What is the alternative software for fireworks?

[ateer1]

Fireworks was the best software i dealt with for webgraphics, and as of 2013 it won't be updated anymore, what is the alternative software that might replace it and gets updated?

[Herbert2001]

A difficult question to answer - I guess it depends on your preferred workflow and how you used Fireworks. Fireworks, no matter how you looked at it, did get quite old in the teeth - workflows have changed quite a bit nowadays, and FW was not keeping up. Adobe is, I think, hoping to have Photoshop replace it. But that is not quite the best option right now.

I found a good replacement in Photoline, although it is still missing a couple of things crucial to web dev. The good things are full svg support (import and export), export of (selected) layers, pages, good (real) vector tools, pixel alignment for vector layers, virtual copies of layers, excellent bitmap tools (comparable to PS), good guides, good alignment tools, patterns, a built-in procedural texture maker, document colours (newest beta), pixel view, anti-aliasing control per layer, great down-scaling algorithms, and so on. I use Qolor Quantizer and RIOT for web graphics optimization.

The things missing are: slicing (which I never used anymore anyway - all layer based workflow now); symbols (though virtual layers work as a workaround); a general pixel alignment setting; no html/css output (which I never need anyway).

It can do much more than Fireworks, but for pure web work it is still missing some things. The devs are very open to suggestions, though, and so far have been adding a lot of useful web functionality. It can only improve, in my opinion.

This works for me. I also work with Xara Designer Pro - which does have full html/css export if required. There is also Xara Webdesigner (Pro) (Designer Pro includes all that functionality).

Soon the first version of EvolveUI will be out: http://tribaloid.com/

It sounds like the perfect FW replacement. As a matter of fact, that project was started by disgruntled ex-FW users.

Of course, you could switch to Photoshop - but that is still too awkward for web work, in my opinion. Illustrator could also be an option. Even InDesign can be used for working web prototypes. But none of these are truly optimized for web work.

In short, do your own research; download the trial version, play around, and see if they do what you need in your web work.

[josh@joshthomas.com]

Axure RP is a great option for making wireframes and working prototypes. Not so great for visual design or exporting to image files. I hear of people using Sketch 3, although I haven't since it can't export to PSD.

Personally, I've switched to Adobe Illustrator for my web layouts. I'll use Photoshop for raster manipulation, but Illustrator is great for pixel precision, 9 slice scaling, and multiple layouts with smart objects. My main beef is artboards—there should be no limit on the size, and adding and removing boards is a hassle. Which it worked more like pages in Fireworks.

[Herbert2001]

Josh Thomas wrote:

Axure RP is a great option for making wireframes and working prototypes. Not so great for visual design or exporting to image files. I hear of people using Sketch 3, although I haven't since it can't export to PSD.

I dislike Axure RP myself - too convoluted, and it feels very clunky to me. I prefer Justinmind Prototyper myself - have you tested the newest version yet? Even the free version is rather useful.

Aside from that, Macaw works very nicely for quick RWD prototyping.

[katherine_mary]

didnt find evolveUI on tribaloid but did find it on the chrome store. have not tried it yet. dont really think it will live up to my expectations with regard to fireworks but Ill check it out. thanks for the other links. I think photoline might work if it does pages.

[Paul-M]

Xara Designer Pro about near as you'll get to Fireworks:

http://www.xara.com/uk/designer-pro/

[eGranville]

I just learned about Affinity Designer (Apple Design Award winner) and I'm getting excited again for the first time since hearing Adobe will kill off Fireworks. Love the speed!

Affinity Designer - Professional graphic design software for the Mac

[TangoDelta75]

Just started using Affinity Designer, and it's possibly even better than Fireworks.

[Todd@Budge]

Hi. Just curious, does Designer permit you to export a PSD and keep the vector editability of your shapes?

[rayek.elfin]

Yes. Text, however, is rasterized. I believe the Affinity devs are working on that.

Affinity does have an issue with exporting assets, though: no preview. It's its Achilles' heel, because unlike Fireworks it is not possible to check the export quality in advance. I hope this will be fixed in 2.0.

Designer also does not support pages. I would get all three Affinity apps, which includes Publisher and does work with pages and page templates (and is much more powerful than Fireworks in this regard). Interestingly enough the same file can be edited by all three apps, and when working in Publisher a seamless Designer and Photo workflow is available: click an image, switch to the Photo work space, edit, switch back to Publisher. Same for Designer. Quite a unique experience.

[MACnTUTOR]

Is there a specific use, such as wire framing or pro to-typing, that you have been using Fireworks for? That would help answer your question.

This recent article suggests some general alternatives such as Sketch, Macaw and Anetype.
What Does The Future Hold For Adobe Fireworks?

Sketch

Macaw

Antetype

Other possible replacements for Fireworks include:
Evolve UI (Open Source) by Tribaloid
Tribaloid | Engineering creativity

Gravit (currently in Beta and available by invitation)

Gravit

If you continue to use Fireworks today, you will be interested in Fireworks extension resource sites such as these:

Fireworks Extensions from John Dunning

Project Phoenix – An Adobe Fireworks Extensions Revival Project

Orange Commands – A Collection of Scripts for Adobe Fireworks

Adobe Fireworks Extensions & Commands for Web Designers

[ryanmaclean]

These days I would say you should have a serious look at Sketch 3, which is in the App Store on Macs: Sketch 3 on the Mac App Store

[lucyo]

I agree. I am SUPER bummed out that it is no longer available with creative cloud.  As much as this product costs I pretty annoyed that one of my favorite adobe products is no longer available.  I hope the version I currently have don't stop working. 

[MJCO]

Fireworks CS6 is still available in CC, under the previous versions section:

[katherine_mary]

after reading some of these responses I think I know why adobe did this. for most of us fireworks did it all for web graphics. so if fireworks were in the cloud you would only have to spend 9 bucks a month to use it.
remove it and then if you can stand to use illustrator and photoshop and whatever else you think might do some of what you did in fireworks you would then have to subscribe to a higher monthly fee to do in multiple programs what you now do in one. this is simple capitalist greed.

I never thought I would seriously ever consider ANY other software than adobe. looks like now Ill go try out some of these other products. which BTW I would never have heard of if I were not looking to replace the abandoned fireworks.

[Paul-M]

Just keep using Fireworks  - there's an extension for SVG import / export that works fine as well and I don't see any reason as there is no viable replacement

[fiddlesticks411]

The problem with continuing to use Fireworks is that the operating systems are going to leave it behind. Like Final Cut Pro 7, hanging on for a while worked, but it was a stop-gap measure. The day came when moving on was imperative because OSX kept moving forward. For Mac users, Fireworks is starting to fail on the latest OS, so the time to move is nigh. Sigh.

[katherine_mary]

alas I have to agree. and Ive given everything that was recommended in this thread and found only one crown jewel that will do what I need in order to move on. Affinity Design.

I dont really want to leave my fireworks behind but adobe has given me no choice. I have to find supported software that fits my workflow before I can no longer even open the plethora of work which I rely on.

I used Freehand until it was more than dead. lost much by not getting things converted before it was too late.

adobe says to keep an eye on the forthcoming "comet" but I do not think that will address anything more than UI design and that I can do anywhere.

[Paul-M]

For Windows users I don't see any need to switch to something inferior, less intuitive or user friendly to Fireworks that makes life more difficult and slows down the workflow, Fireworks runs on Windows 10 too. It might be different for Mac users and there are a couple of reasonable alternative options for Mac that aren't available to Windows users ... unless something drastically changes I see no need to abandoned Fireworks to use two or three clunky programs to replace it ......

[Herbert2001]

I agree: age of an application does not matter, as long as it serves the job. Windows users are somewhat luckier in that compatibility with older software is generally better compared to Macs.

[katherine_mary]

not to be argumentative sir, but as a dual platform user, I do not find mac software to be defunct or deficient by age more often than that of windows.

I went to mac kicking and screaming -- completely against my will in 1993. Within a few hours I was so smitten I knew Id never go back solely to a windows machine. never. ever.

no one in my family ever has to ask me to figure out what happened on their mac...but on a PC I am always getting...what happened...is it broken..can you fix it? with a PC I say, restart. reboot. pray. lol

OMGosh my son had 4 windows machines to my one mac in 5 years. He finally got the message. Get a mac!

Im dual now simple because the jobs require it and lets face it..Im a tech junky. lol

[Herbert2001]

No worries, my favourite platform is actually STILL the Commodore Amiga and its AmigaOS/Workbench environment! Ah, those were the days!

I also run a Mac in a virtual machine, and teach on Macs and Windows machines. I am platform-agnostic. I was merely hinting at the Mac platform's switch to Intel CPUs from PowerPC CPUs, which does hinder running older software on the newer MacOSX versions. Freehand being one example.

[fiddlesticks411]

Specific to this particular conversation, however, people are reporting that Fireworks is failing to run on the latest Mac OS. Not all, but enough so that some of us have not upgraded our Macs yet. So at this point, finding an alternative is in order, if not imperative.

[Herbert2001]

Yes, true. For some it works, for others it does not, or is half-broken.

There is no true replacement for FIreworks. Just like there is no replacement for After Effects, or for Flash. Fireworks is very specific in what it does right. I have replaced it with a bunch of applications. And obviously those applications are much more feature-rich in some areas, and less in others.

I would have to add, though, that Fireworks is starting to show its age in many areas. Let's hope someone will take note, and come up with a modernized updated alternative.

[katherine_mary]

OMG!!! Commodore 64! my first love!

Amiga 2000 was my second love.... oh I am really showing my age!

Platform agnostic...totally love that!