Eclipse HTML editor

Most of the time I really love Eclipse; however, sometimes, I really hate it.
Currently, I am still using Eclipse 3.3, and as I am doing some “web” development with Django,  I thought I could use WST (Web Standard Tools). However, I could not use it: downloaded, installed, enabled – no chance to see any difference in the system. I am quite sure I am doing something wrong, but, and this is what I really hate in Eclipse, I was not able to find any simple “how to” documentation that could help me in solving the issue.

However, the plugin ecosystem is healthy, and I was then able to find a good replacement in Amateras HTML Editor Plugin. I quite like it, and even if I have to edit the markup code, I can still see the preview, so it is not so bad after all. And the other tools (like palette, and especially the css editor) are well designed, and helps a lot. Yes, that’s not Dreamweaver, but for the moment I can live with that.

Another option, finally, is Aptana Studio. I am using it right now, and it’s better than Amateras. However, it is more invasive, and it has a slight “adware” attitude, because it has full of links for the “extended” version of the plugin, that requires some form of subscription. Nevertheless, it allows for a far better preview of html files, and if you do not care for those links, or (like me) avoid using the Aptana perspective, then it is quite OK: it still forces you to work on source level, but it has a good amount of helpers and the preview works enough to be useful.

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