Overview
Dreamweaver's reputation is complicated by its history, when it generated markup for people who did not write it. That version of the program is long gone. What it is now is a competent code editor with syntax highlighting, code completion, linting and a git client, wrapped in two things that most editors do not have: a live rendering preview that updates as you type, and a site management layer that knows about the whole set of files and the server they are going to.
For anyone maintaining a site as actual files rather than as the output of a build toolchain, that combination is genuinely convenient. Edit the stylesheet, watch the preview reflow, save, and the file transfers to the server through the site definition without leaving the program. The 2021 release is the last of its line and is stable, which for a tool like this is a virtue rather than a complaint.
Editing and the live preview
The code editor handles markup, stylesheets, script files, and the common server side languages with syntax awareness, bracket matching, code folding, multiple cursors and a linter that flags structural errors as you write rather than when you load the page. Code completion covers the standard element and property sets with the relevant documentation inline, which saves a considerable amount of tab switching.
The live view renders the page with a real rendering engine and updates as the source changes. Elements can be selected in the rendered view and the cursor jumps to the corresponding source, which is the fastest way to find which rule is producing an unexpected result. The inspection mode overlays the box model on hover, showing margin, border and padding in place.
Responsive work is handled with a resizable viewport and the ability to add breakpoints visually, writing the media query into the stylesheet at the width you drag to. It is a small convenience and it removes the step of guessing a number and going back to check it.
Site management and transfer
A site definition ties a local folder to a remote server and optionally a testing server. From that point the file panel shows both sides, transfers in either direction with dependency checking so linked assets travel with a page, and can synchronise a whole tree based on modification times. Transfer works over the standard file transfer protocols including the secured variants.
The link checker walks the site and reports broken internal links and orphaned files, and a site wide find and replace works across every file in the definition rather than only the open ones. On a site of a few hundred pages that pair of features is the difference between a maintainable site and one that quietly rots.
Templates and library items let a shared region be defined once and updated everywhere it appears. This predates every modern component system and works on plain files with no build step, which for a static site is still a reasonable arrangement.
Version control and working with other tools
A git client is built in, covering staging, committing, branching, merging and remote operations from a panel rather than a terminal. It is not a replacement for a dedicated client on a complex history, but for the everyday commit and push cycle it is sufficient and it keeps the work in one window.
Files are plain files, so nothing prevents editing them in another editor in parallel, and the program picks up external changes when it regains focus. Assets from the rest of the suite drop in normally, with image files placed and optimised through the export path rather than by hand.
What you get
- Code editor with syntax awareness for markup, styles, scripts and server side languages
- Live rendering preview that updates as the source changes
- Selection in the rendered view jumps to the corresponding source
- Box model inspection overlaid on hover
- Visual breakpoint creation that writes media queries into the stylesheet
- Site definitions linking a local folder to remote and testing servers
- File transfer with dependency checking and tree synchronisation
- Site wide find and replace and a broken link checker
- Templates and library items for shared regions without a build step
- Built in git client for the everyday commit cycle
Inside the archive
- Dreamweaver 2021 desktop application, offline installer
- Starter templates for common page layouts
- Code hinting reference sets
- Language packs for the interface list shown above
- Notes on setting up a site definition and transfer credentials
System requirements
| Operating system | Windows 10 version 21H2 or later, Windows 11, 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel or AMD, 2 GHz or faster |
| Memory | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended |
| Graphics | Any card with an up to date driver |
| Storage | 3 GB free for the install |
| Display | 1280 by 1024 minimum, 1920 by 1080 recommended |
Installing it
- Unpack the archive to a path with no spaces or accented characters.
- Suspend real time protection for the length of the install.
- Run setup as administrator and choose the interface language.
- Launch once and skip the start screen.
- Create a site definition pointing at a local folder before doing anything else, most features depend on it.
Mirrors
| Route | Region | Note | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct, primary | Europe | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Direct, secondary | North America | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Torrent magnet | Global | Either works at this size | Online |
Release history
- Live view rendering engine updated to a current build
- Fixed transfer failing over the secured protocol on servers requiring a newer cipher
- Git panel handles detached head state without confusion
- Site wide find and replace speed improved on large trees
- Code hinting updated for current stylesheet properties
- Visual breakpoint creation writes cleaner media query blocks
- Fixed link checker reporting false positives on anchor only links
Questions about this release
Does it still generate markup for me?
Not in the way it used to. It is a code editor now. The visual tools write into your source rather than replacing it with generated output.
Can I use it alongside another editor?
Yes. Files are plain files and external changes are picked up when the program regains focus.
Does the file transfer support secured protocols?
Yes, including the secured file transfer variants. Credentials are stored per site definition.
Is the git client a full replacement for a dedicated one?
For the everyday commit and push cycle, yes. For a complicated history operation, use a dedicated client.
Why do half the features seem missing?
Most of them depend on a site definition. Create one pointing at your local folder and they appear.
Comments
Live view plus click to source is still the fastest way I know to find a misbehaving rule.
Maintaining a 300 page site as plain files. Link checker and site wide replace earn their keep every week.
Comments are read before they appear. If a build stops working, say so here and it gets rebuilt rather than quietly left up.
Transfer over the secured protocol works again with my host. That cipher fix was the blocker.