Web Development vs Web Design
• Blog post by Asif Khan - Published at 2022-05-9
In today's world learning web development is a go-to option to start earning early but often beginners face a bit of confusion regarding the two terms web development and web designing although these are completely two different traits. This article is intended to resolve all the confusion regarding this.
What do web designers and web developers actually do?
A web designer is responsible for the aesthetic design i.e, concerned with the beauty as well as the experience of the website for the user. Basically, the way the website looks and feels. A web designer has the tricky task of integrating user experience into the design all the while keeping in mind the branding, colour palettes, typography and readability of the website to make it eye-catching and usable.
A web developer on the other hand takes those designs created by a web designer and turns them into a live, functioning and error free website. In other words, they build the actual interface through which the user interacts with the website. In order to ensure the website’s functionality, web developers use web languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript as well as various software application tools in order to code and build the structure of the website.
A good way of looking at it is by thinking of a web designer as an architect who creates a blueprint for a new home and a web developer as a builder who builds a real home based on the blueprint that the clients can live in. Just as architects and builders collaborate to create a beautiful home for the clients, web designers and developers work symbiotically to create an amazing product for the users.
What are the tools used by web designers and developers?
So, you might be wondering what are the tools used by web designers and developers. Well, as web designers are responsible for a website’s aesthetics, they typically use graphic design software such are:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Figma
- Adobe XD
Photoshop and illustrator are used for images and other graphical elements but Figma and Adobe XD are the tools used for creating wireframes and prototypes to determine the website’s layout. Web designers are also responsible for how the users navigate through a product and even a website’s analytics.
We’ve already touched on the fact that web developers use programming languages to write the website’s code but they also use web languages to set up email services, user authentication, databases and other technical aspects of the website. To do this, developers use software like:
- text editors,
- command line interface and
- version control
to build the features of the website.
How much do web designers and web developers earn?
It’s time to talk about the subject on everyone’s lips, money. Out of the two roles who earns more. According to Glassdoor, the average salary in the United States for web developers is slightly higher than that of web designers. However, this is subject to many variables including location, experience and skill sets. To get a real sense of what each role earns, it’s important to do research. Websites like glassdoor, payscale and indeed are great for comparing salaries in your specific area.
Which career is for you?
Now that we’ve looked at different tools and skill sets required for these roles, you might be wondering which career is for me? Well, there are quite a few notable differences, the good news is that a web developer can be a web designer as much as a web designer can choose to be a web developer. In fact, either career choice may require you to have adequate functioning knowledge of the other field. For example, successful developers will know how to use colour schemes and typography in creating wireframes and layouts just as a successful designer will have to understand the basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript techniques to understand the technical limitations of their creative layouts and user experience specifications. Either way, it's important to do research before making a decision.