Whether you're interested in starting a career in web design or looking to enhance your skillset, knowing how to use Dreamweaver, a popular web design program, can open up numerous opportunities. From front end and back-end developers to UX designers and visual designers, the demand for web designers across various industries continues to grow.
Key Insights
- Dreamweaver is an Adobe software program used for designing websites. It integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, offering advanced design options for users who know HTML.
- Web designers are in high demand as most businesses and organizations now have websites. These professionals can specialize in various fields, such as front end and back-end development or UX design.
- Knowledge of web design can open up opportunities in other jobs, such as application designers, information architects, and visual designers.
- Adobe charges a monthly subscription fee to use Dreamweaver, starting at $20.99 for individual use. However, they offer a seven-day free trial for new users.
- Free alternatives to Dreamweaver are available, including WordPress and Squarespace, which are now preferred by many web designers.
- Web design is a valuable skill, with well-designed websites having a significant impact on audiences, potentially attracting more users and instilling confidence in the site.
Dreamweaver is an Adobe application, so in order to use this program, you need to pay a monthly subscription fee to Adobe. That subscription fee is at least $20 per month and may be as high as $85, depending on whether you just want Dreamweaver or you decide to subscribe to all Creative Cloud apps and whether you purchase an individual subscription or a business one.
What is Dreamweaver?
Dreamweaver is a downloadable Adobe software program used for designing websites and webpages. It works with either Windows or Mac. Using Dreamweaver, designers can create their own websites from scratch or use the provided starter template pages. The program integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, making importing content from any Adobe app easy.
With Dreamweaver, there are two different ways to design. Users without any knowledge of HTML can use live view, where Dreamweaver generates the required code and displays the content as it will look in a web browser. Users who know HTML can type their code into the program’s code editor. These users will also be able to take advantage of Dreamweaver’s more advanced design options.
This application was created in 1997 and became a popular web design tool. However, in recent years, Dreamweaver has decreased in popularity, with many designers opting for programs such as Visual Studio Code or WordPress instead. It is still used by some Web Designers, though the overall percentage of websites created with Dreamweaver is estimated to be small. Dreamweaver is most popular among people who already have Adobe Creative Cloud or want to stay within the Adobe ecosystem.
Read more about what Dreamweaver is and why you should learn it.
What Can You Do with Dreamweaver?
Web Designers create and maintain websites. In some cases, one person is responsible for an entire website, while in other cases, several team members may work on the job. Knowing how to use Dreamweaver or another web design program can help a designer get started in the field of web design. Web Designers are needed in almost every industry since the majority of businesses and organizations now have websites. US News ranked web design number six in its list of Best Technology Jobs of 2022.
There are many different specialties within the field of web design. Front End Developers specialize in creating the part of the website that users see and interact with, such as the overall layout and individual features like logos or links. Back End Developers work on things that the user does not interact with but are essential to the website's function, like creating and maintaining the database. User experience (UX) design is another job related to web design. A UX Designer ensures that website users have the best experience possible. This includes ensuring that a website is intuitive and easy to use and that the experience is enjoyable for the user.
People with web design knowledge can also work in many other jobs. For example, some Web Designers end up as Application Designers, who develop applications for specific devices such as computers or mobile phones. Information Architects help make information on a website easier to find and understand. Visual Designers are responsible for the aesthetics of a website and work on things such as making sure it engages users. Overall, there are many ways to utilize knowledge of web design.
In-Depth Review of the Cost
Dreamweaver is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, and like all Adobe applications, it is available only through a monthly subscription. Adobe charges $20.99 per month for Dreamweaver only. Users can also choose to subscribe to all Creative Cloud apps for $54.99 per month. The business price for Dreamweaver is $35.99 per month per license or $84.99 per month for all Creative Cloud apps.
Adobe does offer a free trial for its products. Users can access either Dreamweaver alone or all Creative Cloud apps, free for seven days. After that, a monthly subscription is required for access.
There are several free alternatives to Dreamweaver, and in addition to being free, some of the alternatives are actually preferred by many Web Designers. While Dreamweaver was a popular web design tool for many years, it is currently only used for a small percentage of websites. Many designers now use WordPress, which is free. Squarespace is another popular web design program, and its subscription plans start at $16 per month.
Why Learn Dreamweaver?
After learning Dreamweaver or another web design program, a designer can create or edit websites. Websites have become an essential part of business and communication around the world. A website is a way to showcase a product, business, or other types of organizations and to create public awareness of it. It also allows members of the public to research that brand or entity. For these reasons, most companies now have a website, and many without one plan to create one in the future. As a result, website design is a valuable and desirable skill.
Not only are websites needed in almost every industry, but people with the skills to build good websites are particularly valuable. A website’s design can have a significant impact on the audience. For instance, a good design can attract people and give them confidence in the site. In contrast, a bad design can frustrate or deter people from a website. There are many employment opportunities for Web Designers who can create good sites.
Read more about why you should learn Dreamweaver.
Free Introductory Dreamweaver Course Online
Those who want to learn more about Dreamweaver and other web design programs, but aren’t ready to commit to a paid class, can find some free introductory courses online through Noble Desktop. For instance, Get Started in Web Design is an overview of how HTML and CSS are used to create webpages.
For Dreamweaver specifically, there are some free tutorials on other websites. For instance, a YouTube search will return a number of options. Udemy is another place to find a free Dreamweaver tutorial for beginners. Students can also access Adobe’s website to access numerous free Dreamweaver tutorials.
Students who decide to utilize free online courses should be careful to check the reliability and truthfulness of their information. To assess reliability, experts advise checking the author’s credentials or researching the information source. Sometimes, online tutorials and other free resources must be updated or corrected.
Read about more free Dreamweaver videos and online tutorials.
Learn Dreamweaver with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop teaches hands-on web design courses in a variety of formats, with something to fit every type of schedule and learning style. Every class is small and led by expert instructors. Noble also offers a free retake for all of its courses. With the free retake, students can retake a course once within a year without paying for it again. This can be an excellent way to gain additional web design skills.
One popular type of class at Noble Desktop is a web design bootcamp. Bootcamps are intensive programs that teach skills quickly and focus on preparing graduates to use those skills in the workplace. In 2020, tech company HackerRank surveyed 116,000 developers from 162 countries about coding bootcamps and found that about a third of hiring managers hired developers who gained their skills from a bootcamp. Noble Desktop teaches many bootcamps related to web design, including Visual Design Portfolio Bootcamp.
Students looking for a more in-depth web design course can enroll in Noble’s Web Design Certificate. This comprehensive program takes six weeks full-time or five months part-time and teaches students to build websites using WordPress. Students in the certificate program will also learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding languages and Figma for webpage layouts.
How to Learn Web Design
Master web design with hands-on training. Web design is the creative process of building functional, attractive websites with tools like HTML/CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, and Figma and an understanding of user interface (UI) design principles.
- Web Design Certificate at Noble Desktop: live, instructor-led course available in NYC or live online
- Find Web Design Classes Near You: Search & compare dozens of available courses in-person
- Attend a web design class live online (remote/virtual training) from anywhere
- Find & compare the best online web design classes (on-demand) from the top providers and platforms
- Train your staff with corporate and onsite web design training