Illustration comparing web design and web development, highlighting differences in focus, tools, roles, output, and user interaction for Digital Dezire's services.

Web Design and Development: What’s the Difference?

When you are thinking about building a website, you may immediately consider hiring a developer or designer.
However, did you know that both web design and web development are quite different? Website design and development are integral elements used in creating websites, software platforms, and even applications used on smartphones and tablets in everyday life.

Although there are many similarities and differences between website design and development, understanding them can help better understand how the two coexist with each other and why both are essential for any web project today

What is Web Design and Development?

When you want to create a website, you will need both design and development. You can design the website, but you cannot launch it without developing it using standard programming languages and coding. Web designers also spend time on usability and the way a person experiences the website, rather than working in the backend.

The two are closely related and in many cases, developers work with design and designers are also familiar with certain development languages. Comparing web design vs. web development can help you understand what you need when working on your next web design development project.

Even after you have an idea of a website design or a vision you want for your design, you will still need the help of a web developer to help bring that design to life and make it usable or accessible for your online visitors.

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Web Design Elements

A web designer is an extremely visual person and may also use a guide to website development to help craft the branding and visual elements for a website. A web designer typically works with visual and graphical elements rather than working behind the scenes with coding. This means they may focus on the overall layout, aesthetic, color scheme, logo, and even the visual hierarchy of the website to provide as pleasant a browsing experience as possible for visitors. However, it is also possible for a web designer to be proficient in a variety of coding languages, particularly front-end development languages ​​such as HTML (HTML5) and CSS (CSS3).

Some of the most notable elements of web design that web designers always keep in mind when working include:

Layout and Design

The overall layout and first visual impression matters, especially for new visitors to a website. A web designer is responsible for arranging the logo, intro text, navigation, headers, footers, and additional graphical or video elements. They are also responsible for keeping up with the latest trends that they use in designs based on particular markets or industries. Website layouts may also include mobile-friendly development options, which will be implemented and worked on by the website developer.

Branding and Colors

Choosing a color scheme for a website will depend on the preferred logo being used by the business or website as well as the target audience. Choosing the right branding and colors can provide the most appropriate aesthetic for the site’s target audience.

Graphics

The web designer is also responsible for choosing the type of graphics, logos, photographs, and illustrations to use. The web designer must have a good understanding of colour theory as well as know how to integrate a wide range of layouts, colour palettes, and themes into one central online location.

 

Hierarchy

The visual hierarchy of a website is also important, especially if the goal of your website is to attract new potential customers, collect user information, or generate sales. Knowing where certain elements of your website should appear and which graphic elements are the most aesthetically pleasing can be very helpful in terms of making a positive and lasting impression on your visitors and customers.

 

Navigation

One of the most important elements involved in web design involves navigation. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you will immediately start searching for links or navigation areas to help you find your way around. A website that does not have proper navigation columns or bars may find it difficult to retain users. The website navigation should be immediately visible, easily accessible, responsive, and mobile-friendly for those who use smartphones and tablet devices while browsing on the go.

 

Accessibility

Just like navigation, accessibility of your website is just as important, even for web designers. Although it will be the web developer’s duty to implement the coding necessary for your website to load and work, web designers should consider creating additional graphical and design elements for those who use smartphones and tablet devices while browsing online. Today, more users browse the web than ever before using a tablet or smartphone, which is why designers prioritize ensuring that websites are not just accessible to one crowd or the other.

 

Website Speed

While it is important for a web developer to ensure website optimization, web designers must also take into account the overall size of the graphics and other design elements used for the website they want to create. If a website takes too long to load, the website owner runs the risk of increasing the website’s overall bounce rate.

The bounce rate of a website is the percentage of users who leave after landing on a page of the website or visiting the site for the first time. According to a survey, a simple 2-second delay in loading time on a website can lead to a staggering 103% increase in bounce rate. Web designers should always keep image optimization and compression in mind when designing layouts and other elements for clients.

Bring your brand to life with your website. Design from scratch, connect domains, analyze traffic, and optimize for SEO.

 

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A web developer is an expert at problem-solving and understanding a variety of programming languages, from HTML and CSS to complex languages like Java, JavaScript, Ruby, C++, and Python. A web developer is also responsible for working with a web designer to help coordinate efforts to bring the design to life. Whether the design is a flat 2D design or requires dynamic Flash, video, and animation, a web developer can work to integrate a variety of elements into a site while implementing design elements into a real and live working website.

 

Programming

Web developers work with a variety of languages. They are also familiar with front-end coding languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Other languages that web developers are familiar with may include Ruby, Perl, C++, Java, and Python.

 

SEO

Web developers are not only well-versed in various programming languages, but they are also familiar with SEO or search engine optimization. When developing a new website, consider and implement updated SEO tactics to ensure that your website is optimized for the top-performing search engines. A properly optimized website will appear in the first pages of search results for top search engines like Google and Microsoft’s Bing.

 

Optimization

A web developer is also familiar with optimizing a website, whether you choose to build a website from scratch or you are using a third-party solution like WordPress. Developers remove unnecessary code and use only what works best for the website as well as its visitors. Web developers are also familiar with optimizing a website for specific devices and browsers based on the client’s target audience.

 

Structure

Website developers are well versed in using properly structured lines of coding, making your website load faster without any hindrances, even if your website is large, elaborate, and robust. Ensuring that your website’s coding is properly formatted and aligned can help significantly increase your website’s overall loading speed, which can help reduce your website’s bounce rate immediately.

 

CMS Operations

 

Using a CMS, or content management system, is more common today than ever. Previously, users would typically upload individual files to their website using FTP or another web hosting file upload solution. However, CMSs like WordPress, Joomla, and even e-commerce solutions like Shopify are now more commonly used. Web developers are not only familiar with website programming from scratch, but they can also easily integrate any new or existing design you have in mind into your CMS of choice.

 

Combine Web Design and Development

 

Ultimately, combining both website design and development is the key to creating a truly successful online presence. While web design mostly represents the front end of a website, or what is visible to the user, web development focuses on creating the foundation or back end of a website.

 

Once you understand what website design and development are and how the two are similar and different, it becomes much easier to determine what areas and elements you need to focus on for your website. Whether you are looking for e-commerce website design tips or learning how to develop your storefront, using both web design and development together is a must for a modern website.

 

With Digital Dezire, get started developing, designing, and building your business website with ease. Digital Dezire provides an all-in-one solution that allows you to easily manage and maintain a business website, portfolio, or even an e-commerce store, as well as manage and monitor all of your marketing efforts in one central location. Using Digital Dezire is a great way to speed up your next marketing campaign, streamlining your efforts.

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