or manually code your page dictates the way a browser generates the final webpage. Using this kind of HTML editor, you have a consistent live preview to guide your coding. Developers prefer them when a website has heavy visual elements.

Both kinds of HTML editors have many additional features, some built-in and you add manually.  As an example, Froala is a WYSIWYG editor where you can add many features by using third-party plugins. It also comes packed with a variety of features out-of-the-box.

What Kind Of Innovation Has The HTML Editor Seen Over The Years?

Focusing on the evolution of HTML editors

As the internet got more popular and people wanted websites, companies released tools to help them with their web development. The earliest HTML editors were simple notepad applications. You would write HTML markup in them save your file and open them in a browser. The browser would render the markup. HTML editors have come a long way since then.

Eventually, companies developed dedicated text-editing environments for writing and editing HTML. These editors, however, were still text-driven. They didn’t provide live previews.

Gradually, HTML editors hit the market which allowed you to edit directly on your web page.  They were  ‘what you see is what you get editors. You didn’t need previews as how you edited your page was generally what the browser would render.

Nowadays, users have both types of HTML editor to choose from. Unfortunately, some WYSIWYG editors share a common pain point. Not all browsers render HTML in quite the same way.  Thankfully, Froala is an HTML editor that works smoothly on every browser. It is also full of features that make it the most popular WYSIWYG option in the developer community.

What Does The Ideal HTML Editor Look Like?

Emphasizing design and functionality aspects

HTML editors have come a long way since their introduction. Many new features are now staples. However, that cut two ways. Many features may sound innovative but are, in the end, gimmicky and useless. That is why you need to know what features make an HTML editor worthy of your attention.

Here are some crucial characteristics that you should look for in an HTML editor.  We will also look at some of the exciting features now available in HTML editors.

Feature-loaded Text Editing Environment

An HTML editor is an environment for coding HTML. Because of this, any editor you choose needs all the essential features within easy reach. Most editors now have toolbars and menus filled with every text-editing option you may require. WYSIWYG HTML editors in particular emphasize providing you with a rich variety of options to edit your website content any way you want.

Solid Media Integration & Handling

The chances of you making your website text-heavy with little visual media are close to none. Because of this, your HTML editor needs to handle all the popular kinds of media you may want to feature on your website. This includes images, videos, diagrams, graphs, and interactive media. WYSIWYG editors feature-rich media integration so you can place your media exactly where you want it.

Support For More Plugins & Frameworks

While most HTML editors ship with many features and options,  not all of them may have the features you need. That’s why a good  HTML editor must support integration with other applications and frameworks. This lets you expand your editor’s capabilities and create websites that would otherwise require a lot of code and dependency handling.

Awesome Productivity Features

In addition to third-party plugins, HTML editors should have features to help you stay productive. These features include built-in image editors, spelling and grammar checking, error highlighting, and seamless hyperlinking. Productivity features help you save crucial time and write clear and correct content quickly.

Wide Options For Customization

Every user wants an HTML editor with no restrictions.  That is why a good HTML editor is flexible. This means you can customize it to suit your preferences and choose which features stay and which don’t. You should also be able to customize the visual elements and control the overall aesthetic of your website.

Why is Froala The Ideal HTML Editor For You?

Highlighting the features and benefits of Froala Editor

With a long list of default features and significant advancements in productivity tools, Froala should be the next HTML editor you try out. In addition to HTML text editing, you get everything you need to execute impressive modern website design. Froala also has security measures that save your website from XSS attacks without compromising its SEO quality. You can also customize your website’s visual layout by specifying the buttons and themes you like.

As an HTML editor, Froala is extensively customizable. This means that you can choose the features most valuable to you and keep a click away. There are also a host of plugins and power features you can integrate into Froala. For example, you can export your content as a PDF and even include mathematical content through the MathType integration.

Ready to boost your productivity and website development by using an intelligent and feature-packed HTML editor? Opt for Froala and build your website to your liking today.

Froala V4.0.6—The Most Powerful WYSIWYG HTML Editor

Froala Version 4.0.6, emphasizing the latest updates and features.

Froala is back with some big news! 🎉

The all-new Froala Editor V4.0.6  has arrived, bringing the most performant version of our market-leading WYSIWYG editor to our global developer community.

Because of you, Froala has become the most Powerful HTML Editor! The feedback loop you maintain with our team enables us to turn around quality releases packed with the features and enhancements you require in ever-shorter release cycles. Your suggestions were given top priority in the development of this best-ever version of Froala’s Powerful HTML Editor.

If you’re using Froala in your development, we’re positive you’re going to love V4.0.6. There’s a lot to unpack with this new version—read on to see the amazing things you can do with Froala’s latest user-centric release!

How Version 4.0.6 Empowers Users

1. Plugins:

In Froala editor version 4.0.6 latest release, our developers fixed nineteen issues, all focused on stability and performance. That includes numerous improvements for the core editor, as well as for the following plugins:

If you are loading plugins individually from a CDN on your code, make sure you updated these plugins to the last version. For example, for the colors plugin:

<!-- Colors plugin script -->
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/js/plugins/colors.min.js
<!-- Colors plugin stylesheet -->
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/css/plugins/colors.min.css

Find the Javascript and stylesheet links for each plugin by selecting the plugin name from our plugins page.

If you are using the following editor packaged links for your site, all plugins will be included:

<!-- Froala editor script -->
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js
<!-- Froala editor stylesheet -->
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css


2. Deep-Dive of Froala Editor V4.0.6  


The release of the Froala Editor V4.0.6  was a huge breakthrough. Let’s take a closer look at some of the main improvements in the Froala editor V4.0.6 release.


      (i). Issues related to the editor API


The Froala WYSIWYG HTML editor came with a powerful JavaScript API that allows developers to easily customize and interact with the editor through its different options, methods, and events.


           a). Enter option:


For example, you can change the HTML output produced when the user hits the Enter key just by setting the “enter” option of your editor:




// CODE EXAMPLE
new FroalaEditor('.selector', { enter: FroalaEditor.ENTER_BR });






The default value for the “enter” option is FroalaEditor.ENTER_P, which will wrap the new text within the HTML <p> tag.


But if you set it to FroalaEditor.ENTER_DIV, the editor will wrap the new text within the HTML <div> tag.


And if you set it to FroalaEditor.ENTER_BR, which is the third and final value for this option, the editor will insert only the <br> HTML tag when the Enter key is clicked.


This is a powerful feature that allows you to customize the editor’s HTML output based on your application, but it wasn’t working as expected in some cases when it was set to ENTER_DIV or ENTER_BR. This affected the HTML output when the html.getSelected() method is used, so our developers fixed this issue and tested it to make sure it always returns the expected HTML output.




Try it now.


            b). Paste from Notepad


Two powerful API options are:


pastePlain, which if enabled, removes the text formatting of the content pasted into the rich text editor but keeps the content’s structure.


And htmlUntouched, which if enabled, applies no special processing to the HTML inside the editor except HTML cleaning.


Enabling both options was causing an issue related to the font size of the content pasted from a notepad, but this also has been fixed.






// CODE EXAMPLE 
new FroalaEditor('.selector', { 
   pastePlain: true,
   htmlUntouched: true,
});




            c). MIME type 


Froala File Options API controls how and what files users can upload through the editor.


One of these options is fileAllowedTypes, which is an array of file types that are allowed to be uploaded.


Some users had an issue when uploading .msg files even after configuring the correct MIME type. This has now been fixed.




// CODE EXAMPLE 
new FroalaEditor('.selector', {
 fileAllowedTypes: ['application/msg', 'application/msword']
});




      


      (ii). Issues related to the Video feature


Inserting videos in your content is a popular feature nowadays since users prefer to watch videos over reading articles. Froala makes this very easy for you and allows you to control the default width, alignment, display mode, maximum size, whether it is draggable and much more.


When you try to insert a new video in the Froala editor, the video popup has an autoplay option. This wasn’t working with YouTube videos, but our developers fixed this issue.


Specific features or functionalities in the Froala Editor


Try it here


3. What Else is New in V4?


In case you missed the original release, V4 ushered in the next generation of WYSIWYG Editing by introducing some of our user’s most highly-requested features. When you upgrade to V4, you get access to:


Track Changes


This feature allows users to keep track of all the changes they make inside the editor. Edits to text, images, tables, styles, formatting, and more will be tracked followed by accepting and rejecting the changes accordingly through easy access to “Accept or Reject” a “Single or All” changes via accessible buttons in the toolbar.


Markdown Support


Format words & phrases in our rich text editor using code shortcuts through predefined markdown syntax.


Users can markdown Heading, Bold Text, Italic, Blockquote, Ordered list, Unordered list, Code, Fenced code block, Horizontal rule, Link, Image, Table, Footnote, Strikethrough and Task list.


4. Why Should I Upgrade to V4?


    

  • Upgrading Froala is super easy and takes less than five minutes, read about it in the next section.
    • 

  • Upgrading Froala will not break your products; most of the editor’s functionality is covered by unit tests.
    • 

  • If you are on an active perpetual plan, once it ends you will be able to use the last version of Froala that was available for a lifetime, so it is better to always update to the latest version.
    • 

  • Get benefit of the Track changes and Markdown features which were highly requested by our users.
    • 

  • Get the latest editor fixes and improvements.
    • 



Read this blog post for more details about why you should upgrade to V4.


5. How Do I Upgrade to V4?


Upgrading Froala is super easy. It is just a matter of four steps or less to upgrade from version 3 to version 4:


    

  • Download the new version.
    • 

  • Include version 4 scripts.
    • 

  • Add new plugins, if you are customizing enabled plugins.
    • 

  • Add new toolbar buttons, if you are customizing the editor toolbar.
    • 



For the full instructions, follow this simple guide which describes each of the above points in detail to upgrade your editor to V4 in less than five minutes.


6. Technical Support


We strive for the highest quality with each of our updates—if you have a technical question, you can check to see if it has already been answered at our help center. If not, contact our Support team.


Let us know what you think about our latest release! Join us and our Product Managers in our Github Community to talk about all things Froala.