7 Powerful Tools a Web Designer MUST Try!

Are you a web designer ? Do you fancy new tools to create web designs that stand out amongst others ? If so, you are at the right place, right now. Through this blog, I’ll present before you a glimpse of how technology has advanced, helping web designers like us take things to the next level. Besides, it’s always fun to try out something different than the usual. And when technology is pacing to provide us with valuable tools to do so, why not embrace it instead ?

Say goodbye to Static Designs

Let’s just take it for granted that the golden era of using static websites are long gone. Besides, you don’t wanna stay outdated with your practices, or do you?

In case you noticed, there ain’t much of a gap between the tasks of a designer and a developer lately. As these two profiles move in a linear direction hand in hand, the usage of tools to do the same is also at the verge of an upgrade. Case in point, for the best results, you need to get your hands on the best tools. And that’s that!

Further ahead, I’ll kick off with my list of 11 powerful tools for web designers. Try these tools and see if they work your way. Having said that, try not to end up with a soft corner for them because I’m dead sure something savvier might be rolling out sooner than later.

1) Pattern Lab

Based around Atomic Design, Pattern-Lab is indeed a fantastic tool developed by BRad Frost and Dave Olsen. The concept of atomic design is simple, disintegrate your design into the smallest parts i.e atoms, and then resculpt them into something bigger, scalable components i.e molecules and organisms. Once done, you may use the output as templates for vivid web related work.

Despite that fact that what you achieve is innovative, Pattern-Lab is simply a static-site generator, weaving smaller components of UI to something valuable. Pattern-Lab allows users to use dynamic data, offers resizing tools ensuring your designs are responsive by nature.

2) Vivaldi

Not all great tools necessarily be sophisticated.

Right?

On that note, here’s a web browser that’ll add on to your productivity. Vivaldi is an amazingly fast and customizable web browser designed for power users.

The app was developed by creators of Opera. It is built using web technologies such as JavaScript, Node.js and React for front end UI.

Speaking of functionality., well, the browser offers you the ability to take notes with the browser itself. You also get command line access to the browser and you can easily stack tabs. Even more, the browser allows you to keep all your favourites in one place for easy access anytime. Indeed, it is one of the most customizable browser available at the moment. Try it out and see how you can use this tool to the benefit of a web designer.

3) Affinity Designer

Well, this app is surely a flagship killer!

Must admit, it is one of the most well designed app, supporting the obvious needs of graphic designers. Serif’s Affinity Designer offers you a lot of features similar to Photoshop, however easier to manipulate and implement. You get to play with layers, and manipulate vector images without any scope of damage.

Besides, even photoshop doesn’t offer you a 1,000,000 % zoom feature!

Apart from this, you get the option of undo and delete history as well, which, can obviously come handy, depending on your usability

Talking of the UI, well, even for a first timer, it won’t appear much troublesome. When people move from Photoshop to some other tool, their main issue is dealing with the new layout. However, in the case of Affinity, you won’t need to worry much about it. The layout is fairly similar to that of photoshop, while they’ve just tightened up the nitty-gritty of the tool.

All being said and done, it’s time for you to get started with this savvy tool. No more distractions. Focus on productivity and increase your work efficiency with Affinity!

4) Avocode

Heard of this app yet ? If not, then you surely are missing some serious fun here. With the help of Avocode, the task of front end developers gets really easy. Avocode allows to code websites and apps directly from Photoshop designs. Developed by the same team responsible for CSS Hat and PNG Hat, you can easily export your Photoshop files (.psd) into Avocode with a single click!

The functionality of Avocode is fairly straightforward. It analyses your psd files and recreates then as a UI design. Once done, you get all the access to play around with the UI and you can easily export assets, SVG being the standard. I’m sure that no app can truly replace a developer, however, with Avocode you can always reach close enough with automation as the game changer.

5) Antetype

Antetype is a fantastic tool to create some extravagant and responsive UI for mobile/ web apps and websites. When you’d use it, you’ll feel as if it was created for just one purpose, to create highly-accurate prototypes. In a way, it’s great for a team dedicated to prototyping. The auto-layout and widgets option in the app allows users to iterate designs rapidly while ensuring work consistency.

When you download the app, you get a hefty widget library using which you may create some savvy prototypes at ease and in no time. Antetype supports both iOS and Windows operating system, even Android for that matter. When you are at their website, you will come across an active community section from where you may download UI kits by connecting with other Antetype users.

There is also an active community section on the site from where you can download UI kits by connecting with other Antetype users. By simply dragging and dropping things here and there, you are able to create some fantastic prototypes of UI. Care to it try it today and decide for yourself if it works your way or not!

6) Sketch

Ever since it’s launch in 2009, Sketch has gained quite some liking from the massive fraternity of web designers.

Sketch’s functionality wraps around CSS logics. Thus, it is fairly simple and easy to convert your designs into CSS, especially when applying styles. Apart from the CSS, well, Automatic Slicing is indeed a great feature, helping speed up the design and development crossover moment. With a simple click, you can export your assets in various formats; PNG, JPEG and TIFF being the most common ones.

7) Marvel

Last name in my last had to be this one.

Marvel is indeed a one of a kind application that shatters all the barriers while bringing your digital ideas to life! It is a code-free prototyping tool that offers you the ability to test your designs, images and sketches as interactive prototypes which look and feel just the way a website does.

If you are new to Marvel app, when you first login, you’ll be asked to connect it to your Dropbox so that you can simply grab files from there and get going with your projects. However, in case you do not use Dropbox, you’ll have to create a Dropbox account, because there is no other way to get your files into the app.

As soon as you have your psd’s into the marvel’s dashboard, you can make the best of the app to hot link your pages together. The app offers you numerous quality features that’ll help you create transitions, allow you to quickly preview in browsers, select different environment for your projects.

So in case you wish to design something with respect to iOS, you get the option to set the environment accordingly. Friends, you must try this app , if not already!

In conclusion…

The best thing about technology is that it never backs down. With time, it keeps progressing and that is good for you and me. Why, because we are hungry for new and cool products like the 7 mentioned above. These were my favourite 7 tools that I use often. However, there are many more to explore and I’m sure they’ll impress you too. As long as you flow with time and extract the best from the latest tech solutions, you’ll be at the top of the chain and do great.

Stay tuned for more interesting write-ups on web technology.