Web Design vs. Web Development: What You Need to Know About Both
In the world of website design, there are many different titles people like me take on: web designer, web developer, coder, front-end developer, back-end developer, UX designer, UX developer, etc.
Depending on the project's scope, you could have each of these titles be a separate person. In that case, each individual would have a different role that supports the website's production.
However, when it comes to small business web design and development, there's usually one—at most two—people who work on the website itself: a web designer and web developer.
In this blog, I discuss web design vs. web development and answer the FAQ, "What is the difference between a web designer and a web developer?" in detail. (Spoiler alert: I’m both!)
What's the Difference Between Web Design vs. Web Development?
Web design refers to the visual look, feel, and usability of your website. Everything you see on the "front-end" or public-facing side of your website is the result of a website designer's work. Essentially, web design consists of your website's appearance.
But, in order to get a website to look the way it's designed, you need web development.
Web development is just as necessary but not as sexy as web design. Web developers are more concerned with the structure and functionality of a website instead of its visual aesthetics. They manage everything you can't see, like the website code, enabling a website to look the way a web designer laid it out.
Web Designer vs. Web Developer: Who's Who?
FAQ: Is a web designer and web developer the same person?
Well, that's a bit of a trick question because a web designer and web developer can be the same person, but not always. The website building process primarily requires a person (or people) with two unique skillsets in web design and development.
Let's talk about the roles of both a web designer and web developer to better answer this FAQ.
3 types of web designers: UX, UI, and Visual
Web designers are skilled graphic designers who specialize in website layout and design aesthetics. They typically use programs like Figma and Adobe XD to create wireframes of the website's layout and overall design.
(Wireframes are essentially a blueprint—a visual guide that developers use to code the core structure of the website, so it looks like the design.)
A web designer is in charge of designing the site's visual aesthetic without worrying about how to code each element on a website platform like Squarespace or WordPress. (That's when a web developer's skill set comes into the picture.)
To further delineate, there are three kinds of web designers who specialize in different aspects of website design:
UX Designer
A UX designer ensures that a website's design provides a positive user experience (UX). They collect loads of website data using behavioral analytics tools like Hotjar that inform how to best format a website so it's human-centric or intuitive for users.
UI Designer
A user interface (UI) designer prioritizes user interactions over the website's layout. They focus on how people will interact with the live site. They make decisions that optimize the site's usability for conversions (i.e., contact form submissions).
Visual Designer
A visual designer is a combination of a UX and UI designer. They spend most of their time designing the site's layout and what users will see when they land on the site. A visual designer's role is to create an aesthetically pleasing website and easy to use from a user perspective.
3 types of web developers: Front-end, back-end, and full-stack
Website developers convert the work of web designers into a fully functional website using coding languages like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, etc. In addition, they manage the "behind the scenes" technical work of websites that require advanced coding and programming knowledge.
Think of web designers as the architects and web developers as the builders who construct the website itself.
Web developers take the blueprints (wireframes) architected by web designers and lay the foundation for a strong, structurally sound website. Like web designers, there are three kinds of website developers: front-end, back-end, and full-stack.
Front-end developers
Front-end developers use coding/programming languages such as CSS, HTML, and Javascript in tandem with a Content Management System (CMS), such as Squarespace. Front-end development involves creating the front-facing or "client-side" of the website, so it looks like the established website design.
Back-end developers
Back-end developers use advanced programming languages such as PHP, SQL, and C# to code the website's database and server. Clients and website users don't see back-end development work because it all happens behind the scenes, unlike that of front-end development.
Full-stack developers
Full-stack developers are the total packages because they can manage development on the front- and back-end of a website. These developers know how to code a website's visual elements using CSS, configure servers, query databases, test, debug, and more.
Your Personal Squarespace Web Designer and Developer
At selah creative co., we combine the role of web designer and developer—no need to hire a whole team of professionals to build your website or find a template. We'll design the wireframe of every page on your website in Adobe XD, then develop the pages as-is within Squarespace using custom code.
It's time to break the mold of popular Squarespace templates that look like everyone else's website. Instead, we design custom sites from the ground up, offering more creative liberty to develop a stand-out Squarespace website.
Interested in working with a professional Squarespace web designer who can take your site to the next level? Let's create your dream site without the drama of multiple people working on your website.
