WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” It refers to a user interface that allows users to create and edit content in a form that closely resembles its final appearance. This concept is widely used in text editors, web design tools, and other applications where the visual presentation of the content is important.
Key Features of WYSIWYG
- Real-Time Visual Editing: Users can see how the final document or web page will look as they make changes, without needing to preview or switch modes.
- Ease of Use: WYSIWYG interfaces are designed to be user-friendly, allowing people with little or no technical knowledge to create and edit complex documents or web pages.
- Direct Manipulation: Users can directly manipulate text, images, tables, and other elements within the editor, making it intuitive to format and organize content.
- Integrated Formatting Tools: These editors typically include tools for formatting text (bold, italic, font size), inserting images, creating links, and other common tasks, all accessible through a graphical interface.
One of the most popular web applications that is using WYSIWYG is WordPress.
Related: How to Format Text in WordPress (using the WYSIWYG)
HTML WYSIWYG Web Editors
HTML WYSIWYG editors are commonly used for online publishing, website design (also known as WYSIWYG website builders), and content editing. They are especially popular among beginners and non-professional developers or writers who want to publish their content without learning to code. These editors are ideal for this purpose as they are user-friendly and do not require coding knowledge. The term WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) is widely associated with web editors. HTML WYSIWYG editors are often at the center of discussions about the best methods for creating websites and web content. Critics argue that many WYSIWYG editors produce poor or unnecessary code because the markup is automatically generated.