The difference between a web designer and a web developer
A web designer and a web developer are both key contributors to building a website. Many a time, the terms web designer and web developer are used synonymously. So for a non-specialist, they might seem the same. However, there are differences between the two.
Here, we will explain some basic differences and help readers better understand web designers and web developers.
To know the difference between a web designer and a web developer, we must first understand what these two roles mean when they work within a company, such as a professional website design agency in Stockport.
Who is a web developer?
A web developer is the one who is in charge of developing the app or web page, which is the user interface (UI). The UI interaction is implemented by using programs like JavaScript (JS), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), etc. Web developers use these to structure programming and interactions on a web page.
Think of the web developer as a construction worker who provides the structure to a concept or a design. A web developer builds the code for a page and collaborates with web designers to create web pages.
Who is a web designer?
A web designer is responsible for the visual design of a web page. Using web design tools, they construct the aesthetics of the website. Think of web designers as architects or interior designers who beautify the structure with visually appealing layouts.
Web designers are responsible for the overall look and feel of the web page or website from the user’s perspective.
They use their aesthetic skills along with an array of designing tools to design a page.
Let us now dive into more differences between a web designer and a web developer.
Type of work
Web developers may be involved in front end or back end development of a page. Front end development includes elements that are visible to the user. They need good programming skills like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back end developers deal with the layers which are not visible to the users. They form the connection between the front end and the database. They need to have knowledge of programming languages like Python, SQL, and PHP, etc. They also need server site framework knowledge.
A web designer handles the layout creation of a website. They focus on ensuring that a visitor spends more time on a website, and so they analyze trends and update the layouts according to users’ expectations when visiting the website.
Roles of web designer and web developer
Web designer deals with the user interface, user experience, and visuals to keep the users engaged, and offer convenience to the users while visiting the website.
Web developer creates the structure or backbone of the website. They are responsible for the interface that enables the user to interact with the website.
Conclusion
Despite the functional differences, both a web designer and a web developer work together towards the same goal: creating a website, app, or web page.
For a website to gain more visitors and attract more users, both web developing and web designing needs to be in harmony. A web developer and web designer’s combined effort is what makes a website attractive and engaging.
