The Best Microsoft Office - FrontPage Alternatives for Modern Web Development
Microsoft FrontPage, once a staple for WYSIWYG web design and site administration, has long since been replaced by more modern tools like Microsoft Expression Web and SharePoint Designer. For users still relying on or reminiscing about FrontPage's simplicity, finding a suitable Microsoft Office - FrontPage alternative is crucial for building and maintaining contemporary websites. The web development landscape has evolved, and so have the tools available to designers and developers.
Top Microsoft Office - FrontPage Alternatives
Whether you're a seasoned web developer or just starting, there are numerous powerful and user-friendly alternatives to FrontPage that offer robust features for creating stunning and functional websites. Let's explore some of the best options available today.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Dreamweaver is a powerful commercial tool for building websites and applications, ideal for web designers, developers, and visual designers. It offers comprehensive WYSIWYG support, HTML/CSS/JS rendering, visual design capabilities, and support for frameworks like Bootstrap. Available on Mac and Windows, Dreamweaver also includes features like drag-and-drop functionality, FTP/SFTP support, and live preview, making it a robust alternative for those accustomed to FrontPage's visual approach.
Pinegrow Web Editor
Pinegrow Web Editor is a commercial web editor available for Mac, Windows, and Linux that excels in building responsive websites. It provides live multi-page editing, robust CSS & SASS styling, a CSS Grid editor, and support for popular frameworks like Bootstrap and WordPress. Its drag-and-drop functionality and WYSIWYG support make it an excellent choice for users looking for a visual web development experience akin to FrontPage, but with modern capabilities.
WebStorm
JetBrains WebStorm is a commercial IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, built on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA platform. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, WebStorm provides advanced features like automatic code completion, syntax highlighting, and secure file sharing. While more code-centric than FrontPage, its powerful web development tools make it an excellent alternative for developers who prefer a comprehensive coding environment.
Coda
Coda is a brilliant, all-in-one commercial web editor designed specifically for macOS, iPhone, and iPad. It offers everything needed to write beautiful web code, including syntax highlighting, live CSS editing, a built-in file manager, and real-time collaboration features. For Mac users, Coda provides a streamlined and powerful web development experience, making it a premium FrontPage alternative.
BlueGriffon
BlueGriffon is a freemium and open-source HTML editor based on the Mozilla rendering engine, available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It supports advanced CSS3 features and includes a built-in SVG editor. With its WYSIWYG support and website builder capabilities, BlueGriffon serves as a strong open-source FrontPage alternative, particularly for those who appreciate a visual editing experience rooted in a familiar browsing engine.
TextMate
TextMate is a commercial and open-source text editor for macOS that blends UNIX underpinnings with a GUI. It offers automatic indentation, extensibility via plugins, macros, search and replace functionality, and support for themes. While not a WYSIWYG editor like FrontPage, TextMate provides a highly customizable and efficient environment for writing and managing web code for Mac users.
Google Web Designer
Google Web Designer is a free program from Google for creating interactive HTML5 ads and other HTML5 content across all devices. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, it offers a GUI with common design tools, responsive design capabilities, and WYSIWYG support. For those needing to create rich, animated web content, Google Web Designer is a modern and free alternative to FrontPage's visual design approach.
KompoZer
KompoZer is a free and open-source web authoring system that combines web file management with easy-to-use WYSIWYG web page editing. Available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and PortableApps.com, it is designed for extreme ease of use and supports multiple languages and SFTP. As a direct descendant of Nvu (a Netscape Composer offshoot), KompoZer is a highly accessible and free Microsoft Office - FrontPage alternative for basic web development.
openElement
openElement is a free website creation tool for Windows that boasts a powerful and intuitive editor. It generates W3C-compliant HTML/CSS/PHP code and offers free website templates. With its drag-and-drop interface, WYSIWYG support, and dedicated web development features, openElement stands out as a strong free FrontPage alternative for Windows users seeking a comprehensive website builder.
Microsoft Expression Web
Microsoft Expression Web is a WYSIWYG web site editor and maker that directly succeeded FrontPage, though it is now discontinued and no longer supported by Microsoft. However, it remains available for free download for Windows users and supports SFTP and visual design. For those seeking a direct spiritual successor to FrontPage within the Microsoft ecosystem, Expression Web offers a familiar transition for basic web development.
With the discontinuation of Microsoft FrontPage, the need for modern, robust, and intuitive web development tools has never been greater. The alternatives listed above provide a range of options, from comprehensive commercial IDEs to free and open-source WYSIWYG editors, ensuring that you can find the perfect fit for your web development needs and continue creating engaging online experiences.