Koala

Web designers prefer various programming languages, which are more comfortable for them, but things can get a bit tricky when it comes to finding a compiler. If you use CSS, LESS, Sass, COMPASS or CofeeScript, you can turn to Koala to compile your code. This lightweight application provides you with a comfortable graphical user interface, which makes it exceptionally easy to compile code in the aforementioned languages. It provides you with error logs, so you will know why something failed to compile and it also places a wide range of configuration options at your disposal.

Koala is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Ubuntu. The Windows version comes in a small package and you can have it up and running in no time. You don't have to install any special tools or services and you don't need powerful hardware to run the application. What's more, Koala is distributed as a freeware application, so you won't encounter any pay walls or restricted features.

The software is really easy to use. Even users without coding experience could use this application to compile code. All you have to do is target one or more folders, where you have stored your development files. The software will automatically detect your files and display them in the largest part of its interface, regardless if they are in CSS, LESS, Sass, COMPASS or CofeeScript format.

Development files from your folders are displayed with colored icons, which make their format clear. When you select a file, a series of options will slide in, on the right side of the interface. You may click a button, to start compiling the selected file's code, but you can also make a few adjustments first. You can set the application to compile in Compass mode, generate a source map, use line comments and more, by simply clicking a few check boxes.

A successful compiling is indicated by a green "Success" message, which quickly fades in and out on the main interface. If there are any problems, a red "Error" message will appear. In this case, you can bring up an error log, on a separate window, to see what went wrong.

The software comes with a rich configurations menu as well. It contains a wide range of neatly categorized options, for each programming languages, as well as other functionality aspects. Among many other things, you can make certain settings, which you would make before compiling code, enabled by default, so you don't have to click the same check boxes each time you want to start a compiling operation.

Compiling code can be an effortless task, even for less-experienced users, thanks to Koala's smart and straightforward functionality.