The Difference Between Web Designer and Web Developer – You may have noticed that there is still a lot of misunderstanding about the job roles of web developer and web designer. It can be difficult to know where to begin if you want to become one of them
To help clarify things, I’ll define each role, look at the tools and resources required for each, and break down the personality types that suit one or the other in this article. By the end of this article, you should be able to tell the difference between web development and web design as well as which career path is best for you.
Who Is A Web Developer?
A web developer’s major task is to design and manage a website’s essential structure. Their profession requires a lot of technical effort, such as using advanced programming languages and intricate coding. In a nutshell, they convert designers’ ideas and concepts into completely functional, live websites.
A web developer’s responsibilities include the creation of the website itself. On the back end, this entails coding and setting the server and databases, as well as implementing user-facing features and functionality.
They may also perform a number of post-launch tasks, such as providing ongoing support and maintenance and troubleshooting server or hosting issues, in addition to testing and debugging software.
It may be helpful to relate the role of a web developer to that of another profession, such as building, to gain a better understanding of it. A web developer is similar to a constructor in terms of a new home. The developer builds the foundation for the architect’s (web designer’s) design plans and blueprints to guarantee that there is a functional, sound framework in place.
Who Is A Web Designer?
A web designer is someone who creates the visual appearance of a website. They primarily refer to the website’s splendor as well as its usability. Web Designers’ primary responsibility is to focus on the style and overall feel of the website using various tools like PhotoShop, Corel Draw and many others.
In other words, a web designer is a graphic artist who helps in improving the graphics of a website. This means that anyone willing to become a successful website designer have great design and graphics skill.
Web designers are primarily responsible for ensuring that the code is aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly for website visitors, rather than knowing how it works. They will use graphics design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Inkscape (a great alternative to Photoshop), and GIMP. Finally, they will create prototypes and wireframes to design the layout of the website. Designers direct the flow of information and can even be in charge of website analytics.
Web designers must keep up with the latest web design trends while adhering to certain standards and best practices. They frequently work with brand imagery, color palettes, fonts, and other design elements. Many will even create a web design style guide to ensure that all of their websites look the same.
Six (6) Reasons Why Web Designers And Web Developer Differ
To tie everything together, here is a quick breakdown of the main differences between these two roles:
- Designers are concerned with appearance and usability, whereas developers are concerned with functionality and structure.
- Web designers create a mockup based on visual, UX, and UI elements to conceptualize the idea and look of a website.
- Web developers assess whether the concept is financially and technically feasible, and if so, they program and code the site.
- A high level of technical understanding is required of web developers. Part of this involves learning sophisticated programming languages and frameworks. A web designer’s job is less technical and morbid, however considerable research and analysis is required.
- Web developers are classified into three types: front-end, back-end, and full-stack. UX, UI, and visual designers are the three main types of web designers.
- Coding libraries and frameworks, code versioning and issue tracking platforms such as GitHub and Jira, hosting control panels and FTP clients, and CMSs are all common tools and programs used by web developers. Web designers employ design software such as Photoshop, a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, and a website builder such as Elementor, as well as wireframing and prototype tools.
And many more
When deciding whether to become a web designer or a web developer, keep in mind the various specializations and skill sets required. If you are considering getting started with either web design or web development, contact Lead Web Praxis Media Limited today and get started.