We have evaluated over 20 free HTML editors for Macintosh against over 40 different criteria relevant to professional web designers and developers. The following applications are the best free HTML editors for Macintosh, both WYSIWYG and text editors, rated from best to worst. Each editor listed will have a score, percentage, and a link to more information.
Best Value: Komodo Edit
What We Like
So, have a look on 10 best and free Mac OS text editors for web developers. If you think any other editor which you feel best suited in the list, feel free to drop a link in the comment and share with our readers. So, have a look on 10 best and free Mac OS text editors for web developers. If you think any other editor which you feel best suited in the list, feel free to drop a link in the comment and share with our readers. [re] [rss] [ad1] 1) XEmacs: XEmacs is a highly customizable open source text editor and application development system.
Lots of add-ons available.
Built-in FTP client.
Auto-complete and syntax checking features.
What We Don't Like
Slow to load.
Feels cluttered.
Difficult to install color schemes.
Komodo Edit is hands down the best free XML editor available. It includes a lot of great features for HTML and CSS development. Plus, if that isn't enough, you can get extensions for it to add on languages or other helpful features (like special characters).
Komodo Edit is not the best HTML editor out there, but it is great for the price, especially if you build in XML. I use Komodo Edit every day for my work in XML, and I use it a lot for basic HTML editing as well. This is one editor I'd be lost without.
There are two versions of Komodo: Komodo Edit and Komodo IDE.
Best for JavaScript Developers: Aptana Studio
What We Like
Integrated debugger.
Build-in Code Assist feature for tags.
Built-in terminal emulator.
What We Don't Like
No longer in development.
Minimal support for PHP.
Some dependencies.
Aptana Studio offers an interesting take on website development. Instead of focusing on HTML, Aptana focuses on the JavaScript and other elements that allow you to create rich internet applications.
One thing I really like is the outline view that makes it really easy to visualize the document object model (DOM). This makes for easier CSS and JavaScript development.
If you are a developer creating web applications, Aptana Studio is a good choice.
A Full Featured Java IDE: NetBeans
What We Like
Version 9.0 released by Apache after acquisition.
Supports the Jigsaw Module system.
Supports Java Shell, new in JDK 9.
What We Don't Like
Needs high-memory computer to run quickly.
Not many plug-ins.
Auto-completion is buggy.
NetBeans IDE is a Java IDE that can help you build robust web applications. Like most IDEs, it has a steep learning curve because they don’t often work in the same way that web editors do. But once you get used to it you’ll be hooked.
One nice feature is the version control included in the IDE which is really useful for people working in large development environments. If you write Java and web pages this is a great tool.
Best for LAMP Developers: Bluefish
What We Like
Auto-completion and auto-tag closing.
Powerful search and replace.
Quick to start and load files.
What We Don't Like
Not for novice programmers.
User interface looks intimidating.
Too many tabs and toolbars.
Bluefish is a full-featured web editor for Linux. There are also native executables for Windows and Macintosh. There is code-sensitive spell check, autocomplete of many different languages (HTML, PHP, CSS, etc.), snippets, project management, and auto-save.
It is primarily a code editor, not specifically a web editor. This means that it has a lot of flexibility for web developers writing in more than just HTML, but if you’re a designer by nature you might not like it as much.
A Powerful Multi-Language IDE: Eclipse
What We Like
Robust debugging and profiling profile.
Code-completion feature.
Fast deployment and implementation.
What We Don't Like
Slow when working with large files.
Not recommended for large businesses.
Steep learning curve for novice programmers.
Eclipse is a complex, Open Source development environment that is perfect for people who do a lot of coding on a variety of platforms and with different languages.
Eclipse is structured as plug-ins, so if you need to edit something just find the appropriate plug-in and go.
If you are creating complex web applications, Eclipse has a lot of features to help make your application easier to build. There are Java, JavaScript, and PHP plugins, as well as a plugin for mobile developers.
A Swiss Army Knife IDE from Mozilla: SeaMonkey
What We Like
Tabs for WISIWYG editing, HTML tags, HTML code, and browser views.
Suitable for building simple, basic websites.
What We Don't Like
Composer element no longer being maintained.
Generates HTML 4.01 Transitional code.
SeaMonkey is the Mozilla project all-in-one internet application suite. It includes a web browser, email and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and Composer, the web page editor.
One of the nice things about using SeaMonkey is that the browser is built-in, so testing is a breeze. Plus it's a free WYSIWYG editor with an embedded FTP client to publish your web pages.
A Basic HTML Writer: Amaya
What We Like
Useful for up to HTML 4.01.
Supports SVG and MathML.
What We Don't Like
Last updated in 2012.
No longer in development.
Amaya is the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) web editor and web browser. It validates the HTML as you build your page and displays your Web documents in a tree structure, which is useful for learning to understand the DOM.
Amaya has a lot of features that most web designers won’t ever use, but if you want to be certain that your pages follow the W3C standards, this is a great editor to use.
Straightforward and Stable: BBEdit 12
What We Like
Supports HTML5.
Opens large files.
Great customer support.
Rock-solid software.
What We Don't Like
Advanced features require paid version after 30-day free trial.
Must search menus for features and options.
BBEdit is a paid program that has a set of free capabilities (the same capabilities that the now-defunct TextWranger had. While Bare Bones Software, the makers of BBEdit do offer a paid version, you may find the free version does everything you need. You can review a feature comparison here.
Note
If you're using TextWrangler, it is not compatible with macOS 10.13 (High Sierra). However, the free (and paid) version of BBEdit is.
At IDR Solutions we spend a lot of our time working with Java as our JPedal Java PDF Library, BuildVu PDF to HTML5/SVG converter and JDeli Java Image Library are written in Java.
Our developers spend a lot of time buried in Java code and we use a variety of different IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) to develop Java code, so I thought it would be good to compile a list of the best free IDEs out there for Java programmers, developers and coders.
In this article, I will be taking a look at 11 different IDEs. Everyone has different requirements and we feel one of the strengths of the Java world is the choice available.
These IDEs offer a variety of features: building Java applications, TestNG, debugging, code inspections, code assistance, JUNIT testing, multiple refactoring, visual GUI builder and code editor, Java, Maven build tools, ant, do data modelling and build queries, and more.
NetBeans
NetBeans is an open-source Integrated Development Environment written in Java. Development of NetBeans has really accelerated since it became part of the Apache project.
The NetBeans IDE supports the development of all Java application types (Java SE, JavaFX, web, EJB and mobile applications) out of the box. NetBeans is modular in design. This means it can be extended by third-party developers who can create plugins for NetBeans to enhance functionality (Our PDF Plugin for NetBeans is a good example).
NetBeans has now moved to Apache, making it easier for people to get involved and contribute. They have a new website explaining more about Apache NetBeans.
The NetBeans IDE can be used to develop in Java, but also supports other languages. These include PHP, C/C++, and HTML5.
NetBeans features include an Ant-based project system, support for Maven, refactoring and version control (supporting CVS, Subversion, Git, Mercurial and Clearcase). It is also released under a dual license. These consist of the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) v1.0 and the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2.
NetBeans is cross-platform and runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and other platforms supporting a compatible JVM. It can also be used for working with Cloud applications. This useful guide covers how to use the NetBeans IDE with the Google App Engine.
If you would like to find out more about NetBeans we have a series of articles which includes lots of tips and tutorials.
Eclipse
Eclipse is another free Java IDE for developers and programmers. It is mostly written in Java. Eclipse lets you create various cross-platform Java applications for use on mobile, web, desktop and enterprise domains.
Its main features include a Windows Builder, integration with Maven, Mylyn, XML editor, Git client, CVS client, and PyDev. It also contains a base workspace with an extensible plug-in system for customizing the IDE to suit your needs. Through plugins, you can develop applications in other programming languages. These include C, C++, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Prolog, Python, R, Ruby (including Ruby on Rails framework), to name just a few.
Eclipse is available under the Eclipse Public License and is available on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is a free Java IDE (Integrated Development Environment). It is mainly used for Android app development, Scala, Groovy, Java SE and Java programming. It is lightweight in design and comes with useful features like JUnit testing, TestNG, debugging, code inspections, code completion, and support for multiple refactoring. Plus Maven build tools, ant, visual GUI builder and code editor for XML and Java.
There are some features missing from the Community Edition. If you require more you can buy a license to unlock all the features.
IntelliJ Idea Community Edition is is released under the Apache 2 License.
Android Studio
Android Studio from Google is mainly designed for developing on the Android Platform. However it is capable of running and editing some Java code.
Originally it was built on the IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition created by JetBrains. It features a Flexible Gradle-based build system, build variants and multiple APK generation. It has expanded template support for Google Services and various device types and a rich layout editor with support for theme editing. It also has Lint tools to catch performance, usability, version compatibility, and other problems.
Android Studio also comes with ProGuard and app-signing capabilities. It also features built-in support for Google Cloud Platform. Projects can be configured to use specific Java Development Kits.
Android Studio is freely available under the Apache License 2.0. It is available for download on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It replaced Eclipse as Google’s primary IDE for native Android application development.
Enide Studio 2014
Enide Studio 2014 (version 0.11-preview) was initially released as a stand-alone product for all operating systems. However later changes saw it develop a Tool Suite for Node.js, JavaScript and Java Development. This is available from the Eclipse plugin store and from the main website.
Enide Studio 2014 Plugin includes:
– Nodeclipse 0.17, – Chrome Development Tools, AngularJS for Eclipse, TernIDE, Eclipse WTP WebResources, TCF Terminals, MarkDown (*.md) Editor, – GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) Viewer, various themes, Nodeclipse EditBox, RestClient Tool. StartExplorer, Git Add-on, Maven, Gradle integration, Minimalist Jade Editor and more..
BlueJ
BlueJ is an integrated development environment (IDE) for the Java programming language. It has been mainly developed for educational purposes. However it is also suitable for those who wish to do small-scale software development. It runs with the help of a JDK (Java Development Kit).
BlueJ is mainly developed for the teaching of object-oriented programming. Its design differs from other development environments as a result.
The main screen graphically shows the class structure of an application under development. Objects can be interactively created and tested. This interaction facility, combined with a clean, simple user interface, allows easy experimentation with objects under development. This allows beginners to get started more quickly, and without being overwhelmed.
Newbie users can check values and call methods on objects. They can also pass them as parameters and Java expressions can be invoked without compiling. This means BlueJ is a powerful graphical shell/REPL for Java.
The BlueJ project is free and open source software. It is licensed under GNU GPL with the classpath exception. There are popular textbooks designed for teaching introductory university/college courses with BlueJ. There is also a site full of teaching resources. It can run on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and other platforms which run Java. It can also run without installation from a USB stick.
jEdit
jEdit is a text editor with hundreds (counting the time developing plugins) of person-years of development behind it. Most people argue that jEdit beats many expensive development tools for features and ease of use. In particular the jEdit core comes with a built-in macro language. This is an extensible plugin architecture. Hundreds of macros and plugins are available.
There is also an auto indent function, and syntax highlighting for more than 200 languages. It has support for a large number of character encodings including UTF8 and Unicode. Plus folding for selectively hiding regions of text, word wrap, and more.
It can also be used for source code editing, search and replacing and file management. jEdit is written in Java, so it runs on Mac OS X, OS/2, Unix, VMS and Windows. It is released as free software with full source code, provided under the terms of the GPL 2.0.
jGRASP
jGRASP is a lightweight IDE, primarily created for automatic generation of software visualizations to improve the comprehensibility of software. It is capable of producing static visualizations of source code structure and visualizations of data structures at runtime. jGRASP produces Control Structure Diagrams (CSDs) for Java, C, C++, Objective-C, Python, Ada, and VHDL. Complexity Profile Graphs (CPGs) for Java and Ada are also supported. As are UML class diagrams for Java. It has dynamic object viewers and a viewer canvas. This works in conjunction with an integrated debugger and workbench for Java.
The viewers have a built in feature that allows them to identify data structures. This means they can recognize objects that represent traditional data structures. For example stacks, queues, linked lists, binary trees, and hash tables. These can then be displayed appropriately.
jGRASP is implemented in Java. It was developed by the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University.
It can run on any platform that can run a Java Virtual Machine (Java version 1.5 or higher). At present the jGRASP web site offers downloads for Windows, Mac OS, and as a generic ZIP file suitable for Linux and other systems.
JSource
JSource is a free Java IDE. It is a good option for Java developers and programmers.
JSource is useful for creating cross-platform Java applications for various domains. It is extremely lightweight. You can use JSource to run, compile, edit and create Java files. Its main features are syntax highlighting for multiple languages and Java Swing components. In version 2.0 of JSource you can use jEdit syntax packages. Plus you can incorporate other open source Java tools used for rapid development. These tools have been modified to work with the core JSource structure.
JSource is available under a GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2).
JDeveloper
JDeveloper is an IDE supplied by the Oracle Corporation and released as freeware. It offers various features for development in Java, XML, SQL and PL/SQL, HTML, JavaScript, BPEL and PHP. JDeveloper can be used for coding, debugging, optimization and profiling to deploying. It integrates with the Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF). This is an end-to-end Java EE-based framework that further simplifies application development.
JDeveloper comes in 3 flavors. These include the Java Edition, J2EE edition and Studio Edition which comes with a whole different set of features.
The Java Edition comes with out of the box Java Support. it has a Code Editor and Code Navigation. Refactoring, compatibility with Swing, Unit Testing, Version Control, Auditing & Metrics, Debugging and profiling are all included. It supports Ant, Maven, XML and Open API & Extensions.
The same IDE platform also serves as the basis of another Oracle product, SQL Developer.
DrJava
DrJava is an extremely lightweight development environment for writing Java programs. It has been designed primarily for students. There is an intuitive interface and the ability to interactively evaluate Java code.
Best Web Development Editor
It is best used as a unit testing tool, source level debugger, or interactive pane for evaluating text of the program. There is an intelligent program editor and it can be used for more depending on your requirements.
It is available for free under the BSD License.
Hopefully you’ve found this guide on the best IDEs for programming, developing and coding Java useful.
What IDE do you use, let us know!
If you are interested in learning Java, we recommend you read our articles on Open JDK projects you should know about in 2019 and our large back catalogue of Java articles. We also have some excellent guides on what is new in Java 8, Java 9 and Java 10.
Photo Editor For Mac
IDRsolutions develop a Java PDF Viewer and SDK, an Adobe forms to HTML5 forms converter, a PDF to HTML5 converter and a Java ImageIO replacement. On the blog our team post anything interesting they learn about.