1. Functions and Classes
You can find a whole array of pre-made classes and functions to help save development time. A great resource directory for finding the perfect PHP classes is
PHPClasses.org. For those of you who use Perl, you should be familiar with
CPAN.
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is the term used to describe the use of images which humans can identify, in order to ensure an automated bot/computer program isn’t accessing your application. The ideal use for this is in contact forms to ensure only humans can send messages — therefore eliminating automated spam and junk messages.
The following CAPTCHA systems can be easily integrated with your applications:
- reCAPTCHA
One of the most popular CAPTCHA systems that helps to digitize books, newspapers and old time radio shows by using CAPTCHA inputs to help translate. There is also a Perl module available for reCAPTCHA.
- Securimage
Securimage is a free open-source PHP CAPTCHA script for generating complex images and CAPTCHA codes.
- freeCap
A GPL CAPTCHA script to stop spam.
- HN CAPTCHA
A CAPTCHA script written in PHP, licensed under LGPL.
Date Manipulation
Manipulating dates in your applications can be a time-consuming process. PHP and Perl include numerous functions for automating the process, but often don’t offer all the required functions.
The following date manipulation functions can be easily integrated with your applications:
- PEAR Date
Generic PHP classes for representation and manipulation of dates, times, and time zones without the need for timestamps.
- Date Class
This PHP class allows you to add or subtract periods from dates, and calculate the difference between two dates.
- Date manipulation in PHP
A PHP tutorial on PHPBuilder.com, guiding you through a number of common date manipulation processes.
- Date::Calc Perl Module
A powerful Perl module for date calculations based on the Gregorian calendar.
Image Manipulation
Manipulating images is a common requirement. Whether you want to resize your images while maintaining aspect ratios, or add watermarks, the process can be entirely automated using a server-side language like PHP or Perl.
Form Validation
Form validation is critical to ensure users enter form information in a suitable format, and is especially important to protect your application against attacks.
Password Validation
Password validation is important to ensure your users choose passwords that offer an adequate level of security to prevent their accounts from being compromised.
2. Ajax and JavaScript
Ajax is a web methodology that uses JavaScript to make HTTP connections to retrieve and process data for the purpose of dynamically updating the content of a static web page. Ajax enables you to update content within a web page without reloading the entire page, thus reducing load times and server loads, making your web pages more interactive and intuitive. A great resource for Ajax tools is
MiniAjax.
Auto Suggest
Auto suggest or autocomplete tools are usually applied to text inputs like search fields. When a user begins their input, the input field shows a list of options that match what they have entered so far. This enables users to enter their input more quickly, and can also help them enter terms that match search data that are more likely to return relevant results.
Calendars
Ajax calendars are extremely useful when you need your users to enter a date. They reduce confusion over date formats, and enable users to easily find the date they are looking for rather than typing a date format string.
Sliders
Ajax sliders enable users to use an interactive draggable element to select values. These are very useful for features like colour pickers as they enable users to ‘slide’ through a range of colours to select the one they want.
Data Grids
Ajax data grids enable you to display data in a table, but with the benefit of features like column sorting and pages without the need to reload the entire page.
- Grid3
A useful data grid tool which is part of the Ext JS library.
- dhtmlxGrid
A powerful data grid tool that includes column sorting and search functionality.
- Unobtrusive Table Sort Script
A data grid tool that includes multiple column sorting.
- AJAX Data Listings Engine
A powerful open source PHP data grid tool for use with mySQL.
- TableKit
A data grid tool based on the Prototype JavaScript framework that features field editing.
Draggable Content
Ajax-based draggable content features can be very useful when used appropriately. Such tools enable users to reorganize a page to suit their needs, and can also serve as a basis for an interactive feature like a shopping basket.
Image Enlarging
Image enlarging scripts, similar to JavaScript light boxes, enable the user to enlarge or zoom in on an image chosen from a set of thumbnail images.
Galleries and Slideshows
Image galleries are very useful when you have a collection of images to show, they allow users to easily browse your images, and features like slideshows allow users to sit back and enjoy watching your images.
Star Ratings
Star rating scripts allow users to rate items through an intuitive and attractive interface, which is an improvement over typical drop-down menus or radio buttons.
Colour Pickers
If you want to let users choose colours in your application, it’s better to present them with an interface rather than asking them to enter a HEX code. Colour pickers allow users to choose colours from a colour palette which then generates a HEX code for use in your HTML.
Progress Bars
Progress bars are very useful when handling user uploads or pages which can be slow to load; they keep the user informed that progress is being made and that the page is loading.
3. APIs
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of program functions which can be accessed by another application. One example is a currency conversion API that retrieves currency conversion data by allowing the user to enter a base currency, an amount, and the desired result currency, which returns a result via the API.
- Alexa Top Sites
This API provides access to lists of web sites ordered by Alexa Traffic Rank.
- bit.ly API
A useful API for the bit.ly URL shortening service.
- Blinksale API
Enables you to access Blinksale data such as invoices and customer data.
- FoXRate
A basic currency conversion API.
- eBay API
eBay’s API which allows you to submit items to be listed and obtain listing data.
- Twitter API
The Twitter API allows you to have access to Twitter data, including user and status information.
4. IP Locations
Finding out where your visitors are located can be valuable from a development standpoint. It can help you understand your visitors so you can design your site to better suit their needs. IP location information can help you determine where a user is located, enabling you to display content in the their language. You can also optionally customize other information such as currencies and shipping costs.
- OpenCrypt IP Location API
A hosted API service for determining user location by country.
- IP Details
A PHP class for determining geographical locations based on IP address.
- GEO-IP
A free IP to country database.
5. Charts and Graphs
Charts and graphs enable you to display complex data visually. This is useful for example when trying to determine information like daily pageview counts from detailed statistical logs, enabling the user to immediately see how the data varies over a period of time.
- amCharts
A powerful Flash charts tool which supports 3D charts and the ability to combine different graphs.
- FusionCharts
A well designed and stylish 3D charts tool.
- XML/SWF Charts
A highly customizable Flash charts tool.
- JFreeChart
A free Java-based charting tool.
- pChart
A powerful PHP class for building attractive charts.
6. Maps
Once you are using IP location tools like those listed above, you will have a collection of user location data. What better way to display it than with an interactive map. Interactive maps are also useful for understanding user location data such as sales information, for example, when you receive delivery and billing address info from a user.
- amMap
An interactive mapping tool which includes drill-down functionality.
- Google Charts API
A great mapping tool, though limited to a small map size.
- Flashmaps
A great collection of different Flash mapping tools.
7. Audio Players
When used well, playing audio on your web site can be a great way of setting a mood or getting a message across.
8. Video Players
Video content is now becoming a standard, but getting the right video player is very important. Video content is the ideal, and often expected tool for promotion, so getting a player which suits your site and needs is now a critical design and development choice.
- OS FLV
An open source and well featured Flash video player.
- Flowplayer
A full-featured and highly customizable Flash video player.
- JW FLV Media Player
A very powerful and flexible Flash video player.
- FLV Player
A stylish and customizable Flash video player.
9. Video Conversion
Video conversion/encoding can be a tricky business. Videos can be in a wide range of formats but most players only support a handful of those. If you don’t have a server which supports ffmpeg, converting videos to a format suitable for your player is usually an offline and manual task.
10. WYSIWYG Editors
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors enable you to offer an HTML editor when users enter information, for example, in content management systems, or for entering comments or reviews. These editors enable users to style and format data without the need to understand HTML.
- TinyMCE
A lightweight yet powerful JavaScript WYSIWYG editor.
- XINHA
A fully featured and open source WYSIWYG editor.
- NicEdit
A simple and lightweight WYSIWYG editor.
- openWYSIWYG
An open source, cross-browser WYSIWYG editor.
- CKEditor
A well designed and feature-rich WYSIWYG editor.
http://www.noupe.com/tools/100-essential-web-development-tools.html
Gimp works across several different platform (Linux, Mac, Windows, FreeBSD, Sun OpenSolaris) and is perhaps one of the best free alternatives out there so far. Gimp has a large user community, with great list of tutorials on the official sites.
[Windows only] This photo editor runs on Windows. It has a large and growing community of users, with lots of tutorials and plugins.
[Windows only] This free photo editor originates from Japan, with English versions to download. Supports layers, masks, and some basic tools of Photoshop.
[Mac only] Seashore is an open source image editor for Mac OS X’s Cocoa framework. It features gradients, textures and anti-aliasing for both text and brush strokes. It supports multiple layers and alpha channel editing. It is based around the GIMP’s technology and uses the same native file format.
Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics editor similar to Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Freehand, or Xara X. What sets Inkscape apart is its use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), an open XML-based W3C standard, as the native format.
Xara Xtreme for Linux is a powerful, general purpose graphics program for Unix platforms including Linux, FreeBSD and (in development) OS-X. Formely known as Xara LX, it is based on Xara Xtreme for Windows, which is the fastest graphics program available, period.
[Mac only] ChocoFlop is an image editor for Mac OS X, based on the CoreImage technology. It is currently in beta stage and available freely.
[Windows only] PhotoPlus is the amazing photo editing software that enables you to fix and enhance digital photos, create stunning bitmap graphics and even web animations.
CinePaint is a deep paint image retouching tool that supports higher color fidelity than ordinary painting tools.
[Linux only] Krita is an image processor for KOffice, which should be suitable for all your image creation and editing needs.
[Mac only] You may think this is just any normal image preview tool, but the fact is Mac’s Preview can perform more. Folks at Usingmac describe how you can use Mac’s Preview tool to perform basic image editing.
[Windows only] It allows you to do simple or advanced adjustments to an image and apply a vast range of filters on it. It is simple and intuitive to use, and has an easy learning curve.
