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Businesses of all sizes recognize the increasing importance of an effective online presence as part of their overall strategy.
Websites offer companies an effective tool for advertising their business to the world at any given moment; people can search 24/7 and easily locate it, providing information such as hours of operation or payment options to potential customers and enabling international sales of goods through this global channel. Businesses establishing strong digital footprints allow themselves to expand their reach while strengthening public perception while simultaneously developing revenue growth potential.
Effective websites must combine aesthetic appeal and technical soundness for maximum success. Users should easily navigate and use it while still looking appealing; web designers and developers are responsible for this aspect of website creation and maintenance.
Identify differences and similarities between web design and development and what a software development degree could do for your career goals.
What Is Web Design?
Website aesthetics and usability are equally significant components, with web designers prioritizing layout and color schemes as they develop websites.
What is their goal in designing this type of site?
Good website design should always focus on improving the user experience. Achieve this through visually appealing yet straightforward features for navigation, embodying brand values, and effectively targeting their target audiences.
Web designers typically produce deliverables such as storyboards and logo designs, formats, UI / UX frameworks, and color palettes as part of their client service.
Also Read: Web Development Techniques Every Beginner Must Know
Web Design Elements
Web designers are visual thinkers.
They use website development guides as a resource in creating branding and graphical elements on sites they develop, such as branding their brand with specific color schemes or creating a visual hierarchy on pages they design. Instead of working solely behind the scenes with code, designers focus on graphic aspects rather than code itself - layout, color schemes, and logo are emphasized to enhance visitor browsing experiences.
At the same time, frontend development languages such as HTML (HTML5) or CSS3 may also play here.
Web designers always consider these elements when developing websites:
Layout & Design
Making an impactful first impression for new visitors to your website is vitally important, particularly with first-timers.
Web designers are responsible for designing logos, introduction texts, headers, footers, and videos. In addition, designers need to remain abreast of design trends across various markets or industries they represent and incorporate mobile-friendly options when developing sites.
Colors And Branding
Color schemes for websites vary considerably based on their logo and target audiences and aesthetic considerations like branding or colors used.
This can have an enormous effect on their aesthetic qualities.
Graphics
Website designers must select graphics, photos, illustrations, and logos used on a site, with an understanding of color theory to combine various layouts, palettes, themes, etc., into an easily navigable online space.
Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is key when creating an effective website, especially if the goal is attracting prospective customers, collecting user information, or driving sales.
and knowing where specific elements should go on the site and which graphic designs make an impression will lead to greater customer success and higher conversion rates.
Navigation
Navigation is one of the key tenets of web design. From your first visit, your instinct is to look for navigation links; otherwise, it could become hard for a website to retain users if its navigation bar or column doesn't make for easy use on smartphones and tablets.
A website's navigation should also be easily visible, accessible, responsive, mobile-friendly, and user-friendly for visitors who browse via smartphones or tablets.
Accessibility
Web designers must take accessibility into account when creating websites. While it falls to web developers to implement any necessary coding changes for their site, web designers should add graphic and design elements specific for smartphone and tablet devices to ensure access for everyone using those devices.
With more people turning to smartphones and tablets to browse the internet than ever before, designers must ensure their responsive designs are accessible to everyone who accesses them.
Website Speed
Web designers must also carefully consider the size and nature of graphics when building websites, noting that slower loading pages could increase bounce rate significantly.
Bounce rates measure how quickly visitors leave after landing on a page or visiting for the first time. According to research conducted on site performance metrics, just two seconds of delay can increase bounce rates by 103%! When designing layouts or elements on sites, designers should keep image optimization and compression top of minds.
Establish your brand online by designing and developing your website from the ground up, from adding domains and domain registration through traffic analysis and optimizing for SEO.
Programming
Web developers employ various languages. In particular, they must know HTML and CSS frontend coding languages like Ruby, Perl, C++, Java, and Python, as these may all come into play during web development projects.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is something web developers understand well. By applying current SEO practices while designing a website to ensure optimal search engine performance and appearing on top search engines like Google and Microsoft Bing first page results pages if properly optimized, web designers will become adept in Search engine Optimization techniques.
They can ensure optimal website results for visitors searching them out.
Optimization
Web developers specialize in optimizing websites, regardless of whether yours was built from the ground up or using third-party solutions such as WordPress.
Their developers remove unnecessary code to focus on providing only what visitors to the website require for optimal experience; plus, they understand how to optimize for different devices and browsers depending on who the client's audience is.
Structure
Web developers understand the proper formatting of lines of code to optimize website load times without becoming bogged down or slow.
Even for large and robust sites, their code can be tailored in such a manner to increase loading speed and decrease bounce rate rates.
Css Operations
CMS (Content Management Systems) are becoming more prevalent. Gone are the days when individual files would be uploaded using FTP or web host file-upload solutions like GoDaddy; today, users prefer content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, and Shopify, which make uploading files much simpler for web developers to integrate your design directly into it.
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What Is Website Development ?
Website development involves more than the aesthetic aspects.
Web developers are responsible for making your web designer's vision come to life through code. There are two types of developers: back-end and frontend developers.
Frontend developers write code to define how a website displays concepts created by web designers, while back-end developers manage your database and enable frontend data access.
Types And Categories Of Web Development
Knowing what types of web development a developer specializes in will allow you to hire or become one.
Web designers typically possess numerous talents that enable them to design various types of web development sites.
With so many varieties of design available today, you'd think any professional could handle all your web needs! Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case, as few master multiple forms.
Frontend Development
Front-end developers are responsible for designing the user experience or client side of software, websites, and programs - the part visible by visitors or clients - such as layout, navigation, and graphics.
They design what users see. These developers' primary duty is to craft interfaces that help users achieve their objectives more easily and are instrumental in shaping user experience for any project.
Back-End Development
Back-end web developers work behind the scenes on servers hosting websites, software programs, and programs, making sure everything runs efficiently.
Developers specialize in managing code for content, security, and site architecture. Working closely with frontend designers, they bring their products directly to users.
Full Stack Development
Full-stack developers specialize in both frontend and back-end web development, taking an integrated approach to designing websites, applications, and software programs from conception through completion.
Their work may encompass anything from designing the server interface or interface design for apps all the way to building software programs from start to finish. Full stack developers utilize various technologies responsible for different functions within a site, such as servers and interfaces - this term "Stack" refers to these various technologies allowing a website's full potential to be realized online.
Full stack engineers are highly sought after due to the experience required of them. They can optimize performance by anticipating problems before they occur.
A developer course typically covers this comprehensive skill set.
Website Development
Website developers can be divided into several different groups. Frontend, back-end, or full-stack developers specializing in website creation, as opposed to mobile apps, desktop software, or video games.
Desktop Development
Desktop developers specialize in developing applications that run directly on a device rather than online in a web browser, though their skills may overlap with web developers when an app can both run offline and online simultaneously.
Mobile Development
Mobile developers create applications designed for portable mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, including apps designed specifically for those devices.
Mobile development differs significantly from creating software or websites as mobile applications demand different skill sets than standard solutions.
Game Development
Game developers specialize in writing code for video games such as Xbox and PlayStation console games and PC and mobile titles.
This area also encompasses PC development.
Embedded Development
Embedded software developers are responsible for developing applications on hardware other than computers (in terms we typically understand), such as consumer devices, IoT networks, and real-time systems, as well as electronic interfaces like sensors or RFID readers.
With an explosion in interconnected devices such as smart appliances, Bluetooth technology, and virtual assistants, embedded development is increasingly prevalent.
Security Development
Security developers employ procedures and systems designed to safeguard software programs or websites, acting like ethical hackers who seek out vulnerabilities on sites without malicious intentions; additionally, they also create tools and processes for detecting and eliminating security risks.
Now, let's dive deeper into the web development process.
What Is The Difference Between Website Design And Web Development?
Website development and website design often overlap; therefore, it isn't uncommon to come across developers with both skills.
While each aspect stands alone, investing in both is crucial in creating an amazing user experience; together they produce engaging, functional websites. Here are the major distinctions between them both.
Web Developers Are Not Responsible For Creating Assets.
Website design and development are two distinct processes. While web designers focus on visual assets to improve the user experience, web developers work behind the scenes by developing functionality.
Developers use JavaScript, CSS, and HTML code to convert wireframes, mockups, or any other assets designers create into functional code that displays them online. Website designers create visual aids while developers utilize code to display them via code on websites.
Web Designers Are Not Responsible For Writing Code.
Designers do not typically write code. Although there may be occasional exceptions, designers usually do not need to learn programming to perform their duties effectively.
Consider the duties and responsibilities of a web designer: this involves using Photoshop for image development, designing layouts, and producing mockups - without using code! Web development remains the best solution here, as code doesn't come into play at any point during these tasks.
Some businesses choose no-code website builders to enhance the user's experience and beautify their sites without needing any programming knowledge or coding know-how.
These "no code" website builders allow designers to improve user engagement without costly development expenses or lengthy development times.
Web Design Is Usually Cheaper Than Web Development.
Web design tends to be cheaper than web development; according to ZipRecruiter's estimates, developers typically earn an hourly wage of $36, while designers average an hourly pay rate of just $29.
You normally will spend less when opting for development over design.
Why: Web development involves extensive coding training. Prices also fluctuate based on supply and demand: there may be more web designers on the market than developers; for highly qualified web designers or developers expect higher rates than average.
Web Development Aims To Improve The Functionality Of A Site, While Website Design Is Aimed At Enhancing Its Aesthetic Appeal.
Web development and website design each play an essential part in building websites, with web development adding functionality through code, while website design focuses on making a customer-centric user interface and experience for visitors to enjoy visiting your website.
Both aspects are equally essential when developing any site.
What Are The Similarities Between Web Design And Web Development?
Both web design and web development share similarities, as their aim is to deliver an enjoyable user experience on websites.
Understanding these overlaps between them will allow you to better appreciate both elements essential for producing an effective site.
Companies looking to establish and grow an effective web presence must rely on web design and development as key elements.
Both roles work closely together, sometimes being carried out by one individual. Web designers and developers require various levels of programming experience as well as problem-solving abilities as they test different design options to determine what will work best.
They should keep abreast of the latest programming languages, trends, and innovations - when done right, web development creates tech-driven concepts that tie directly into business vision, allowing the business to reach more customers than before.
Both Play A Part In Creating A User-Friendly Experience.
Focusing on customer experience will keep customers coming back. User experience matters because it ensures customers are pleased with both the website itself and the product/service it provides; poor UX can leave customers frustrated, potentially driving them away altogether.
Answer: Simple. While design ensures customers enjoy an easy navigation experience on your website, the development ensures it functions effectively - otherwise, no matter how appealing a site might look, it will not add value for customers.
Both Elements Must Be Coordinated To Create A Cohesive Website.
Have you considered whether investing in website design and web development is worth your while? To create a functional, cohesive website experience, these investments must work hand-in-hand to achieve excellence.
A site without design would lack character, while one without development wouldn't function efficiently; together, they create an exceptional web experience.
What Is The Difference Between Web Design And Web Development For Marketers?
Marketing professionals should keep several things in mind when considering web design and development projects, particularly communication between designers and developers, with specific requests being given more weight in creating successful results.
An organized list of functionality must-haves can also be extremely beneficial when trying to achieve optimal outcomes.
Marketers must not overlook the significance of mobile experiences for customers. According to Gartner research, by 2021, mobile will account for half of web traffic - employing professional designers and developers will help create mobile-optimized sites that delight your customers across devices.
Web Design And Development Working Together
Design and development go hand-in-hand regarding website creation; both fields should not be considered separate disciplines but interdependent on each other, leading to much confusion between them.
These concepts can be combined in various ways to form websites tailored specifically for individual preferences and needs, with the most basic process looking something like this:
Information Gathering And Planning
Website developers collect client input to establish what their final product should entail, starting by planning its scope - featuring major sections, pages, and features as outlined by clients and collaborators alike.
You Can Also Design Your Own
As is typically the case, design work takes place before development. Either on paper or via mockup, website structure, and look are laid out on a basic mockup for client review and approval/change requests; once approved or requested, changes can be implemented.
A mockup allows much greater freedom for changes than something coded into existence.
The Development Of The Developing Countries
Developers can begin work once a mockup has been approved. Developers create the website from scratch or using an established framework, often starting by creating its structure before adding specific features and functionalities as required.
Testing
Websites can be complex endeavors that involve many complexities that don't always go according to plan at first glance, which requires testing iterations after revision to wrap up and ensure everything functions optimally at the end.
A testing phase may often be essential when finalizing projects in order to guarantee all aspects are functioning as designed and ensure that everything functions as promised.
This process can also be quite flexible: while for small sites with few steps, it might not be required, large e-commerce projects might need more in-depth efforts in order to avoid mistakes and save time and effort in development and design processes.
By seeing how web development and design interact, this should give a good picture of their working together as one process.
Also Read: What is Website Design and Development?
What Does All This Mean For You?
This information can still seem abstract. Understanding web design and development differences can be useful in many ways.
Here are two of the most common applications.
Hiring Someone To Build Your Website
Researching before hiring someone to build your website can save time, hassle, and expense when hiring the wrong people or miscommunicating your needs.
Understanding exactly what's involved will allow for clear communication when searching for someone to create it for you.
Once your website has been designed and developed, the next step should be hiring employees to manage its management.
Some specialists specialize in web design while others can do both; freelancers or dedicated teams have advantages and disadvantages that you should carefully consider when hiring your management staff.
- It's cheaper to hire a developer/designer who can also handle the communication between all the people involved in your site.
You won't need to worry about miscommunications.
This is a good option for smaller areas or those with fewer features.
There is some truth to the phrase "jack of all trades and master of none." A single person may lack the skills to design a website that is visually stunning and functionally complex.
- It's more expensive to bring on at least one designer and developer, but you will have experts in both areas.
They can each focus on one aspect of the product.
In this situation, communication can be difficult.
However, the problem can be minimized using a company that employs designers and developers.
It is the most expensive option but will likely give you the desired site.
Get Involved In The Industry.
Are You Thinking about building websites Yourself? Once again, decisions need to be made quickly on what first to learn - website development or web design.
Though both can be learned, you should focus on what best fits you - web designing or development. For the latter option, you must enjoy working with code.
If the former suits your interests better, then development might be your passion!
Web Design Professionals Have A Better Job Outlook Than Web Developers. Web Development Professionals
Internet use will continue to expand as devices become more affordable and accessible, especially mobile websites, which will continue to experience exponential growth according to Ericsson Mobile Report predictions of smartphone traffic increasing 10-fold between 2016 and 2022, according to this graph.
Therefore, web designers and developers will remain in demand, particularly since Google rewards mobile-friendly sites with higher rankings on search results pages; otherwise, they risk falling behind competitors by losing customers due to shifting web trends.
Web design and development professionals will have numerous options in the coming years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, web development will increase by 13% between 2018-2028 - an exceptionally fast rate compared with overall employment trends.
Furthermore, PayScale data shows that web designers typically earn median annual salaries of around $50K. At the same time, developers make, on average, around $59,000 annually.
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Conclusion:
Establishing a website can be an arduous undertaking. Yet, only some realize its complexity requires at least two sets of skills to create.
Understanding the differences between web development and design will be extremely useful, whether building your site yourself or considering DIY options.
While both fields overlap considerably - and many professionals work in both capacities simultaneously - understanding each term independently will prove essential in building attractive yet highly functional websites.
