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Web developers do a lot more than just browsing when they’re online. Because of this, the average developer needs a browser that’s capable of a lot of different things. You may need a browser that comes with plugins that allow you to see the code of inspirational sites. Alternatively, you might be looking for a browser that gives you the opportunity to see how certain designs would look on different screens.
On the surface, web browsers seem very similar. They all provide you with a relatively straightforward way to get online and search for the content that you need.
However, the more time you spend building your skills as a designer/developer, the more you’ll recognize the need for a unique kind of browsing experience. Fortunately, we’ve found some of the best browsers for web developers, to get you started.
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Let’s take a look at what each option can offer.
Firefox Developer Edition
Among developers, Firefox is probably the world’s most popular browser.
On it’s own, Firefox is a pretty powerful browser. Deemed a lot faster than the average web browser, Firefox helps you to track down information and create stunning websites in a fraction of the time of something like Edge.
However, if you really want to get the next-level Firefox experience, then it’s worth upgrading to Firefox’s own developer edition.
Like Google Chrome for Developers, Firefox’s Developer Edition comes built for the open web.
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Additionally, with Firefox Developer Edition, you get access to a next-generation CSS engine (written in RUST), an inactive CSS system that grays out CSS declarations that don’t impact the page, and more. There is also a host of “Firefox DevTools” to access.
With your new browser, you can access a best-in-class JavaScript debugger, a Master CSS Grid, and various other features too. In fact, Firefox is the only browser that is specifically built with tools that help developers to build and design with their own CSS grid. These tools make it easier to visualize information, display area names, and preview transformations too.
Polypane
Finally, Polypane is a unique kind of browser, specifically designed for developers and designers. This browser is a cross-platform solution and Devtool that experts can use to develop, test, and debug sites as quickly as possible.
Created to help developers and designers increase both the quality of their work and their productivity, Polypane is packed full of useful features. What’s more, it works with any code editor and technology stack.
In an age where user experience is more important than ever, Polypane helps companies to build higher-quality websites through everything from WordPress, to Drupal and Angular.
Because tools for developing and debugging are built into the browser already, you don’t have to worry about finding and adding extra extensions.
For those who aren’t sure about using a new and proprietary browser experience, Polypane does come with a free trial. However, as with most specialist tools for web developers, you will need to pay if you want to continue accessing advanced features long-term.
On the plus side, like Google Chrome’s developer edition, Polypane benefits from regular updates, so you know that you’re always going to be on the cutting edge of the web industry.
What’s more, you can also access different packages depending on whether you’re using Polypane as an individual or an agency.
LambdaTest LT Browser
LambdaTest LT Browser is a developer-oriented browser that provides users with a development workspace to test their website’s responsiveness over a variety of devices and viewports.
It offers 25+ different viewports (plus any custom viewports), side by side debugging, local website testing, bug tracking and more.
Using LambdaTest LT Browser web developers will be able to design, develop responsive and high-performance web applications in the fastest manner.
Google Chrome for Developers
Google Chrome stands out as one of the world’s most widely used browsers.
Chrome has more than 58% of the market share, according to the latest estimates. With figures like that, it must have something special to offer.
While Chrome might be particularly popular among everyday consumers, it also has something special to offer people in the web development and design world too. For instance, Google now has it’s own “Chrome browser for Developers” product.
Created for the open web, Google Chrome for Developers helps professionals to design websites that are specifically optimized for the next version of the digital world. With Google Chrome, you can test cutting-edge APIs for web-based platforms in real-time.
What’s more, Google Chrome is packed with endless tools and add-ons that you can implement into your browser. That includes PHP consoles for WordPress, screenshot tools for collecting web design inspiration, and even LastPass for password control.
Not only do you have endless opportunities to get creative with Google Chrome, but you also have access to updates that happen on a weekly basis, so you know you’re always on the cutting edge.
Opera
Opera might not be as popular as Chrome or Firefox for developers, but it has a number of benefits to consider. If you’re not looking for too many advanced development features, then Opera could give you everything you need for a quick and effective experience online.
Numerous stress and speed tests have placed this browsing solution right in the middle of the pack. You’re not going to get life-changing performance with Opera, but you will get a connection and browsing experience that you can rely on.
Unlike Chrome and Firefox, Opera also relies more heavily on in-built features. That means that you don’t need to worry about adding extra functionality to your browser on your own.
The Opera Developer browser gives today’s design experts a chance to get started with some of the latest tools and features as they roll out from Opera.
If you want to be on the cutting edge of early experiments with web browsing, the developer stream is a perfect choice. However, it’s worth noting that some of the developer features you can access from this browser won’t be as stable as they should be.
Blisk
Blisk is an interesting alternative to many of the major browsers on the web today.
Compared to Opera, Chrome, and Firefox, Blisk doesn’t have nearly as much attention online. However, it may be worth consideration if you’re a growing developer. This browser is specifically designed to give designers a development-first workspace where they can develop and test modern applications as quickly as possible.
Blisk is the only developer-focused web browser that allows you to access all of the functionality you need for creating sensational online experiences. You can view what your website or app is going to look like on virtually any phone design, from Google Pixel, to the iPhone. What’s more, there are viewing options in landscape or portrait mode too.
Blisk also shows mobile and desktop designs side by side, so you can compare the UI that users will get whenever they approach a website – no matter where they’re connecting with you from. Other features include:
- State of the art URL and scroll sync: Blisk automatically synchronizes scroll and URL positions for desktops and mobiles.
- Auto-refresh: Whenever you save code changes when working in a browser, Blisk will refresh your tabs and update CSS changes.
- DevTools: Blisk delivers DevTools similar to Chrome, you can launch separate DevTools for mobile and desktop and use them to simultaneously inspect the performance.
- Error notifications: Blisk automatically monitors potential page errors in JavaScript and resources that fail to load.
- Page inspector: Blisk delivers page inspector tools, powering quick inspection of any element on mobile or desktop.
Safari for Developers
Believe it or not, Safari for Developers is a very powerful tool – depending on the kind of websites and online experiences that you want to build. Although this browser option isn’t quite as broad or comprehensive as some of the other options we’ve mentioned so far – it has its benefits.
For instance, Safari is the best way to make sure that your sites are going to perform amazingly on iPhone, Mac, and iPad technology.
As Apple becomes an increasingly popular brand around the world, Safari will allow you to connect with viewers in a very specific landscape. Additionally, the Safari developer edition helps you to experiment with a host of advanced features too.
With Safari for Developers, you can add things like Apple Pay to websites, giving customers more ways to check out online. This could be an excellent way to increase conversions for your ecommerce clients.
Additionally, picture-in-picture functionality means that you can float a video window from Safari over your desktop or a full-screen app. This makes it easier to follow specific guidelines when you’re working in Safari.
Safari even has it’s own tab on the Mac App store, where you can explore things like Xcode for creating unique Safari extensions that work specifically for Apple customers.
Exploring Different Development Browsers
As a developer, you’re going to need a very unique selection of tools within your browser to help you get the most out of your designs.
The average browser simply won’t give you the advanced experience that you need online. That’s why it’s important to experiment with solutions ranging all the way from Google Chrome for developers, to modern solutions like Blisk.
Whether you decide to go for something tried-and-tested, like Firefox, or something a little more innovative, you’re sure to find that a developer-focused browser helps you to accomplish more.
Lots of freeware is available on the Internet for download. You can find programs for both OSX and Windows for designing and coding websites. Unfortunately not everybody has the money for premium software or the time to learn the interfaces.
I have put together this guide with just a few examples of some great software applications. Each example is totally free to download and install for your own personal use. Designing websites is a very difficult job and requires the right set of tools. This article may not contain everything you need, but I’m hoping to share these resources as a starting point for web designers on a budget.
Notepad++
I think a lot of developers know about Notepad++ since it has been mentioned in so many articles. This is a fantastic piece of open source software which supports a number of programming languages. Even aside from backend web development you can build full software applications in Java or C++, the list of syntax features is enormous.
If you want to learn more about the software check out their official features listing and some of the accompanying screenshots. Right now the software only runs on Windows machines, and I do not know of any plans for porting this in the future. But it is an excellent alternative to Dreamweaver or some other higher-end IDEs.
NetBeans
Getting into a solution for all OS choices we have NetBeans IDE. This is a free development environment for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The software supports a myriad of syntaxes and also some 3rd party Java/C++/PHP frameworks. There are just so many great things to say about NetBeans.
Check out the latest release with more documentation and information on their updates. Currently the software supports many foreign languages, which is great for programmers around the world. This is truly the universal solution for an open free coding environment, regardless of operating system.
If you want to get involved in the community they have developer forum threads for getting in touch on support topics. Other programmers may also join the team in patching bugs and helping to push new releases. And even better you can find a huge list of plugins for the software which is growing very quickly.
Amaya
The Amaya software is actually an older project started by the W3C. It was originally launched in 1996 and has seen many updates since then. Currently the Amaya IDE is in release version 11.4 with support for Windows and Mac OSX.
I feel their software is a bit behind in the standards department, or at least you can see this on the website. It doesn’t mention a lot about HTML5 and CSS3 specifications or code syntax highlighting. But you also won’t find code suggestions setup by default with many other programs, either. Give Amaya one shot if you have the time – but there also may be other alternatives worth trying for coding websites.
Smultron
The Smultron text editor is a program built for Mac OS X and mobile iOS devices. The software has syntax highlighting features which include over 90 different languages. You can also create new documents stored in your iCloud account to retrieve from any computer. This is one rich IDE to grab right off the Mac App Store and it’s great for perfect developers.
FileZilla
Web designers and developers will both need to use FTP access at some point. You can’t publish a website without pushing the files onto a server. Luckily there are a couple open source FTP programs which most webmasters can follow, and FileZilla is the big choice for Windows users.
The software is free to use forever and has many of the basic features you would expect. You can store custom FTP website settings for quick connections. Also you can setup long queues of files to download and let them go over an extended period of time. Anyone who needs a free FTP program on Windows XP/Vista/7 should go with FileZilla.
Cyberduck
Now on the Mac OS X spectrum Cyberduck is definitely the best free FTP software. You can grab the app right from the Mac App Store on your computer. It is also available for Windows users as well, if you feel that FileZilla just isn’t enough.
What I love about Cyberduck is the simplicity in user interface performance. You can quickly scan your remote server to detect files and download specific sub-folders. The program will also allow you to preview images before downloading. And Cyberduck is even cooler because you can directly connect into cloud storage services like Google Drive and Amazon S3.
GIMP/GimpShop
Some people get confused with the difference between GIMP and GimpShop. Both are free and open source to download on Windows and Mac computers. GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program which is the original software release. Fans of the program will recognize the interface and all the typical tools involved with image editing.
Now GimpShop is also free and built of similar open source code. However this software is designed to look and feel more similar to Adobe Photoshop. So graphics designers can pick up GimpShop and start practicing if you ever need to work with Adobe software. This is basically a free software package for editing images, banners, buttons, even complete website mockups.
If you are debating between the two I say check them both out and decide for yourself. There is no right answer since you can accomplish just about anything between the two of them. I personally like the Photoshop-esque UI of GimpShop and would ultimately choose to work in that graphics suite. But you should get a sense feeling them both out and devise your own conclusions.
Inkscape
This is another one of my favorite graphics editors which is perfect for upcoming web designers. Inkscape is an open source project for working with vector graphics. You could think of this as the free alternative to Adobe Illustrator supported on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
The best part about working with Inkscape is how you can work directly with W3C SVG vector graphics. These have been granted a lot of support in recent years to be embedded directly into webpages. Now web browsers can display SVG graphics and you can use them for a multitude of purposes.
Greenfish Icon Editor
Unfortunately this is a Windows-only program but it doesn’t do anything too special you couldn’t accomplish in GimpShop. But I love the Greenfish Editor because you can quickly create icon sets which match your website layouts. These could be displayed in your webpage, or even used as a favicon designs.
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Final Thoughts
We have written in previous articles about free Mac OSX apps for designers which was great. I am hoping this guide can offer a division for both designers and developers. After all, to create any good website you will need both pieces of the puzzle.
If you have some extra time in your schedule download a couple of these examples and see how they feel. You may be surprised at how intuitive these open source software packages can be. And when you can download these for free to install on any number of computers it’s a worthy investment to learn the ins-and-outs of the interface. Additionally feel free to share other design/dev thoughts in the discussion area below.