Web designers and web developers both help build websites. And because of the overlap between the two fields, it’s easy to get confused between the two.
A web developer uses coding languages to build the core structure of a website, while a web designer takes control of the visual components and focuses more on the user experience.
Think about a car – there’s someone responsible for the aesthetics of it, what it looks like internally and externally, its usability and how it feels. (web designer)
Then, you’ll have another person responsible for making the car function. They focus more on the internal components, such as the engine and all the other working parts of a car that may not even be visible to you. (web developer)
Lets take a closer look at the difference between a web designer and a web developer.
Web Designer
A web designer works on the overall look and feel of a website. In other words, they help make your website look good and use software like Photoshop to customise the visual elements of a website.
Web designers don’t necessarily need to know how to code, but some may have knowledge of or use coding languages to create a website.
Web Developer
Web developers spend most of their time using what is known as “client-side” code to build the framework of a website. These coding languages include HTML, JavaScript and CSS.
A web developer will often also drip into back-end development, which focuses more on the use of “server-side” code and languages like PHP.
In short, a web developer will take what is visual and make it functional.
Although there are distinct differences between a web designer and a web developer, both play a significant role in getting a website to do what it needs to do.
