Nvu

Name: Nvu
Availability: Discontinued
Author: Nvu

Nvu (pronounced "N-view") was a free WYSIWYG HTML editor based on the Mozilla Composer component. It let users create web pages visually by typing text, inserting images, and formatting layout without writing HTML code directly - similar to how a word processor works but producing web pages.

What it did

The editor displayed a visual representation of the web page as you built it. You typed text, applied formatting (bold, headings, colors), inserted images and tables, and created links by clicking buttons rather than writing HTML tags. A split view showed the visual design alongside the generated HTML code for manual adjustments.

A built-in FTP client uploaded finished pages directly to a web server. CSS support handled basic styling, and a site manager organized projects with multiple pages.

Advantages

Visual web page creation without coding
Built-in FTP for direct server upload
Free and open source
Simpler than Dreamweaver for basic sites

Drawbacks

Development stopped in 2006
Produced outdated HTML not suitable for modern web
No support for responsive design or modern CSS
VS Code, WordPress, or Wix are current web creation tools

Who it was for

Nvu was for non-programmers who wanted to create simple websites in the mid-2000s. Web development has changed fundamentally since then. For visual site building without code, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace are the current options. For coding, VS Code with live preview is the standard free editor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Nvu?

A free WYSIWYG HTML editor based on Mozilla Composer that let users create web pages visually without writing code, with built-in FTP upload.

What replaced Nvu?

KompoZer was a brief fork. For visual site building, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace are current options. For code editing, VS Code is the standard.

Can I still build websites without coding?

Yes. WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow all provide visual website builders with modern responsive templates and hosting included.

Features & How-To Guide

#	Feature	How to use
1	WYSIWYG page editing in four modes	Tabs at the bottom: Normal (WYSIWYG)/HTML Tags (inline tags)/Source (raw HTML)/Preview (browser preview).
2	Website manager with FTP publishing	View › Show/Hide › Site Manager. Create a site profile with FTP address/username/password. Edit and upload directly to the server.
3	Multiple document editing in tabs	Open multiple HTML files simultaneously in separate tabs. Switch between pages by clicking a tab.
4	CSS editor	CSS button on the toolbar or Format › CSS Stylesheets. List of CSS rules with property editing (font/color/margin/padding).
5	FTP publication from editor	File › Publish. Transfers the current page to the configured FTP server without leaving the editor.
6	Image insertion	Insert › Image or the Image button on the toolbar. Dialog for choosing a file/alt text/dimensions/alignment/border.
7	Source code editing with syntax highlighting	Source tab › Direct HTML editing with syntax highlighting (tags/attributes/content in different colors).
8	Spell checking	Tools › Check Spelling or Tools › Preferences › Check underline errors. Errors are underlined in red.
9	Table insertion and editing	Insert › Table. Dialog for setting rows/columns/width/border/padding. Right-click a cell › Insert/delete row/column.
10	Link and anchor management	Select text/image › Insert › Link (Ctrl+L). Anchors: Insert › Named Anchor › Reference via #name in the link.
11	HTML form creation	Insert › Form › Add elements (text input/textarea/checkbox/radio/select/button) via Insert › Form Fields.
12	Toolbar customization	View › Show/Hide › Toggle bars (Composition/Format 1/Format 2/Edit Mode/Status Bar/Rulers/Site Manager).