Web Design

Web Design vs Web Development, What’s the Difference?

Web Design and Web Development may sound the same to the regular joe, but they’re truly two different services. The truth of the matter is that all web designers and web developers like to make sure their clients understand what they do. Paying attention to the differences can help you find the right digital service for your business or personal website. Let’s take a deeper look and highlight the key differences and similarities in the following article, Web Design Vs Web Development.

Web Design vs Web Development: At a Glance

What is Web Design?

Web Design deals with the development of the aesthetic and user-friendly segments of a website or platform. Designers are the ones to run to when you’re in need of a more appealing and navigable website. Professional Web Designers tend to use design programs such as Adobe and Affinity Designer to create appealing visual content.

What is Web Development?

On the other hand, Web Development deals more with the functionality of a website, app, or platform itself. This refers to any of the CSS, HTML, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, and other programming languages that play an important role in web files.

Web Design Vs Web Development: Similarities

Although different, Web Design and Web Development do have some basic similarities. Here’s a quick list of the similarities between the two:
  • HTML and CSS – HTML and CSS code are essential to both Web Design and Web Development. Although Developers specialize in code, designers should also have some knowledge in the area. Both code families determine the functionality of a website and how the final design looks.
  • User-Friendliness – Both web designers and developers work towards the user-friendliness of a platform. Designers help guide users throughout websites, while developers make sure all buttons, contact forms, and other interactable elements work correctly.

Web Design Vs Web Development: A Deeper Look at Both

In this section, we’ll take a deeper look into essential web design vs web development roles.

Examining Web Design

A Web Designer’s main goal is to deliver a beautiful and navigable website to his or her client. Great web designers go through many planning stages and design principles to produce a great user experience. The following are some key elements to look out for when you’re looking for a Professional Web Designer:
  • Color Schemes – Colors always matter when it comes to web design. Web developers tend to have a good eye for what works best in order to appeal to the greater audience. They consider every factor that can affect your online reputation including – Logos, Feelings, Contrast, and more.
  • Fonts/Typography – It just doesn’t make sense to have a beautiful website without perfect fonts and sizes. Expert Web Designers tend to choose out stellar fonts that the average person couldn’t find. Trust us, it makes a difference!
  • Rich Media Content – Even the best looking website would look bland if it didn’t include some distinct images, videos, and other media content. Web Designers understand the importance of images and how they can help the appeal of a page.
  • Organization – It would be tough to navigate and understand a website or app without organization. The organization part of websites includes the way menus and all content are laid out.
  • Consistency/Correction – Every page on a website should follow the same layout as the rest. This includes all of the key elements we covered above. It also includes spelling errors on images, headers, and paragraphs. Consistency helps maintain a clear image of the entity’s goals and purpose.

Examining Web Development

Web developers are also known as programmers or coders. Although hardcoding a whole website or program is becoming a thing of the past, it is essential for web developers to understand the ins and outs of how coding works. For example, anyone can make a website using a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, Wix, Joomla, or Umbraco. But, if the website ends up breaking or getting hacked, you’ll need someone that can use raw code to fix your problem. Here are some skills and scenarios web developers are helpful for:
  • Special Effects – Some special effects on websites can only be done through custom coding. No matter the coding language, it usually takes an expert to create rare effects. This also includes positioning and codes that can affect on-screen content.
  • Meta Data – The back end of websites can be organized to help give search engines a better understanding of certain websites. Meta Data can help SEO rankings including pages, blog posts, and media content.
  • Usability – Professional Web Developers can troubleshoot website problems. They also play a big role in redirects and the functionality of a page.
  • Site Speed – Many don’t know this one, but web developers can help cut down loading times for websites. Understanding how code affects loading time can be crucial to your site’s search engine rankings.

Final Thoughts on Web Design Vs Web Development

Now you know what to look for the next time you’re in need of some web work for your business or personal website. Many media companies, including KDH Digital Services, have dedicated web designers and developers that can handle any layouts and files that need fixing. We hope this article helped you understand the difference between design and development. Just remember to share this article and leave your thoughts in the comment section below!