If you are interested in IT, the terms Web design and Web development have definitely passed you by.
A few years ago, the differences between the two concepts were much clearer: Web Designers did design, and Web Developers did the development part, meaning they wrote the lines of code. Currently, however, the answer is much more nuanced, as most Web Designers also have knowledge of web development and vice versa.
Here are the differences between the two roles.
What Is Web Design?
Web design is everything related to the aesthetics and usability of a site – from the color scheme used, to its layout, to the flow of information and all other aspects related to UI / UX (user interface and user experience).
Among the jobs of a Web Designer are:
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) or other design software
- Graphic design knowledge
- Logo design
- Layout / formatting
- Integration of Call to Action buttons
- Branding
- Page structure (wireframe), models (mock-ups) and storyboards
- Color palettes
A Web Designer is more concerned with what users see on the screen of their computer or mobile device and less with the mechanisms behind it. By using the above skills (the correct integration of a color palette, the use of images and texts, but also the layout of the site), they create a digital experience.
Even so, most Web Designers now have knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This makes it easier to create an application mock-up for a pitch or to finalize the latest UI / UX details.
In the latest years, Web Designers work more and more with Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress or Joomla!, which can create websites using predefined themes without having to write a single line of code.
A key reason why developers and visitors find WordPress so attractive is the immense versatility of the CMS. Far beyond the strictly blogging past, WordPress hosts some of the most prominent online stores, business pages, government agencies and news publications. Even the White House uses WordPress.
The latest statistics show that WordPress accounts for approximately 39.5% of all websites and 62% of websites created using a CMS (content management system).
WordPress is scalable, beginner friendly and versatile. The future certainly looks bright when so many people contribute.
Through our Web Design Services we design awesome Presentation Websites and eCommerce Websites, using WordPress and WooCommerce.
What Is Web Development?
The concept of Web development is responsible for everything related to the functionality of the site. Much of the job of a Web Developer is to build the project received from the Web Designer. Basically, the developer usually specializes in web application design, and the designer focuses more on the user experience (from all points of view).
How does the collaboration between a Web Designer and a Web Developer work? The developer builds the site’s framework using, for example, software such as JQuery, in order to create a perfectly functional website, over which the Web Designer adds a “layer of creativity”. Like designers, a Web Developer can specialize in specific roles:
Back-end developer
The back-end is where the core of the site is designed. A back-end developer is an expert in programming and uses complex languages such as Java, SQL and C #. The work they do involves writing code on servers and in databases (unlike Front-end developers working in the browser).
In short, they create logical and functional sites, but also test and repair bugs.
Front-end developer
Front-end developer, or client-side, as it is also known, is much more connected to the web design part, because its job involves a lot of use of scripting languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Like a Back-end developer, the Front-end developer also has solid programming knowledge, only the frameworks built by them are the ones that customers interact with.
Full-stack developer
A Full-stack developer works on several layers, or stacks, including the Front-end as well as the Back-end side. They are experts in Web development, because they have complete expertise in all aspects related to it and are the right choice when it comes to complex sites, especially those that involve servers and databases.
Among the main skills and duties of a Web Developer are:
- Building the actual interface through which a user accesses the site, using HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
- The front-end developer can use preprocessors, but also JavaScript libraries and frameworks to streamline the process.
- The front-end developer collaborates with the back-end developer to implement a dynamic website, especially if it requires the use of programming languages on the part of servers and databases.
- The back-end developer creates the “backbone” of the site using languages such as PHP and MySQL.
- Both Front-end developers and Back-end developers can use IDEs (Integrated Development Environment). These are tools for software applications in which you code and build the structure of the site.
- Web developers can also use tools that keep multiple versions of the same site. This helps them get back to a better version of the site if needed.
At WebCell Agency we provide Web Development Services at the highest quality. With an experience of more then 10 years we developed custom web software for a lot of companies.