Introduction

The PSD, or PhotoShop Document, format has become the leading file type when needing to add custom graphics to projects. The power of PhotoShop can even be used to make your static website stand out from the masses of competing interests. In this guide, we will look at how to convert PSD files to Html (Hypertext Markup Language) following several different methods helping you choose which one is best for your needs.

Different Methods

The internet is full of guides to help make your website stand out from the crowd or guides that help show you what your website should focus on achieving and these can be valuable assets. However, it has been proven time and time again that unique visual cues demand our attention. PhotoShop can provide just that level of uniqueness with its powerful codebase.

Incorporating PSD files into your website can be done by using specialized programs, coding it yourself with a bit of basic HTML, or hiring experienced web developers to do it for you. We will take a look at each in turn so that you can see which option will suit your needs best.

Specialized Programs

Several tools can automate the converting of PSD to HTML for you. There are certainly pros and cons to this approach. Using software tools has its best use case when you are using templated website design platforms like Basekit and Squarespace. This also works well with basic eCommerce websites designed on Shopify-based platforms.

This generally means that the con of these tools is the limited applications, as mentioned above. You cannot add your own highly customized HTML or Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and in general, are limited to the template offered by the platform. By not being able to alter the HTML or CSS means that a pixel-perfect conversion cannot be achieved easily, if at all.

Coding the Conversion Yourself

This step requires you to have some knowledge of either the three vital front-end development languages, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (JS), our knowledge of a popular front-end framework. Frameworks like Bootstrap, Laraval, and Ruby on Rails have proven to be incredibly popular options over the years. We will not be covering frameworks in this article as each could fill an article in their own right.

A quick note on frameworks, before getting started make sure the framework is well supported by its developers and has a vibrant community. This will help immensely when you inevitably come across a problem.

When coding the conversion yourself, here are the steps to follow:

• Slice the PSD. The file will need to splice the PSD file into component parts to mirror how it will be laid out following the HTML structure. An added advantage of this is that the page will load faster when compared to loading a single PSD. After slicing be sure to save the files under the “Save for Web” option.
• Directory Creation. It is important to create folders or directories that separate the various file types. This is generally viewed as best practice to separate your style sheets (CSS) for your HTML and JS.
• Write HTML. You can either use a program like Adobe Dreamweaver or if you are confident in your HTML ability code it yourself.
• Link and write both CSS and JS. Once the HTML is done you will need to add your custom styling and any interactive elements using CSS and JavaScript. It is important to link these in the HTML files otherwise your code will not show. As for the coding and linking of these files, there are handy tutorials on YouTube that can assist.
• Make Website Responsive. Given that large portions of your target audience will be viewing your website on desktops, tablets, or mobile phones, you need to make the website responsive so that it effectively scales to whatever device the website is being viewed on. CSS media queries can be your best friend in this regard. If using a framework other options might be available to achieve the same result.

Hiring a Developer or Company

Of course, there is always the option to hire a developer or company. This will be dependent on budget and time frame and can be the best option if you feel your technical knowledge is not up to scratch. Here, it is strongly advised to do as much research as possible and speak to several developers or companies to get the most competitive rate possible as well as the best work possible for your budget.

Conclusion

When it comes to Converting Psd to HTML there is certainly not a one size fits all option. The time must be taken to see what option will suit you best. If using Shopify or Squarespace-like services, having an automated program might be your best bet. If you have time and technical knowledge doing it yourself presents better customization options and cost savings. If all else fails a developer can be hired to complete the task.

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