Web Designer vs Web Developer: Know The Difference

Summary: Web designers vs web developers —people still get confused between the two portfolios, that is, web developer and web designer. Clearly, these are two different things related to the web or “website.” However, the areas that they work in vary. Now, if you look at the terms adjoined, you’ll know that. One is the developer, the one who builds something or technically codes it. Whereas, the other one is related to designing, one who designs the look of the website. We will get into the details, so, don’t push yourself too hard to find the difference between a web designer and a web developer. Let’s roll into the details without further ado.

Web developer vs. designer is one of the most searched terms when it comes to hiring professional website development companies to build a website. However, the two terms are usually mixed up. Since both of these play a role in creating a website, it is kind of customary to get confused. However, if you need a clearer view of web developer vs. web designer, this blog is just the right piece to read today. Before moving further, let’s take a quick overview of web designer and web developer differences.

The developers use coding languages to develop the core structure of the website while the designers take care of the “creative” part of the whole picture. The developers give life to the designers’ creation using the codes. Therefore, no one can say that one is more important than the other. Both of them play a different role and are equally important to bring out a website that yields money and success for the business. So, if you want to hire web developers for your project, understanding these two terms UI/UX designer vs web developer can be a great help.

Overview of Web Designers and Developers

When it comes to having a web development team, developers and designers are the core structure of a website development team. They are the ones who help you build a website that perfectly aligns with trends and your business vision. A web developer is the one who programs your website while a web developer creates visual appeal. We have explained these terms in detail for you.

What is a Web Designer?

Coming to the first part of the entire web developer vs. web designer, let’s look at the definition of a web designer. The role of a designer is to create the visual aspect of the website. Their goal is to deliver a combined benefit of visually appealing and user-friendly web design. Both of these are meant to encourage more visitors to the website. Alongside they have a motto of retaining them for a longer time.

In addition, the designers also need to remain concerned about how their design will affect the website’s coding. That is one reason why designers need to stay updated with modern web design trends. In brief, the designers create the structure of the site and the developer brings it to life.

What is a Web Developer?

The other part of web developer vs. web designer is the web developer. Well, the primary role of the developer is to build and maintain the website’s core structure. Their role involves technical aspects like coding and using advanced programming languages. In a nutshell, the web developers take the ideas of website design structured by the designers and give it a life using codes and make it into a fully-functioning being.

To simply understand it, web developers build websites so the users can use it and interact with the business. The web developers also test and debug the code. Also, they handle post-launch services like ongoing support, maintenance, fixing servers, etc.

What does a web designer do?

The web designer plays a vital role in creating an appealing interface that translates business vision. They aim to design a visually attractive layout using the right mix of graphic elements, color scheme, and content, which is responsive across all screen sizes and drives conversions with higher engagement levels. Best web designers always prioritize understanding the type of website that the client wants before creating a layout structure.

This information enables crafting an intuitive interface that intrigues the users and delivers the best experience. Design effectiveness is improved with feedback from the target audience and various tests. Website designers keep up with the latest web design trends and technologies to create a modern interface while adhering to design standards and best practices.

What does a web developer do?

The work of web developers is more technical. They engineer the website from scratch using programming languages, frameworks, APIs, databases, and coding techniques. They add life to the concepts or structures created by web designers and turn them into real websites. Furthermore, they are responsible for developing front-end functionalities that are easy to navigate and accessible. Seamless database management and server configurations ensure user-facing features perform as expected.

The functionalities are continuously tested, ensuring bugs are fixed, performance issues are addressed, and website crashes don’t exist anymore. Post-launch, web developers provide ongoing support and maintenance services that guarantee the website functions smoothly forever. They have different ways of improving the website to ensure it remains up-to-date.

For example, they suggest enhancing the website with emerging technologies to keep the customers visiting and engaging. Security is enhanced with new technology leverage that helps websites outsmart cyber fraud.

Type of Web Designer and Web Developer

Types of Web Designers

In a comparison between a web designer and a web developer, the designer team plays a crucial role. You can segregate designers into various types, according to the work they do. For example, web design, game design, app design, interaction design, and user experience design are some examples of web designers. However, there are basically 3 types of web designers with varied skill sets, they are;

• UX Designers
• UI Designers
• Visual Designers

Let’s explore the three main types of designers in detail.

1. UX designer

They ensure that the website is designed appropriately to engage customers and create a positive user experience. Here, human-centric designs are created depending on the data collected.

2. UI designers

They are a significant part of the web designing process. UI designers work to enhance the website’s usability and optimize it in a manner to encourage soaring conversions.

3. Visual designers

Visual designers play an intriguing role. They work with the website’s layout and visual elements. Also, their portfolio combines both – UI and UX design. In other words, the key role of a visual designer is to ensure that the interface of the website is visually pleasing and easy to use!

Types of Web Developers

You can find web developers having expertise in various technologies, albeit there are 3 main types of web developers, they are;

• Front-end web developers
• Back-end web developers
• Full-stack web developers

Besides, you can also find developers having expertise in different technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and many others. However, they all fall within three categories. Let’s explore them in detail.

1. Front-end web developers

They code the website using CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and Content Management Systems (CMS). They are also called client-side developers, responsible for coding and programming the visual elements of a website. The front-end is what the users see that is why there is considerable overlap between front-end developers and web designers.

2. Back-end web developers

They take care of the construction of things that go behind the scenes, that is, the server-side development! These developers code the database and server using high-standard languages like PHP, C++, Java, Ruby, and even Node.Js.

3. Full-stack web developers

A full-stack developer is the one that takes care of both the front and back end of a website. In addition to constructing the websites using programming languages, they also configure servers, code the APIs, and query databases.

What are the skills of Web Designers?

The web designer must have the following skills to do their job excellently and stay successful.

• Expertise in CSS and HTML
• Understanding of web accessibility standards
• Knowledge of website design principles
• Graphic design skills
• Wireframing and prototyping
• User journey mapping
• Responsive design creation
• Usage of various design tools
• Awareness of coding languages
• Creative problem-solving approach
• Experience in color theory and typography
• Communication and Collaboration
• Project management

It’s just a tip of the iceberg. The web designers need to continuously update themselves with upcoming technologies, tools, and trends that allows them to stay current. The combination of technical and non-technical skills enables web designers to craft the website designs that align with client’s expectations and deliver breathtaking experiences to the target audience.

What are the skills of Web Developers?

Web developers do their work proficiently when they have the required knowledge and technical skills. Such as –

• Deep understanding of front-end programming languages
• Significant expertise in back-end programming languages
• Enhancement with API integration
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving approach
• Familiarity with databases and CMS
• Testing and debugging
• Search engine optimization
• Project management
• Multi-tasking capability
• Knowledge of different tools and platforms
• Awareness of hosting control panels and FTP

Becoming proficient in all the skills is an integral part of the web developer’s profession. Web developers need to gain and hone their skills to build diverse projects. These talents enable web developers to successfully build full-fledged websites using the right set of technologies and tools collaboratively.

Web Designers Vs Web Developers: The Major Difference You Need to Know

Now that we are aware that web designers and web developers are two distinct profiles, let’s glance through the key differences between them. So, here’s the most awaited web developer vs. designer.

1. Web designers need not code

Web designers take care of the look and feel of the website. Thus, for that purpose, they may use tools like Photoshop to create the images and a prototyping tool like InVision to create a mockup. However, none of the two objectives require them to code or use website programming languages like HTML, CSS, and so on.

2. Web developers don’t create visual elements for the website

Web developers program the website using languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They use coding skills to translate the designer’s wireframes to a website that is functioning and alive! In a nutshell, they don’t design or plan the buttons, color schemes, and fonts used on the website but code to implement these elements on the web pages.

3. Web developers are more costly

Comparing the website developers’ cost vs. web designers, the latter is more expensive. The primary reason behind this hike in the cost of hiring a web developer is – there are more designers than developers, hence, applying the rule of demand and supply.

Website Development Cost in 2024

Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How much do they charge?

There are ample employment opportunities with attractive annual salary packages for web developers and web designers. With increasing website development projects, the demand for web designers and web developers is expected to climb by 13% in the next decade.

The statistics from Glassdoor state that the US web designer gets an average of $63,019 annually as compensation. In contrast, the annual salary of the US web developer goes up to $82,450 in 2024.

When the salary of US web developers or designers are translated into hourly rates, you can easily estimate the web development cost. The web designer charges are around $38 per hour, and the web developer’s cost is around $45 per hour. Multiplying the hourly rate with the total development and design hours allows you to calculate the website development cost.

For example, when your basic web development project consumes 500 working hours (300 hours for web development and 200 hours for web design), then the website development cost in the USA looks like this-

Web development cost = 300*$45 + 200*$38 = $13500 + $7600 = $21100.

The web design and development cost rises when the number of functionalities and design complexity grows as it increases the number of working hours. Additionally, when the project requires specialists or senior developer/designer, the hourly rate increases proportionately.

When to Hire Web Designer or  Web Developer: Some Use Cases

As discussed, the web developer and designer’s combined strength makes the web development project a grand success. Hiring an individual web developer or web designer is sometimes enough. It’s determined with website development goals.

For example, hiring a website designer is sufficient when you want basic website development with homepage layout design. The familiarity with basic coding languages and design skills allow them to create a basic website.

On the other hand, hiring a web developer is essential if you are looking for mobile-optimized website development, including a contact form, advanced functionalities, and other content.
Knowing the web designer and web developer differences also helps you know which development case requires web designer and web developer.

Website Development Process : A Step-by-Step Guide

Web Developer Vs. Web Designer: Which Is Better?

In the realm of website development, you need masters, not jacks of all trades. A similar thing is experienced when you compare- web designer vs web developer. Although you will find web developers and web designers have some overlap in skills, hiring specialists with the required skill sets is imperative for successful website development.

Web designers focus on visual appearance and usability with website idea conceptualization. On the contrary, web developers are tech geeks who shape the vision into a full-fledged solution after analyzing if the website layout is technically plausible. Both web developers and designers play unique roles that depend on each other.

Web developers handle technical aspects to create the best functionalities, and web designers take care of visual work that enhances user experiences. The collaborative efforts of web developers and web designers can take projects from conceptualization to final deployment, so asking such questions doesn’t make sense.

FAQ

Which tools are used by web designers?

Popular tools leveraged by web designers for immaculate design are-

• Graphics editor
• Screen design tools
• Wireframing tools
• Debugging tools
• CMS
• User testing tools
• Project management tools
• Communication tools

Which web developers use the top tools?

Web developers use the following tools to develop the best website.

• Frameworks
• API tools
• Code editors
• Version control system
• Prototype creation tools
• Project management tools
• Communication tools