These editors typically include the option of using palette windows or dialog boxes to edit the text-based parameters of selected objects. To ease this requirement, some editors allow editing of the markup in more visually organized modes than simple color highlighting, but in modes not considered WYSIWYG. Text editors require user understanding of HTML and any other web technologies the designer wishes to use like CSS, JavaScript and server-side scripting languages. Some functions, such as link checking or validation may use online tools, requiring a network connection. Text editors commonly used for HTML typically include either built-in functions or integration with external tools for such tasks as version control, link-checking and validation, code cleanup and formatting, spell-checking, uploading by FTP or WebDAV, and structuring as a project. Wizards, tooltip prompts and autocompletion may help with common tasks. Some editors additionally feature templates, toolbars and keyboard shortcuts to quickly insert common HTML elements and structures. Text editors intended for use with HTML usually provide at least syntax highlighting. There are two main varieties of HTML editors: text and WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editors.

Many word processing, graphic design and page layout programs that are not dedicated to web design, such as Microsoft Word or Quark XPress, also have the ability to function as HTML editors.

In some cases they also manage communication with remote web servers via FTP and WebDAV, and version control systems such as Subversion or Git. For example, many HTML editors handle not only HTML, but also related technologies such as CSS, XML and JavaScript or ECMAScript. Although the HTML markup in a web page can be controlled with any text editor, specialized HTML editors can offer convenience, added functionality, and organisation.

A HTML editor is a program used for editing HTML, the markup of a web page.

Online css and html compiler