18 Essential Plugins to Get More Out Of SublimeText

Even though SublimeText comes with a bunch of great features that help our work as web developers, like any other tool, there will always be a room for enhancements. This is when plugins can be real useful (and we are huge fans of plugins).

Before we proceed, maybe you’d like to check out our previous posts on SublimeText to see what it can do in its native state:

Moving on, in this post, we have put together a few plugins that you may need to install to fill the functionalities that are missing from SublimeText.

Recommended Reading: 12 Most-Wanted Sublime Text Tips And Tricks.

1. Package Control

Package Control is the first thing that you have to install right away after installing SublimeText. With it, you can install, upgrade, remove, and view with ease the list of packages or plugins that you have installed in SublimeText.

2. Emmet

In a nutshell, Emmet allows us to write HTML and CSS faster with abbreviations/shortcuts, then expand them in valid HTML tags. This is one of my most frequently used shortcut, which is a time-saver:

((h4>a[rel=external])+p>img[width=500 height=320])*12

It creates 12 lists of Headings followed with an image. I can then fill in my content without worrying about messing up the format.

More: Writing HTML & CSS Faster With Emmet

3. SublimeLinter

SublimeLinter has recently been rebuilt and polished for SublimeText 3. The new version certainly comes with a set of new features. Rather than putting all linters in one package, the developer allows you to select and install only the ones that you regularly use.

More: A Look Into SublimeLinter 3

4. SublimeEnhancements

SidebarEnhancements has a few new things in the Sidebar menu including New File Creation in the current project folder, Moving File and Folder, Duplicating File and Folder, Open in Finder and Browser, Refresh, and a bunch more.

5. PackageResourceViewer

With PackageResourceViewer, you can view, and edit packages that come from SublimeText easily. You can also extract package, which will copy it to the User folder so you can safely edit it.

6. Git

This plugin integrates SublimeText with Git so you can run some Git commands from SublimeText such as Add and Committing Files, Viewing Log, and Annotating Files.

7. Terminal

This plugin lets you open your project folders in Terminal directly from SublimeText â€" with a hotkey. It is a very helpful plugin when you need to execute command lines at the given folder.

8. CSSComb

CSSComb is a plugin to sort CSS properties. If you need your codes to be tidy and in the right order, this plugin will let you customize the order of the properties. This is also helpful when you work with a team of developers, each with their own preferences of writing code.

More: Sorting And Organizing CSS Using CSSComb

9. CanIUse

With this plugin, you can check the browser support for CSS properties and HTML elements that you are using. To use it, highlight the CSS property or the HTML element, and it will bring you to the appropriate page in CanIUse.com.

10. Alignment

Alignment lets you align your codes including PHP, JavaScript, and CSS, thus making it neat and more readable. See the following screenshot for the before-and-after comparison.

11. Trimmer

This plugin helps you remove unnecessary spaces, as well as trailing spaces, which could cause some errors In JavaScript.

12. ColorPicker

With this plugin you can select and add colors to SublimeText with the native color wheel from your OS.

More: Easy Color Picker in SublimeText

13. MarkDown Editing

Even though SublimeText is capable of viewing and editing Markdown files, it treats it as plain text with very poor formatting. This plugin is useful for giving better support with proper color highlighting for Markdown in SublimeText.

More: Writing Web Content With Markdown

14. FileDiffs

FileDiffs allows you to see the differences between two files in SublimeText. You can compare files with copied data from Clipboard, a File in the Project, File that is currently open, and between saved and unsaved files.

15. DocBlockr

DocBlokr lets you create documentation or annotation for your codes with ease, by parsing the functions, parameters, variables, and automatically adding some possible documentation (see the screenshot below).

16. Custom Themes

Believe it or not, having a different theme can induce your creativity and ideas. Below are several great custom themes that gives SublimeText a different, possibly better look.

SpaceGray

Centurion

Soda

17. Snippets

Snippets can help you write code faster by reusing code pieces. While you can also create your own set of code snippets, there are several snippet packages ready for use right away. Here are just some of them:

• Foundation â€" A collection of snippets to build Foundation 5 framework components such as the Buttons, Tabs, and Navigation.
• Bootstrap 3 â€" If you prefer Bootstrap, try this.
• Bootstrap 3 for Jade â€" This plugin combines Bootstrap 3 with Jade syntax.
• jQuery Mobile â€" A collection of snippets to build jQuery Mobile components and layouts.
• HTML5 Boilerplate â€" this snippet lets you create HTML5 Boilerplate documents in a snap.

18. Additional Syntax Support

Languages that are not supported in SublimeText may not display with proper syntax highlighting. They include LESS, Sass, SCSS, Styls, and Jade, so if you are working with those languages, here are the plugins to install, for syntax support.

Teens, Facebook And The Future Of Social Media

"Teens leaving Facebook" has been a favourite topic of the tech media for a while now. In fact, back in 2010, Mashable ran an article about teens and "Facebook fatigue" and the topic’s not been far from the tech media’s lips ever since. More recently, over the latter half of 2013, the topic returned to the forefront, with news pieces related to this supposed teen exodus from Facebook appearing on Business Insider, The Guardian, ABC News and almost anywhere else in between.

The main thread running through all these reports is the fact that teens are supposedly leaving Facebook for alternative services, mainly messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Snapchat. There are a number of reasons that have been cited for this migration, but put simply: Facebook just isn’t as cool as it used to be.

In this post, we’re going to look into this supposed exodus, and at some supporting statistics to see if teens are really calling it quits when it comes to Facebook.

Recommended Reading: 5 Effects Social Networks Have On You

Setting The Scene: Teens And Facebook

At first glance, there does seem to be some truth in the idea that teens are leaving Facebook. Facebook, in their annual 10-K report (released February 2013) reported that its younger users in particular were "aware of and actively engaging with other products and services similar to, or as a substitute for, Facebook".

Looking at statistics provided by GlobalWebIndex, between the 1st & 3rd quarters of 2013, the percentage of active Facebook users globally, aged 16-19, fell from 76% to 56%.

(Image Source: GlobalWebIndex)

Even Pew Internet & American Life Project has something to add on the subject of teens, social media and privacy. Teens who took part in focus group discussions were expressing less and less enthusiasm for Facebook, and a greater enthusiasm for other social networks such as Twitter and Instagram.

A survey conducted by The Futures Company reported that a full 50% of teen respondents named YouTube as their favourite website. Teenage dissatisfaction with Facebook is starting to look like a very real thing.

The cherry on top comes in the form of Daniel Miller, an academic with University College London, who declared that Facebook was "dead and buried", the silver bullet cited by many media reports when touching on the subject of teens leaving Facebook (although his observation was based on ethnographic research and was never meant to be representative of a global trend).

So Why Are Teens Leaving Facebook?

There must be a reason why teens are leaving Facebook right? Well, funnily enough, one of the main reasons driving teens away from Facebook might just be Facebook’s own success in expanding its userbase. There have been notable increases in Facebook usage for demographics above 35 years old aka mom and dad, and older. Having family members on Facebook sure limits the amount of information that teens are willing to share on Facebook.

(Image Source: makemelaugh)

Teens, such as those interviewed in the Pew study, have also cited "excessive drama" as being a reason for reduced Facebook activity. Facebook’s insistence on using one’s real name, and the multiple ways in which users can interact, leave teenage users open to multiple forms of drama. Getting dumped is as easy as a change with the relationship status â€" you can imagine the amount of real-life issues that can easily carry over to the social network.

Both of these factors may go hand in hand with "the age of brag" ending; sharing every single detail about your personal life with the whole Internet is now passe.

Sharing and communicating through more private channels and mobile messaging services such as WhatsApp or Shapchat would seem to be the way to go. And since 78% of teens have a cellphone (47% of them on some form of smartphone), mobile phones have become the main method of Internet access in the US.

(Image Source: All Things D)

Read Also: Mobile Messaging App Face-Off â€" WhatsApp Vs. Viber Vs. WeChat

The rise in smartphones and mobile Internet has led to a new crop of communication and social networking services that seem to fit teenage use patterns better. Quick communication is in, developing and maintaining profiles isn’t.

Where Are Teens Going?

Apparently, mobile apps, and closed messaging services such as WeChat and WhatsApp (which has overtaken Facebook Messenger in popularity), quick photo- and video-sharing services such as Instagram and Vine, as well as ephemeral photo messaging service Snapchat have all gained in popularity amongst teens:

(Image Source: GlobalWebIndex)

Note: Snapchat’s omission from the chart above is due to a lack of trend data, but GlobalWebIndex did mention that 10% of teens across the world were already using the app as of Q3 2013.

Is It Really That Bad?

So this is it, isn’t it? Facebook is "dead and buried"? Well, not quite.

You see, while it’s obvious that Facebook is no longer the only game in town for teens, the fact remains that it’s still by far the most popular social network. According to GlobalWebIndex’s data: 56% of 16-19 year old teens are still using the social network. Even Facebook’s closest "competitor", YouTube, is only used by 35% of the world’s teens.

No matter how you look at it, that’s still a healthy lead which tells us that, no matter what, Facebook remains the most popular social network amongst teens.

(Image Source: GlobalWebIndex)

As for the other statistics, the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the study which provided most of the sources for teenage dissatisfaction with Facebook, have come out stating that the reports of Facebook’s demise have been greatly exaggerated â€" while it’s true that teens are using other social networks, this doesn’t mean that they’ve abandoned Facebook entirely.

Daniel Miller also points out that while Facebook may be severely uncool for a certain teenage demographic, these same teens still use it to keep in touch with older family members. Even the study by The Futures Company which found that YouTube was the most popular site for teens is slightly skewed, in that it allowed respondents to list up to 5 websites.

What’s more, the growth of messaging and mobile doesn’t necessarily leave Facebook totally in the lurch; while teens have claimed that they no longer visited Facebook after getting a smartphone, it’s important to note that the mobile Facebook app and Facebook Messenger are still quite popular.

Facebook’s recent purchase of Little Eye Labs should also help improve their mobile app experience. In addition, it remains to be seen what, if any, effect the recent Snapchat security leaks and the developers’ less-than-satisfactory response to the matter will have on teen users’ confidence in the service.

Teenage-Fueled Impact

There are two ways to look at the issue of whether a supposed exodus even matters in the larger context. Going by revenue alone, it’s doubtful whether a loss of cool amongst teen users will have a significant effect on Facebook’s revenue.

Teenagers, on the whole, don’t have the spending power to truly create a vacuum in advertising revenue if they leave; as UBS analyst Eric Sheridan has pointed out, the target demographic for most Facebook advertisers are 25 to 40 year olds. Teenagers moving away will have some effect on revenue, but will it bring Facebook to its knees? Unlikely.

(Image Source: The Times)

That said, research firm Nielsen has pointed out that the under-25 demographic can be equally important as the main 25-54 year old demographic, when it comes to building brand awareness and loyalty. Besides, even if teenagers might not have the spending power of those aged 25 and above, this doesn’t preclude them from being passionate about and promoting favoured products and services.

Okay, what about Facebook’s reign as the social network to be on? Well, if teens do indeed have a preference for messaging services, ephemerality (or both, in the case of Snapchat) and social networks less prone to "excessive drama", then there isn’t really much that Facebook can do. That hasn’t stopped it trying, though, as its recent $3bn offer for Snapchat proves.

But the fact that the social network is still growing, even with the drop off in active teen users, shows that Facebook is still doing something right, and is hardly worried or reacting to this loss in users.

Final Thoughts

The past few years have definitely seen a change in the social media landscape, with mobile-friendly apps and networks gaining more and more popularity with teens. While it’s clear that teens are gravitating towards these services, the jury is still out as to whether this will directly translate into a negative long-term impact on Facebook.

After all, it’s important to remember that teenagers are fickle, and that the teenage brain is "a work in progress". What’s "in" one day may be "out" the next, and what’s uncool during one’s teens may just be seen more positively later in life, beyond their teenage years.

50 Dramatic Conceptual Photography Examples You Can’t Miss Out

Good photography is more than just taking pictures with a good camera. As with other forms of art, well-executed photography always strives to convey an idea or message in one way or another â€" a good example of this is conceptual photography.

Conceptual photography is basically the art of creating photographs that illustrate ideas. Be it an illustration of a story, a dramatic moment or even just some simple things in life that would bring a smile to your face, a good conceptual portrait should never leave you indifferent. In that vein, here’s a collection of 50 exceptionally thought-provoking conceptual portraits.

Recommended Reading: 80 Impressive Photography Portfolios And Photoblogs

If you have any conceptual portraits of your own that you would like to share, do let us know in the comments below.

Liquid Mouth by Nilanja

Silvan Portrait II by DavidSchermann

Down The Dale, Down The Dell. [30/365] by DaphneNg

Snack Heart Healthy by JeanFan (JFotography)

Thorough by R. de Ruijter

Disappearing Act by Caitlin Worthington

Monster Inside by starlit-sky

Ying Yang by Senju-HiMe

The Rainmaker [55/365] by DaphneNg

10strong>The Edges Of My Soul by oO-Rein-Oo

A Family Portrait by Elreyfoto

I’ll Keep Walking Through The Dark by ziksky

Bright ideas by JeanFan (JFotography)

Hands of God by Barbaros Cangürgel

I Do Not Feel IV by Barbaros Cangürgel

The Story Of Stuff by Marinshe

The Wild Blood by Marinshe

Twilight Omens by thebjoernsons

A Bacteria Called Popcorn by Daniel Torres Storni

Missing Tape III by Andross01

Stolen Dreams by MissUnfortunate

Time Out by petits-reves

Come To Me by Lilliva-Dast

V by sanjalydia

Muse by ezorenier

Art Of Multi-Tasking by PlaceInTheDirt

Element II by VeraAda

Eve And The Apple by xBassxHarmingx

The Fallen, Arise by xBassxHarmingx

The Sweet Prison by anneclaires

I Can Sea You by By-who-photography

Enclosing by TicK46

Inner Universe by Marinshe

April 2 by loganart

In My Place by EugenieA

Taming Dreams by astridle

Stepping Into Daydreams by HollyBroomhall

Read to Know We Are Not Alone by haytraveler

Concrete Dive by Draken413o

Procrastination by robottriceratops

Held to the Past by danthemainman777

Squeeze me to ‘Perfection’ by Emzii-x

Fall by liljackslade

A Little Too Much by Jazzs-art

Princess And The Pea by its-saiby

Goodbye V by Moosiatko

Catch Your Dreams by cilveki

. by IsisPina

Lost Somewhere In Between by oO-Rein-Oo

Head In The Clouds by kiwix

Do You Have Something to Say?

Of course, for your worldly-wise eyes these portraits may seem ordinary, but they are not. It’s really difficult to come up with the idea, and even more difficult to bring it to life. If you have something to say, feel free to use comment section and start the conversation.