HTML - Text Editors vs. GUI Editors [LESSON]

Text Editors VS. GUI Editors

Plain Text Editors

A text editor is a simple program that is used to edit text. It can be used as a simple word processor, but it can also be used to write code such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Java, Ruby, Python, and many others. When writing HTML and CSS pages, a text editor is all that is needed. Notepad is a basic editor and has come free with Windows for over 40 years. You can use Notepad, but there are others that are easier to use. On a Mac, TextEdit comes with a Mac. For both, you just enter your code and save the document as an HTML file format.

There are some text editors that are more user-friendly and make it easier to code and to debug (find errors) your work. See the table below for suggested text editors.

Text Editor, Operating Systems and their Features.

GUI Editors

Graphical User Interface (GUI) editors are editors that allow you to create a website without coding. GUI editors use a method called “What You See Is What You Get”, or WYSIWYG – (pronounced wiz-ee-wig). Using a GUI is like using a word processor or Microsoft Publisher. You can type in your content, set the sizes and fonts of your headings, put in lists, tables, and forms as well as media such as images, videos, and audio without having to do any coding at all. The program codes for you. This is much easier for someone to make a website. However, the problem is that the sites are very large in size and use of memory, it is very difficult to make changes to the templates, so it is hard to make the site your own and unique. There are many programs out there that you can use, some of them cost money, especially if you are building a business site, but some are free.

GUI Website Editors, Main Featues, and Costs.

Answer true or false about website editors in the Text Editors and GUI Editors T/F activity below.

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