Freeware HTML compressor

Absolute HTML Compressor - This program is designed to clean up your HTML, remove unnecessary whitespace and to reduce overall file size. It allows you to compress entire website folders and to save backups in the process. (PC, Freeware)

Freeware image viewer

Irfanview - One of the first programs I recommend to people who design for the web. This small, fast Windows freeware can view almost any image format (including Photoshop PSDs and other high-res image formats) and has plugin support to enable it to open video and document files. Irfanview also has in-built image editing tools such as a sharpen filter, colour adjustment and colour correction, which come in handy for last minute adjustments to images. Click here to see the full list of supported file types. (PC, freeware)

Improve your search engine knowledge

SearchLores is a site created by a man named Fravia, who designed it to share his vast knowledge of search engines and advanced searching. It is recommended for everyone who would like to form a deeper understanding of Google (and other search engines;.)

The site contains many essays on topics such as powerbrowsing and search syntax, this somewhat cryptic site can help to vastly improve your experience when searching on the web.

Also see: The Google cheat sheet and Google advanced operators guide - both containing lists of advanced operators to help further refine your searches. Click here to get a printable Google reference guide.

How to find fonts for free on the web

Google font hunting - A common problem with projects I have worked on with other people is missing fonts - or fonts that do not work for both Mac/PC. I discovered that Google indexes directories as well as HTML files, which is very useful when having missing font issues on shared Photoshop projects (etc).

You can find most commonly used fonts on the web by searching in the following manner: +"Arial" +"index of fonts" +"last modified" +ttf

This can be tested by clicking here - replace Arial with the name of the font you are seeking.

HTML Guides

There are many solid HTML guides available on the web - one of the most popular is the W3 Schools tutorial which is a good first stop for beginner's HTML and CSS references.

PageTutor - PageTutor is a website that contains beginners HTML guides up to more advanced languages such as Javascript (link goes to Javascript beginners tutorial).

The HTML Cheat Sheet is a handy, printable reference which is a fast way to improve your knowledge of HTML tags.

HTML Color codes

HTML Color Chart - This page contains the names, hex codes and previews of web-safe colors - useful when in Photoshop or coding in HTML. There is also a few large size, print quality free colour charts available on the web - such as this one.

Resize pictures online

PicResize - Pic Resize is an online tool that allows you to resize your photos. It has features such as preview and cropping and also allows you to add some simple effects to your final image. Also try ResizR which is another similar service.

Freeware Winzip alternative

jZip - Based on the 7-Zip program, jZip is a zip compression program with a sleek interface that is similar to Winzip. It supports a range of compression formats and is easy to use. (Freeware, PC)

UnRarX - UnRarX is a freeware Mac tool to compress RAR files. Also try Stuffit, which is a free Mac compression utility.

Free web photo album generator

WebAlbum - An easy to use web generator to create HTML files for your website. Features automated resizing of images as well as thumbnail creation. (Freeware, PC)

Free Notepad replacement

Araneae - This notepad replacement is designed for people who code in HTML. Araneae features improvements such as syntax colouring, which means code is seperated by colour and is much easier to read. It has a tabbed interface and allows you to preview in your browser directly from the program. Another similar program is EZpad, which also includes an image-map creator.(Freeware, PC)

Create PDF files from documents

PDF Creator - This open source software allows you to create PDF files from most Windows applications. Also supports document conversion to the following formats: PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS, EPS. (Freeware, PC)

Convert HTML to text

HTMLASText - This freeware software allows you to convert HTML pages to plain text. Good for archiving/viewing the copy of your website once it has been completed, or to gain an understanding to what text the search engines see when your site is indexed. (Freeware, PC)

Free blog editor

Windows Live Writer - WLW is a new freeware blog editor that is WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) and supports many blog sites (including blogger.) It includes a number of features that aid in the creation and publishing of rich media blog posts. (Freeware, PC)

Freeware FTP program

FileZilla - FileZilla is a freeware FTP utility with a professional interface. One of the best features is the ability to set a default action (i.e. "Overwrite file") which can save a lot of time and clicking when uploading an entire site folder. (Freeware, PC)

Identify fonts used in images

WhatTheFont - WTF is a service that lets you upload an image to have the website identify the fonts used. The accuracy is high and often can suggest similar freeware alternatives to commercial fonts. I also recommend DaFont for free fonts for use on your website or designs.

Freeware Photoshop alternatives

Paint.NET - Paint.NET is a Windows based freeware graphic editor. It is referred to as the "Open Source Photoshop." Recommended for those beginning in web design. Also try the GIMP hack "GIMPShop" which is available for PC and Mac.

CSS cheat sheet

CSS Cheat Sheet - This is a great CSS code summary that is worth printing and keeping as a reminder. There is also a list of more cheatsheets here.

Convert video for the web

Super(C) - One of the most full-featured software applications I have used, Super(C) is a freeware video conversion program that allows you to convert videos to and from most popular video formats utilised on the web (including Flash video formats). (PC, Freeware)

As it is PC only, Mac users can use FFMpegX for the same features.

Free stock photos

stock.xchng - One of the best free stock photo galleries I've found. Simply sign up and once confirmed, you have access to a large library of free stock images. The terms of use state that you can freely use the images: "in digital format on websites, multimedia presentations, broadcast film and video, cell phones."

Flash image galleries

Flash Galleries - Smashing Magazine reviews some of the best looking flash-based galleries available for free on the web. Make sure to check out their "Best of" section for more great web design links.

Free website icons

Crystal Clear - Courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons library, the Crystal Clear icon set is a free collection of icons which are available for use on your website.

Freeware Dreamweaver alternative

KompoZer - Kompozer is a freeware WYSIWYG editor which was released as an unofficial bug fix for the popular Nvu editor. While not as powerful as Dreamweaver, it provides an easy way to view and edit your HTML code graphically. (PC/Mac/Linux, Freeware)

Trellian WebPage - Another WYSIWYG HTML design program with a drag and drop interface. Features a meta tag editor for search engine optimisation and a spellchecker. (PC, Freeware)

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is another free HTML design program. It is a cut-down version of their shareware version and features a WYSIWYG table generator, form generator and FTP uploader. Also check out their free DHTML menu builder which allows you to create custom menus for your website with ease.

Colour Lovers

Colourlovers - Colourlovers is a great site for designers stuck for colour layout ideas. You can browse through user-created palettes or create your own by selecting your favourite colours.

Tidy up your HTML

HTML Tidy - Tidy is a useful freeware application that cleans up your HTML pages. This program will quickly analyse your HTML pages and clean up any common mistakes it finds. It corrects missing/mismatched end tags, tag order, incorrect syntax (i.e. missing quote marks) and terminates unclosed tags. (Freeware, PC/Mac)

Flash Mute

FlashMute - This software is a must-have for all Flash designers who constantly have to check their multimedia presentations as they are created. It allows you to mute all flash from your browser, allowing you to not only listen to your music uninterrupted, but to retain your sanity. (Freeware, PC Only)