Bruno Abrantes

If you’re into this “Web” thing, which, if you’re reading this, I imagine you are, then you probably already read a lot of blogs about it. On the off chance you don’t, here is a list of the seven best blogs currently written about Web design, development, or just the Web in general.

A List Apart

A blog for “people who make websites”, this is an absolute must-read. They cover a lot of subjects, from Web development tricks to how you should write web copy. With contributors such as Jeffrey Zeldman, Eric Meyer and Jason Santa Maria, you’ll be sorry if you skip on reading this one.

Smashing Magazine

Since its launch in 2006, Smashing Magazine has become one of the A-list resources for Web designers. You can head there for some of the best tutorials on the web, download one of the many freebie packs, read articles on design trends or maybe just browse through some of their top lists, which showcase the best Wordpress themes, blog designs, photographs, you name it. If you haven’t visited this one yet, go sit in a corner for a minute, ok? Don’t forget the pointy hat.

The “Tuts” Network

Ok, so I cheated. This one is actually three different sites, but they’re all under the same network. PSDTUTS is the ultimate resource for your Photoshop fix, with lots of free in-depth tutorials for both novices and experts. VECTORTUTS is the same, only for Illustrator instead of Photoshop. Finally, NETTUTS features awesome tutorials for all your developing needs, covering XHTML/CSS, Javascript, PHP, among others. Oh, and the tutorials aren’t just text and images, as the three sites featured frequently offer some nicely produced screencasts. Just go there already!

CSS-Tricks

CSS drives web designers crazy. Believe me, I would know. As much as we love it, it’s simultaneously the bane of our existence. That’s why Chris Coyier’s excellent blog is featured on this list. Believe me, this man knows his stylesheets. Get ready to enjoy a vast array of CSS tutorials that’ll make all that frustration fade away. Well, some of it, at least.

FreelanceSwitch

If you’re a freelancer, or you ever thought about going off to face the world on your own (and I believe many in the Web business consider that at some point in their careers), then you must subscribe to this one immediately. By that, I mean right now. Funny comics and excellent articles that deal with all the joys and perils of freelancing will help you to finally take that leap you’ve been talking about for years.

Seth’s Blog

Ok, so this one isn’t specifically about web design. Actually, Seth Godin is kind of a marketing guru, and we all know web designers hate marketing types, right? Wrong, at least when it comes to Seth. This guy really knows his stuff, believe me. His writing is always concise and to the point and yet inspiring, and he covers a vast array of subjects, a lot of which will definitely interest you. I especially like his insights when it comes to the subject of marketing oneself (which, at some point in your life, you will need to do). Another must-read.

Information Aesthetics

This last entry is kind of unknown, and I thought long and hard whether it should make it to this list. Ultimately, the content this blog regularly offers is both unique and refreshing, focusing on novel ways to present data. If you’re big on infography, like to see what others out there are doing in terms of data visualization or just need a creative juice shot, give this one a spin. You won’t regret it.

I know there’s a lot I left out, so if you’re outraged that one of your favourite resources isn’t on the list, by all means shout and rant all you want using the comment box!