One of the best free editors is KompoZer, our top recommendation for newbies. It’s designed for non-technical computer users who want to create an attractive web site without needing to know HTML. Features include integrated file management (upload to and edit files on a web server), tabbed editing (work on multiple pages), and support for forms, tables and templates.

Kompozer is an open source web development tool built on NVU. The project strives to fix bugs in the NVU project and added new features to it. Both the HTML editor as well as the CSS editor has so far be fixed and updated as part of the Kompozer project – and many more changes are scheduled. Apart from that the main feature set is exactly as in NVU. And one of the most important features is still that editing take place in WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mode allowing you full control of layout as you work with your web design.

If you dislike that achy, bloated feeling that other HTML editors can give your computer, KompoZer may be the freeware cure you’re looking for. An open-source Web development tool built on the NVU architecture, KompoZer aims to improve upon the NVU’s bugginess.

It does a fairly admirable job of that, while not being bloatware. Major editing buttons live on the top three-tier toolbar, including a one-click Publishing icon as well as one-clicks for Image insertion and Table and Form creation. Font tweaks like Size and Style live in toolbars just below that, making for easy HTML editing. A Site Manager, including File tree, is anchored on the left, although it can be collapsed, and the WYSIWYG standard means that KompoZer can compete more than adequately with other, better-known editors.

Currently packaged with Portable Apps, KompoZer’s exposure seems to be growing. While this is a good thing, the program lacks a certain finish, potentially making it visually unappealing to “professional” users. Judging from the smooth, bug-free way KompoZer tested for us, it’s definitely aiming to play the same tune that its competitors are.