**Course Title:** HTML & Web Development Fundamentals: Building Modern Websites **Section Title:** Introduction to HTML and Web Development **Topic:** Setting up a development environment: Code editors (VSCode, Sublime Text) Welcome to the world of web development. In the previous topic, we explored the basics of HTML and its role in building the structure of a website. Now, it's time to set up a development environment that will make coding more efficient and enjoyable. In this topic, we'll focus on two popular code editors: Visual Studio Code (VSCode) and Sublime Text. ### Why do we need a code editor? A code editor is a software application that allows you to write, edit, and manage your code. Unlike text editors like Notepad or TextEdit, code editors provide features that make coding more efficient, such as: * Syntax highlighting: This feature highlights the different elements of your code, making it easier to read and understand. * Code completion: This feature suggests possible code completions as you type, saving you time and reducing errors. * Debugging: This feature helps you identify and fix errors in your code. ### Visual Studio Code (VSCode) VSCode is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux and has become a popular choice among web developers. Here are some of its key features: * **Customizable**: VSCode allows you to customize the interface, layout, and extensions to fit your needs. * **Extension marketplace**: VSCode has a vast marketplace with extensions that can enhance its functionality, such as debugging tools, code snippets, and integrations with other development tools. * **IntelliSense**: VSCode's IntelliSense feature provides code completion, debugging, and code refactoring. To download and install VSCode, visit the official website: [https://code.visualstudio.com/](https://code.visualstudio.com/) ### Sublime Text Sublime Text is a popular, feature-rich code editor that's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Although it's not free, it offers a free trial version that you can use indefinitely. Here are some of its key features: * **Speed**: Sublime Text is known for its speed and responsiveness, making it a great choice for large projects. * **Goto Anything**: Sublime Text's Goto Anything feature allows you to quickly navigate to any file, symbol, or function in your project. * **Code completion**: Sublime Text provides code completion and debugging features. To download and install Sublime Text, visit the official website: [https://www.sublimetext.com/](https://www.sublimetext.com/) ### Setting up your code editor Now that we've covered the features of VSCode and Sublime Text, let's set up our code editor: * **Choose a theme**: Customize the appearance of your code editor by choosing a theme that suits your preference. * **Install extensions**: Explore the extension marketplace and install extensions that will enhance your coding experience. * **Configure settings**: Customize the settings of your code editor to fit your needs, such as formatting options and keyboard shortcuts. ### Practical exercise 1. Download and install VSCode or Sublime Text. 2. Choose a theme and customize the appearance of your code editor. 3. Explore the extension marketplace and install a few extensions that interest you. 4. Create a new file and write some HTML code using the code editor. 5. Experiment with the code completion and debugging features of your code editor. **What's next?** In the next topic, we'll cover the basic HTML structure: DOCTYPE, head, body, and meta tags. This will provide a solid foundation for building modern websites. **Do you have questions or need help?** Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions or need help with setting up your code editor.