Open UI Customization - useful tools needed

Before we crack on understanding how to customize Open UI, I thought of sharing some useful tools that I use. As you might have realized by now that Open UI is all about Javascripts, Jqueries and CSS. You need really good editors/tools to manage your customization.

1) Version Control tool:

Since, you will be updating your Open UI related files quite often, it is essential that you have a good version control tool. There are plenty of good free tools available - but I prefer open source tool: git.

2) Editors to edit your JS, CSS, HTML files:
Any text editor like below would do. But I don't like both ;) See at the bottom which tool I love to use.

Notepad++
Textpad



3) You need the best browser to test your changes:
I prefer Google chrome - as it comes with plenty of uagent switchers. uagent switcher is especially useful if you want to test your Open UI and Open UI mobile customizations on various browsers and devices. 

I use User-Agent Switcher (you need chrome to access this link). Using this, you can make your chrome act like any other browser - IE, Safari or Firefox OR as a tablet - iOS based device, android based device or windows phone etc. 

See my browser in action showing Open UI Sales Mobile application in iPad mode:

Finally, not a hidden secrete - which tool I love the most?
I use Microsoft WebMatrix - a free, lightweight, cloud-connected web development tool - it has below features
1) Very nice editor - auto-fill for HTML, Javascript, Jquery and CSS files. 



2) Beautiful integration with source control tool - GIT
Manage your whole public/enu folder as a project. You can create multiple versions of the whole folder structure - can easily revert back to a previous version if something gets broken. 



4) comes with iPhone, iPad and windows phone emulator - free!



So, crack on with Microsoft WebMatrix. Set it up, download all the required extensions. Let me know if any questions. Shortly, I will post my first Hello World! blog on Open UI customization. 

Till then, happy days!

Shiv