Overview
Web designers and web developers work together, and in some cases, their roles can be filled by a single person. They are involved in the technical and visual aspects of the site – basically, how the site works and looks. An important thing to remember, any type of website is a combination of both code and design.
The looks and feel of a website are managed by a web designer whereas, the implementation of the website so that it functions and works well are the efforts of a web developer. It can be difficult to know where to start and which path is right for you as a career without having in-depth knowledge of the field.
We are going to guide you through the differences between a web designer and a web developer and hope all your doubts will be solved after reading this complete blog.
Table of Contents:
Watch this video on Web Developers vs Web Designers to get a better understanding
Who is a Web Designer?
Web designers use their creative engineering and programming skills to design, build, and improve websites’ look and feel for better user interaction. They understand user experience and can create websites that are easy to understand, navigate, and use while also meeting the design standards and specifications.
Web designers look after the overall look and feel of a website like, the layout, colors, fonts, icons, buttons, etc. Although not always necessary, many web designers develop programming skills. They not only develop projects but also use programming languages like CSS, Ruby, SQL, and Python.
Who is a Web Developer?
A web developer is a programmer who specializes in developing web applications and websites related to the ‘World Wide Web’ or other distribution networks that typically run on protocols such as HTTP.
- Web developers know web development technology and understand how computers and web servers work.
- They also know how to deal with web applications and know different programming languages such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), JavaScript (JS), CSS, React, Angular, etc.
- Web Developers often deal with the server or software side of building websites or web applications.
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Types of Web Designers
Commonly, there are three types of Web Designers, they are-
- User Experience (UX) Designers
- User Interface (UI) Designers
- Graphic Designers
User Experience (UX) Designers
- UX designers actively improve the needs of end users.
- UX designers are responsible for researching, designing, and implementing the entire user experience when interacting with a digital product or tool.
- The main projects that a UX designer works on are websites, mobile apps, and software.
User Interface (UI) Designers
- UI designers test the whole user interface before making it public.
- This type of designer plans for changes or any improvements.
- They develop solutions that can be implemented to improve the user interface.
- They have to work with project managers and engineers to create better graphics and a better user experience.
Graphic Designers
Graphics designers build integrated graphics and visual effects systems that are used in the design of software applications such as games, high-quality images and videos, and operating systems. They write codes in various programming languages for the creation of a visual user interface for system software or end-user programs.
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Types of Web Developers
There are mainly three types of web developers. They are:
- Front-end developers
- Back-end developers
- Full-stack developers
Front-end Developers– A front-end developer is someone who designs a website according to the client or the organization’s needs. They write the code necessary to execute the requirements of the website. Front-end developers have to be proficient in three programming languages: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- HTML allows developers to add content by dividing the site into headings, paragraphs, and tables.
- CSS allows developers to style content and change color, size, and margins.
- JavaScript allows developers to add interactive elements, such as buttons.
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Back-end Developers– Back-end developers deal with the server end of web applications.
They have to code and look into the website’s servers, databases, and all the applications it contains. The most important thing for back-end developers is that they must run the code efficiently and do it as quickly as possible.
Languages used are PHP, Python, Java, and Ruby.
- JavaScript is becoming increasingly popular as a back-end development language, and to manage and SQL is used to analyze data in website databases.
Full-stack Developers– Full-stack developers understand front-end, and back-end strategies and processes, which means they need to perfectly understand the website’s requirements. They are well-positioned to oversee the entire process.
For smaller websites that don’t have a huge development budget, they often hire a full-time developer to build the entire site. In this case, full-stack developers must have a deep and comprehensive understanding of front-end and back-end development.
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Web Designer vs Web Developer: Key Differences
| Web Designer | Web Developer |
| A web designer brings the client’s idea into a reality with the medium of a website and takes care of the look and feel of it. | A web developer works on site structuring using different coding languages to develop a functional site. |
| A web designer’s role is not very technical. They specialize in the graphical and creative elements of the website. | Web developers require good technical knowledge, including various understandings of programming languages and frameworks. |
| User experience (UX) designers, user interface (UI) designers, and graphic designers are the three main types of web designers. | The different types of web developers are front-end developers, back-end developers, and full-stack developers. |
| Web designers build the final layout using tools and software such as Adobe Photoshop, Visual Studio, Sublime Text, etc. | The role of web developers is to build the interface of the website through which the users can interact with the website. |
| Web designers should always keep themselves up-to-date with the latest design trends. | Back-end developers create the backbone of the website using languages such as PHP and MySQL. They are also responsible for the database and its maintenance. |
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Skills Required for Web Designers
Web designers are responsible for creating visual and interactive elements of a website. Below are some of the essential skills that are required for web designers.
- Communication skills– Excellent communication skills are required for web designers to update clients on the status of their projects, suggest alternatives, as well as provide details about the products.
- Web Skills– Web designers should have good web skills and must be proficient in all web development programming languages, and tools related to graphics and animations.
- Writing and editing skills– The ability to use editing skills is very important for web developers as they may need to write or edit websites especially if they are running their websites for business purposes.
- Strong analytical skills– Web designers need a deep understanding of their users as they are very sensitive towards the products they use and keep changing their choices constantly.
Moreover, web designers will have to meet different types of audiences, specific markets, and customers throughout their careers, so they must have strong analytical skills.
- Innovative– A professional web designer should be proactive and creative, as they will always have to come up with original ideas and constantly propose innovative solutions to meet the expectations of their clients.
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Skills Required for Web Developers
Web developers require a range of skills to design, develop, and maintain websites. Here are some essential skills for web developers to succeed in this field.
- Proficiency in web development languages- Skills in programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, are important to be a successful web developer.
- Knowledge of web development frameworks- Developers should be familiar with popular web development frameworks like React, Angular, Vue.js, and Django as they can make development faster and more efficient.
- Understanding of databases- The experience of how to work with databases like MySQL, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL to store and retrieve data from websites is another essential skill for a Web Developer.
- Knowledge of web design- Web developers should have a basic understanding of web design principles and be able to create visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces.
- Problem-solving skills- They should be able to identify and solve problems that may arise during website development.
- Testing- Web developers need to be experienced in testing and debugging websites to ensure the proper functionality of the websites.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, all we can say is that the responsibilities may differ but the main objective of both web designers and web developers is to build user-friendly websites. However, there are often some common skills and knowledge that the individuals planning for a career in these fields must possess.
Ultimately, despite some differences, web designers and web developers need to work together to keep up with evolving technologies. It will certainly help make effective websites that meet the needs of customers.
If you have any queries, post your doubts at Intellipaat’s Web Technology Community.