Digital presence is essential to business success, and that’s nothing you have to Google to know. According to BusinessDasher.com, 97% of customers say that a working website influences their purchasing decision. Adding to that, small businesses see a 15% to 50% growth in revenue once they have a website.
Let’s say that you have a business idea you want to launch. That means you need a fully functional website. So, who’s your go-to person to get the website ready? A website designer or a website developer? Wait, don’t they stand for the same thing?
There’s a huge difference between web design and web development. Although both terms get used interchangeably, website design and development require different skillsets and resources to build a website.
If you’re looking for website design services, it’s essential to have clarity about both roles and the services they provide. This way, you have a clear goal in mind, a transparent communication with your service provider, and smoother overall project delivery.
Through this blog post, we have helped you understand what difference website designers and developers share and how they help you. So, keep reading.
What Is Website Design?
A website design is the necessary first step for businesses setting foot in the digital ecosystem. We have explained the ‘what, why, and how’ of website design to help you understand how we at Viacon see it.
What it does: A live and working website is the online presence, the foundation of a business’s existence on the internet. It’s the primary face that the user interacts with, giving the business a scope to impact its brand perception and attract attention.
Why: Website design is the first step that allows a business to achieve its digital goals through an interactive and functional website. A website designer is responsible for theUI/UX, and it ultimately leads to business success. With a well-designed website, it’s easier to attract new customers, build brand awareness, and increase conversion.
How: Technically, a website designer designs web pages with the visual elements included in a layout, its colors, imagery, and typography. The overall package is there to ensure that the website remains user-friendly, effective, and visually appealing. It effectively communicates the messages the website owners (businesses/ non-profit organizations) intend to share.
What Is Website Development?
Website development is the process that comes after website design.
What it does: Once the website designer finishes the design process, it’s ready for development. This part is all about transforming the website design into an intuitive and interactive online presence.
Why: The development process makes the website fully operational and prepares it for online launch. They ensure that the website not only looks good but also stays functional and operational.
How: The developer uses different codes to build the website’s structure, refining its functionality, and improving its features. The process involves working on the front-end and back-end elements using different tech stacks.
Finally, developers combine all using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making the user interface. Furthermore, the developers use server-side languages such as Java, Python, or Node.js to ensure functionality.
The Difference Between Web Design And Web Development
The overlap between website design and website development often leads to both terms being used interchangeably. When referring to either service, clients usually don’t know what to ask for.
The website design focuses on the visual aspects of a website’s experience. On the other hand, website development focuses on the underlying functionalities, the coding, and the technical aspects of it.
Although used interchangeably, both website design and website development require different skillsets. For website designers, website design principles, taste for visuals, the users’ psychology, and branding are key skills.
On the contrary, website developers must learn core technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Additionally, they must learn different programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, and so on.
Here’s a detailed elaboration of what both website design and website development stand for:
Website Developers Don’t Create Creative Assets
The key difference between web design and website development lies in the responsibility involved in both roles. While website designers create visual assets that translate the website into what it is to the audience. It’s all about the aesthetic appearance and the interactive value.
Conversely, web developers build the functionalities of the visual assets and bring the designer’s vision to life.
The website designers build mock-ups, wireframes, and other assets using Figma or Sketch. The developer takes the website design and translates it into a working website using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
So, the web designers hold the responsibility to design a website; on the other hand, website developers use code to make that website appear on the search engine.
Website Designers Aren’t Responsible For Writing Code
Here’s another prominent difference between web design and web development: website designers aren’t directly responsible for writing code. They don’t have to work on the technical aspects of the website.
That said, most website designers know a little bit about HTML and CSS, which gives them better control over the visual aspect of the website.
But typically, website designers don’t have to use any programming language such as Python or PHP. However, there are exceptions where designers also learn and use programming languages.
However, the website designers are the first line of communication between the client and the developers. They understand the clients’ requirements and help them understand the website’s requirements. The designers also create the website mock-ups using tools like Figma, Photoshop, and other tools, and get them reviewed by the clients.
This part of the website development doesn’t involve any coding; hence, the web developers have no responsibility here. Furthermore, many website design anddevelopment service providersuse no-code website building practices, requiring little to no involvement from the website developers’ side.
Website Developers Deliver The Final Product
The difference between web design and web development is also visible in their involvement throughout the stages of the process. Website design is the primary process, while website development comes at a later stage. While the design paves the way for the website, the development part delivers the final product.
Responsibilities: Website developers use code to build the website’s back-end, ensure responsiveness across devices, and they also handle the database interaction.
Example: A developer writes codes that make the website clickable. They ensure that the CTA buttons are working properly and that they’re displaying the correct information on different devices.
In short, where the website designers ensure the “what” and “how” part of a website’s aesthetics and visuals, developers ensure “how” the website functions.
Website Developers Are More Expensive Than Designers
Website developers charge clients more than website designers do. The development process requires a strong understanding of complex coding languages such as CSS, HTML, Python, PHP, and more. There are two parts of the website development process:
- Front-end (the user interaction part).
- Backend (CSS, HTML, and JavaScript are the core languages).
Typically, both parts of the development process are left to two different developers. However, many organizations employ full-stack developers who can take care of both the front-end and the back-end part of the website development. They also checkwebsite development errorsbefore the website goes live.
On the other hand, website design requires creative design skills and understanding of branding, and different design tools such as Photoshop and Figma. However, comparatively, website developers charge more than website designers.
Should You Hire A Website Designer Or A Developer?
Hiring a website designer alone isn’t enough. Once you understand the clear difference between web design and web development, you know the roles both play in delivering a fully functional website. That’s why it’s best to choose awebsite design agency instead of relying on either a designer or a developer.
Many businesses often consider a no-code website design and deployment solution. While that’s great for a quick start, you’ll require something more robust and efficient as the business starts to scale. That’s why it’s best to consider website design and development services that include both designers and developers.
A Solution Tailored To Your Business!
At Viacon, we understand your business demands and tailor website designs depending on your branding requirements and need for user interaction. A team of expert website designers and developers crafts your website from scratch and makes it functional for all your business requirements.
The experts ensure that your website stays aligned with the branding, content marketing, and SEO requirements, focusing on conversion and real results.
