The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Web Design Template Sources, Tools and Resources
The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Web Design Template Sources, Tools and Resources
Posted by Mustafa
The open source model has, over the last 20 years, proven that collaborative development is one of the best ways to incorporate the newest ideas and latest concepts into design.
In fact, the open source model, which began with programmers, has been so successful that it is currently being applied in government, media, education and private business. But despite these new applications, the unique combination of the open source model with the universalism of web design remains one of the ideal applications of open source. This pervasiveness of the open source spirit in web design now means that you can use open source software to design both graphics and your CSS and HTML, and you can also use the dozens of reliable open source code resources or thousands of web design templates to base your own designs on. In this article we highlight 100 open source web design templates, resources, and tools.
The Best Directories of Free Open Source Web Design Templates
There are tons of free design template directories on the net, but sorting through all of them can be a very tedious process. Instead, we suggest that you start with these four, which we consider to be the best free open source design template directories online.
- OSWD: Over 2,000 of the best freebie web design templates. Also allows for search capability by color, contrast, validation, and other categories.
- OpenWebDesign:A large and active community of individuals who share free web design templates. Includes regular design contests and a sub-category of most popular designs to speed up your search.
- Open Designs: Headed by a non-profit board, the open design community has almost 600 designs which have been vetted and moderated by the community’s volunteer board. Also includes a relatively active forum where designers can share tips and resources.
- CSS Tinderbox: CSS Tinderbox prevents you from having to “reinvent the wheel” by providing very basic, yet solid, CSS/XHTML design templates from which you can build off of.
Open Source Web Design Programs
Why pay for software if you can find it free? Usually, the answer is that the free stuff just plain isn’t any good. You won’t find that to be the case with the open source web design software programs in this section, however, which are all the best of the best.
- Nvu: An open-source web authoring system to rival FrontPage and Dreamweaver. (Linux, Windows, and Mac)
- Cssed: A CSS editor featuring auto completion, syntax highlighting and validation. (C, C++) (Linux)
- Quanta Plus: A top-notch HTML editor and web development for the K Desktop Environment.
- Bluefish: An HTML editor for programmers written using GTK, designed to save the experienced webmaster some keystrokes. (C) (GNU/Linux, Unix)
- GIMPShop: The open source replacement for Photoshop. (Mac, Linux, and Windows)
- Inkscape: The vector graphics application which may spell the end for Adobe Illustrator.
Complete Web Design Templates
If you want to get off the ground with your website quickly, then you may want a complete template that requires minimal tweaking. In this section we highlight some of the best complete template resources on the web. These templates include not only the CSS, but also the (X)HTML and in some cases the graphic files to get your site up as fast as possible.
- TemplateNavigator: The largest catalogue of free website and flash templates, along with quality preview shots.
- TemplateBox: Over 300 freebie website, logo, banner, and flash templates to complement their collection of paid offerings.
- Template Monster: A small but very high-quality set of web, flash, and blog templates.
- Art for the Web: 75 freebie templates. Pretty good place to look if you’re looking for something slightly out of the ordinary.
- Free CSS Templates: A 206 template strong resource which is frequently updated with new submissions.
- Effex-Media: Free website templates designed by designers, this massive list is categorized by website type and includes user reviews of many of the templates.
- DotcomWebDesign: Hundreds of free templates, some of which are really top-notch. However, the categorization is a little arbitrary so be ready to spend some time manually searching.
- Themebot Design Templates: This site has some design templates, but not very many. There is a good amount of free themes.
- Groovy Lizard: Personal page templates (commercial use must buy a license)
- Interspire: Freebie web, Frontpage and Dreamweaver templates
- Joyful Heart Designs: Personal page templates generally with floral designs.
- OpenSourceTemplates: Free CSS and xhtml open source website templates and Web 2.0 designs.
- Ricky’s Web Templates: 50+ freebie templates, graphics, and buttons.
- Free CSS Templates: A dozen full-featured fully functional CSS based templates.
- FreekTemplates.com: A collection of business, cars and bikes, and hosting templates.
- Template Perfection: 200+ freebie templates with quite a few non-english oriented templates.
- TemplateWorkz: 48 freebie web templates, along with some basic logo and newsletter templates.
- Zymic: 80 freebie templates (HTML Pages + CSS + Images + PSD Files + Blank Images Files).
- OpenSourceTemplates: A community-driven CSS and xhtml open source template design showcase.
- Freelayouts: HTML and Flash templates.
- FreeCSSTemplates.org: Over 100 freebie CSS templates.
- Free Layouts: Complete list of hundreds of HTML, flash, and CSS templates.
- Free Templates Online: Dozens of easily customizable templates categorized by theme.
- Free Website Templates: A large collection of templates that don’t require a reciprocal link.
- Six-Shooter Media: Free CSS and xhtml open source templates.
- Free Flash Template: Web templates and intros with tons of special features.
- Layouts4Free.com: Free web layouts with search capability.
- Solucija: Free XHTML / CSS website templates already setup and sorted by commercial use.
- MasterTemplates: Professionally designed free website layouts along with PowerPoint templates.
- TemplateWorld: Free, tableless, W3C-compliant web design layouts designed by Template World designers.
- Painted Pixels: Free web page templates, buttons, and background tiles for non-commercial use.
- CSSFill: A selection of CSS / XHTML based layouts and templates by Michael Strand.
- ThemesBase: Templates organized by popular content management, blogging and forum systems.
- Arcsin Design Templates: 22 Freebie XTML and CSS Templates
- Snakeye Web Templates: 20 templates with a focus on Dreamweaver and Fireworks.
- Steve’s Templates: Dozens of templates, free with link back.
- GordonMac.com: Free CSS templates along with some freebie PHP scripts.
- Web Design Helper: Full page templates including the graphics and code.
- Webmaster Resources: 25 free web templates.
CSS Layouts
If you’re looking for the freedom to create something entirely original but just want some of the basic layout taken care of, this section is for you. The templates below are pure CSS, leaving you a clean slate from which you can add the design, graphics, and text as you see fit.
- Layout Gala: 40 CSS tri-color layouts to help you pick a format.
- AndreasVilkund.com: Free Templates by designer Andreas Viklund.
- CSS Template Directory: A collection of CSS formatted page templates, developed and distributed by different designers.
- BenMeadowcroft.com: Top-notch web design templates by Ben Meadowcroft, mixed in with a few spoof pages and experimentation.
- Mollio: A set of basic CSS templates that that also have some sample basic content to speed things along.
- Real World Style: CSS layouts organized by format type.
- Little Boxes: CSS template arrangements with quickly accessible code.
- The Layout Reservoir: Simple, straightforward, and manipulable 2 and 3 column layouts.
- Protagonist Web Resources: A list of 43 tableless layouts to go along with the other protagonist resources.
- Glish: CSS Layout Techniques by Eric Costello which have been stripped down to the bare essentials.
- FU2K: CSS layouts designed for Netscape 4 compatibility.
- Position is Everything: Tableless design resource with CSS bug workarounds.
- ThreeColumnLayouts: The ultimate 3 column layout resource list.
- ssi-developer: Two column CSS template samples with recommendations.
- MIS Web Design: Fancy Paragraphs with CSS.
- Ruthsarian Layouts: Freebie-CSS layouts ranging from basic to complex arrangements.
- A List Apart: CSS: Practical CSS Layout Tips, Tricks and Techniques
- Code-Sucks.com: Creating 1, 2, 3, and 4 column layouts.
- Particle Tree: Dynamic resolution dependent layouts.
- Project Seven: Fluid CSS Layouts
- MyCelly: A collection of 16 basic layout templates.
- Ideas: 12 free CSS templates.
- CSS Library: Dynamic drive’s tableless CSS layouts.
- IntensiveStation: A collection of all new basic CSS templates.
- IronMyers: A collection of layouts with full Grade-A browser support for IE6, IE7, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and more.
- The CSS Playground: Cutting edge CSS demos by Stu Nicholls’
- Wordpress Theme Viewer: Collection of searchable themes organized by columns, colors, rounded corners, and other categories.
- Fluid 2-Column Template: A fully usable “fluid” template, meaning that the design expands and contracts with the window size.
- Avinash 2.0: 12 Free CSS Templates
Automated CSS Tools and Generators
This set of resources isn’t for those that want to create something entirely unique. But if you aren’t a strong coder and just want to get the job done, these automated CSS code tools will let you create CSS at the push of a button.
- CSS Creator: Select the form colors, number of columns, html version, and press a button. Presto, a CSS template for your page.
- Inknoise: The layout-o-matic: fill out the form and out pops your CSS.
- Strange Banana: Simply refresh the template generator until you get the style you like, then save the page which has your CSS embedded in the header.
- Nidahas: A CSS-based form template.
- Maketemplate: A PHP - HTML - CSS template generator for two column layouts.
- IBDjohn: CSS template generator for three column layouts.
- TemplatR: Another easy CSS template generator.
- PsycHo: Your own psychogenesis, your own web design template.
- Firdamatic: Tableless 2 or 3 column layout generator.
- Wordpress Theme Generator: Online generator creates custom unique Wordpress themes.
Blog Themes and Templates
Designing blogs has become so popular as a subset of web design that we thought they deserved their own separate section. In this section, we highlight some of the best open source weblog template sources.
- SmashingMagazine: 83 Beautiful Wordpress Themes You (Probably) Haven’t Seen
- Kaushal Sheth: Elegant WordPress themes.
- ErraticWisdom: Textpattern templates
- Scribez: 10 Best Wordpress Templates.
- pinkdesign: Free diary / blog templates
- Textgarden.org: The official site for themes designed for Textpattern.
- Blogger Templates: A collection of Blogger templates on a wide variety of themes.
- Blogfashions: A collection of free Movable Type compatible blog templates.
- FinalSense: High-quality templates for Blogger.
- WP Themes: WordPress themes all designed by Sadish Bala.
- Drupal Theme Garden: Showcase of themes available for Drupal 4.7x and Drupal 5.x.
- Weblog Design: A small number of high-quality weblog templates.
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Reader Comments
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Wow! What a nice collection. I won’t say it is something absolutely new listing but my appreciation for making an effort to compile all these together in one page.
Thanks
I agree, great effort. There are some I haven’t seen before.
Nice collection of resources there guys. Well done on taking the time to compile them all :D.
Just the tool I was looking for. It will save me alot of time an money.
Thanks sidquill
A very big and nice collection. Will be definetely useful. Thanks for your time.
Cheers,
Sudar
Love the list! My personal favorite is http://www.free-css-templates.com. Thanks!
omg! what a great list. thanks for sharing.
Great job! thanks!
Thanks for the CSS tools and generators, those are very helpful.
Thanks, great tools
Nice! You should add aptana for Open Source Web Design Programs.
Good collection. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the effort, you’ve just made my life a lot easier. THANKS.
Nice post. Thanks!
nice collection dude.
Thanx
Wow thanks for that great list. There is a nice one at rectalwart.com
Excellent list dude, I look forward to using it frequently over the next few months!
Great compilation.
Site looks good - and this is quite a post. Happy to mention in my blog.
[…] templates, and code sources–that can save you time and money while designing web sites.read more | digg […]
Very useful list. I will have to let others know about it and go bookmark it…
OSWD is great and I still recommend people to it often (I make my own templates most of the time now), but unfortuanetly it is no longer being updated.
This is a great collection.
excellent resource… thanks for putting this together.
Great list!
Really good collection
bookmark it
Excellent resources! I’ve been on the lookout for most of these, so thanks.
–
Great job! This will help a lot of students and burgeoning designers who cannot afford the initial cost of something like Dreamweaver or Photoshop.
[…] There are many directories for open source code, but few for open source site designs and templates. DesignVitality is looking to fill that void with their list of titled The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources. […]
I’ve used a few of these resources in the past for paid projects. It’s a good place to start if you’re stuck for ideas.
As far as editors go, open source programs are sometimes better than their counterparts; Bluefish for example is great for editing HTML, CSS, PHP and Ruby code.
great post - keep it up!
[…] The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources […]
Man I never comment on blogs. But this list is freakin’ sweeeeet.
Thanks mate.
[…] The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources - DesignVitality […]
Nice list. Real good work.
I’m missing the famous YAML css layout
Tanks
Luigi
[…] The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources - “The open source model has, over the last 20 years, proven that collaborative development is one of the best ways to incorporate the newest ideas and latest concepts into design. . . which began with programmers, has been so successful that it is currently being applied in government, media, education and private business. But despite these new applications, the unique combination of the open source model with the universalism of web design remains one of the ideal applications of open source. This pervasiveness of the open source spirit in web design now means that you can use open source software to design both graphics and your CSS and HTML, and you can also use the dozens of reliable open source code resources or thousands of templates to base your own designs on. In this article we highlight 100 open source web design tools, resources, and templates. […]
Just in case it hasn’t been said before:
Great list, thanks for your time!
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[…] - The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources List seem to be ever popular on Digg. Check out this list of 100 tools, resources, and templates […]
super lijstje met onmogenlijk veel oplossing ..
[translate]: super list with impossible to count solutions
thnx thnx again
Great collection! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing the list, I’d actually not visited OSWD in ages, I have o say they’ve done some great work turning the site around, it used to be 2000 templates, with the same layout just varying the colour scheme… often done by a colour blind monkey.
Awesome list!
Great resources, thanks for putting this together - Bookmarked!
Nice color variation..
This is a great collection of web related articles and sites. Very useful!
[…] The Open Source Web Design Toolbox: 100 Tools, Resources, and Template Sources […]
very good resource.
[…] Read more… […]
This is greate list. Thanks!
[…] This cool post on Design Vitality lists a bunch of sites and tools for website designers including: […]
Thanks for posting such a splendid collection of tools and resources! Keep up the great work.
Nice collection of online tools. I will use some of these for my next web design.
As far as editors go, open source programs are sometimes better than their counterparts; Bluefish for example is great for editing HTML, CSS, PHP and Ruby code.
thanks.
Thanks for doing the research and putting together a list that reflects the current state of open source software and development resources!
Wow this list is great..I’m gonna stop lookin at all the other sites and stick to this…Its ALL that I need….to put me to…you know the rest
[…] The Open Source Web Design Toolbox A collection of over 100 references to open-source CSS-Templates, tools, services and Wordpress-themes. […]
Great post. This is an excellent resource for folks who need to get a good start on a web design for their project.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thanks for such usefull information. Really, it’s very helpful.
cool list.
I personally prefer to code my own work but will keep in case i need to do some rush jobs.
btw added to my post about useful web tips and tools (http://germworks.net/blog/2007/08/08/my-top-web-development-tools-tips-and-resources/)
thanks
nice~
I come from China, and learning ” DIV + CSS “
my website: web2design.cn
mirc
thanksss
I applaud the effort.Well i will check whole your list it worth checking and like the colour combination and above all thanks for the time.
Nice Site!
very good resource.
Great list
cool job
thanks
BOOKMARKED! This will be a bunch of tools that i might be requiring. You might want to take this url for added reference.
ajaxflakes.com/web-design/now-you-can-code-css-like-a-pro-with-these-101-awesome-css-resources
Your site is interesting, I will visit every day.Thanks
Great Collection. Cool job. thanks
Fantastic! I wish I would have found this sooner!
Great list! nice collection. Thanks for your time.
Great resource, thx!
Great article and a very good list of resources. Some work has gone into this !
Great resources thanks,
I am very impressed with the list of great of template sites. I love templates, this is going to keep me very busy for a long time. Thank you for all time and effort you have put into this list of template sites.
Thanks
Larry
Mustafa,
Just had a look at some of those fantastic website designs. Can’t believe that they’re all free as well.
Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
Kind regards.
Anthony Marquis
Great resources thanks
Wow super site! Thanks
I have you bookmarked now.
Great list, thanks for sharing (stumbled and bookmarked)
I applaud the effort. Well i will check whole your list it worth checking and like the colour combination and above all thanks for the time.
Some great sites, I found OSWD a very useful resource it has a number of nice designs and everything is free!
Nice post
Very nice tools. Thank you for gathring such huge information.
Hey thanks a lot. so cool. lots of useful info. By the way, the link for GIMP is GIMPshop.com rather than gimpshop.net. please change accordingly. it will be useful to all others
A great help for small businesses tools like these can be. I wonder if the CSS tools are in the order you’d recommend them in too? Thanks!
nice collection dude i like it!
This is an impressive list, I cannot believe there are sites here I have never heard of. Some of them have some of the best resources I have seen in a while.
This is an impressive list, thanks for sharing. There is some great inspiration
wonderfull wordpress themes,thanks
very nice list. Thank you very much. Some of them give me very big help.
thanks..
Some great ideas, thanks for the article, without templates we would struggle with ideas!
those tools are really helpful and most of them are simple to use
Liked the resources. Good one. Thanx
Good collection. Keep up the good work!
some wonderful wordpress themes, thanks
nice article and some quality links - bookmarked !
one more to add (a css optimiser) - cssslick.co.uk
Very nice tools. Thank you for gathring such huge information.
NVU hasn’t been updated since 2005 and is nothing like Dreamweaver - did you even try it before putting it on your list? Rest of the list looks good.
Thats quite the list, thanks for compiling it.
this is the best source
Open source is an approach to design, development, and distribution offering practical accessibility to a product’s source (goods and knowledge). Some consider open source as one of various possible design approaches, while others consider it a critical strategic element of their operations. Before open source became widely adopted, developers and producers used a variety of phrases to describe the concept; the term open source gained popularity with the rise of the Internet, which provided access to diverse production models, communication paths, and interactive communities.
The open source model of operation and decision making allows concurrent input of different agendas, approaches and priorities, and differs from the more closed, centralized models of development.[1] The principles and practices are commonly applied to the peer production development of source code for software that is made available for public collaboration. The result of this peer-based collaboration is usually released as open-source software, however open source methods are increasingly being applied in other fields of endeavor, such as Biotechnology.
Can’t believe that they’re all free as well.