I started doing quite a bit of HTML, CSS, Javascript, RoR development. As a long time developer using Flash we compile a swf and most IDEs launch the browser in order for you to view changes.

That small nugget can save you lots of development hours. Textmate is my editor of choice for Rails and Javascript these days. While it does have a “preview” browser it has some small issues. It does refresh but it only stays visible on a selected file. If you switch to another file you have to launch it again.

You will be doing yourself a huge favor by checking out “LiveReload”. This awesome and simple application allows you to set up lots of directories for web development. Placing some javascript on the page hooks up a single page to reload as files change but even better there is an extention for google chrome and ff and any time a file changes with in your web directory it will reload any page you have loaded within the browser for that project. A very small simple solution but one that is well worth the money.

The Web Developer Wonderland

(a happy land where browsers don’t need a Refresh button)

CSS edits and image changes apply live.

CoffeeScript, SASS, LESS and others just work.

Citizenship is granted through the Mac App Store.
Windows permanent residency issues are being worked out,
temporary stay already allowed.