What's the best HTML WYSISYG editor available to web developers and why?

Question

There are many different flavored HTML WYSIWYG editors from javascript to ASP.Net web controls, but all too often the features are the same. Does anyone have a favorite HTML editor they like to use in projects? Why?

Answer 1

It completely depends on what you are using it for.

For instance, I use VS2008 for ASP.NET coding, and Notepad++ for looking at HTML source. It's all in what your end use for the editor will be. You won't care how well it renders a decent PHP development experience if all you are doing is modifying CSS files, for instance.

Answer 2

Adobe Dreamweaver. It will let you work visually or in code and switch between them. The killer criteria for a tool like that is that it builds good, clean code when you build visually, and Dreamweaver does that.

Answer 3

I've looked at pretty much all the Mac OS X editors, and have been frustrated, because there's not much that meets my needs. SeaMonkey is a decent free low-end WSYWIG editor, and Dreamweaver is a huge complicated editor and site manager and everything else, full of features I'm not the least interested in. Also, it's expensive. So I have no good answer. At least the new version of Dreamweaver crashes a bit less. I use that + BBEdit.

Answer 4

FCKeditor, available at http://www.fckeditor.net/, is great because it is compatible with all major browsers including Safari. Most HTML rich text editors don't support Safari.

Answer 5

I'm partial to TinyMCE WYSIWYG editor due to the following reasons:

1. Javascript - so it is broadly usable regardless of the platform I'm working in.

2. Easy to use - just a couple lines of code and a textarea and the control is up and running.

3. Easily themed - so I can quickly make it look like the site in which it is being used

4. Most importantly - easily customized to show/hide particular buttons depending on my application needs

Answer 6

If you're looking for WYSIWYG editor to place on a web site, I like TinyMCE. Free with a decent community for support.

Answer 7

If you're talking about editing components (as opposed to stand-alone apps like DreamWeaver) I've used CuteEditor, TinyMCE, FCKEditor, eWebEditPro, and Telerik's RAD Editor. They all have thier plusses and minuses, and you have to get used to their way of seeing the world. The HTML they spit out varies greatly, and I find I frequently have to tweak the results.

Answer 8

I would highly recommend the HTML Kit http://www.chami.com/html-kit/ not only does it come in a free version, but there are many modules that are available that make HTML markup alot easier.

Answer 9

I have had decent luck with the FCKEditor in my ASP.Net applications.

Answer 10

I always use FCKEditor, even tinymce have allmost the same features like fcke. You can use drag/drop, just like regular TextBox, and it's really easy to edit config file and add/remove features.
Also, for fcke and tinymce you have to buy image thumbnail browser, in free version you have only file names list. I think that there's no major differences between this two editors, and they are probably the best on market.

Answer 11

Spaw is good looking, and easy to use. We have used it in several projects to date.

Answer 12

TinyMCE by far. It does everything that FCKeditor does and more. We had problems with clients pasting in content from MS Word, FCK has problems parsing it and we've had mangled text. One of my department's goals is to move our CMS to TinyMCE.

Answer 13

I use TinyMCE in my projects. I did my research quite some time ago, but am still happy:

• filters MS Word HTML better
• has less files than FCKe :)
• has a free adaptation of FCKe plugins for advanced file and image manipulation, tinymcpuk

Answer 14

TinyMCE is great because its very easy to customise and to write plugins for.

It's also been around for a while so there are plenty of resources and help available for it.