Web design and web development are a little different, but many people use the terms interchangeably. In reality, they’re actually different things that require their own unique skill sets. Both are aspects of the website building process, but it’s important to understand the differences between website design and website development if you’re looking for someone to work on your online presence. With that mind, here’s a quick review.
What is Website Design?
Web design refers to the aesthetics of a website. A web designer will work on the appearance, layout, and even the content of your website. They can choose the colors, font, images, as well as how the information is structured and categorized on your website. Their goal is to create the right design for your brand. It needs to be easy to use, but also visually attractive.
A web designer is not necessarily required to know how to code. However, many do know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Web designers work mainly with tools like Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Google Web Designer, Sketch, and InVision Studio, to name a few. It is important for them to be tech-savvy even if they don’t code.
What is Website Development?
On the other hand, web development refers to the building and maintenance of websites. It’s what happens behind the scenes to make a website work quickly and perform properly. Website developers do this by using a variety of coding languages, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, Python, and Java.
Web development is typically broken down into two main fields: front-end and back-end. There’s also a third specialist known as a “full-stack developer,” who is familiar with both front-end and back-end website development.
How Web Design and Web Development Differ?
- Coding Knowledge: Web designers are not always required to know programming languages. If they are, they may have knowledge of only a few. Web developers, on the other hand, work with coding languages on a daily basis and need to keep up to date with everything that’s new in the industry, as these languages continue to evolve.
- Salary: According to PayScale, the average web designer salary in the United States is slightly lower than that of a designer. And, in general, web designers are almost always paid less than coding experts.
- Personality: Web designers tend to be more artistic and creative individuals, whereas web developers are often more analytical in nature.
Related Content: How to Find the Right Bay Area Website Designer
Professional Website Development
Web design and web development are two distinct fields of work. While both professionals may have programming knowledge, their skill sets can be very different. If you want to provide the users who visit your site with a great experience, you may need to hire both a local website designer and a local website developer. Or, just give us a call at D-Kode Tech 925.855.3282. We’re here to help.
