What is the difference between a website developer and a website designer?
Even if companies have social media accounts, many people will likely question the legitimacy of the products and services they offer. Verisign even found that 84% of today's consumers believe a website with an aesthetically pleasing design can make a business look more professional and credible.
Not to mention that most online experiences start with a search engine. Besides Google, people also use Yahoo!, Bing, Baidu and many others. That means you can expect more people to discover your business once you have a website.
Instead of building the website yourself, hire professionals to help you with building a website for your business. The question is, who should you hire: a website developer or a website designer? ProjectMedia explains it in detail so you can see the difference for yourself.
What is a web developer?
A website developer in Timisoara is a programming expert. They use coding languages such as HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, Python, SQL, Ruby, jQuery, C# and many more to build a website from scratch. They turn the ideas and concepts a website designer creates for web design Timisoara projects into reality.
To make sure a website won't crash because of the number of people visiting and browsing its pages, a website developer's job is to maintain the site's underlying structure so it stays fully functional. This is where web maintenance comes in: after the website has been developed and is already live.
Types of web developers
No two web developer roles are alike. Their tasks ultimately depend on which part of website development they handle: front-end, back-end or full-stack. Below are the different types of website developers and their roles in building websites.
● Front-End
A front-end website developer's job is to program the visual elements of a website, the features visitors see as they browse its pages. Because their work will most likely overlap with that of web designers, front-end website developers tend to collaborate with them in parallel.
● Back-End
As the name suggests, back-end website developers are programmers who work behind the scenes of building the website, and their main job is to make sure the entire website works properly. The back-end developer checks that the code connects the website to the web server and that data flows without interruption, so that a customer's transaction goes through correctly.
● Full Stack
This type of website developer, on the other hand, is a jack of all trades. That means they can do the work of both front-end and back-end website developers.
What is a website developer's skill set?
- Experience testing and debugging websites
- Knowledge of content management systems
- Attention to detail
- Can explain technical issues clearly
- Strong numerical and creative skills
What is a web designer?
Unlike a website developer, a web designer is someone who can make a site look visually appealing. Their work mainly involves improving the look and overall layout of the website, while making sure it stays easy to use.
Because a company's website is closely tied to its brand image, a website designer often meets with the client to discuss the overall look of the site.
Next, a website designer will use Adobe XD, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Sketch to show what the web design will look like, with the agreed color scheme, font style and features.
Types of web designers
When it comes to designing a website, web designers usually specialize. Knowing the differences between the types of web designers will help you decide which one to bring in to build your company's website in Timisoara.
● User experience (UX)
The role of a UX web designer is to figure out how users can have a great experience while interacting with a website's elements and features.
As far as possible, they try to picture the user's overall experience, from the moment someone lands on a website, through browsing its pages, to making a purchase.
A UX web designer starts by creating user flow diagrams and planning the information architecture. Before they can do any of that, they research the client's industry to understand it better.
● User interface (UI)
A UI web designer focuses on creating the look of a website and its pages, using the user journey maps provided by the UX web designer.
They are the ones who organize the page layout, choose color schemes, customize the typography and create interactive interface elements such as scroll effects, buttons, toggles and drop-down menus. All of this helps make a website aesthetically pleasing and encourages visitors to stay much longer.
● Visual designer
Like full-stack website developers, visual designers are also jacks of all trades: they can work on both the UX and UI sides of website development. A visual designer always makes sure to strike the right balance between an aesthetically pleasing web design and a website that works well.
What is a web designer's skill set?
- Knowledge of coding languages (optional)
- Understanding of web design principles
- Knowledge of color theory and typography
- Can use a range of design tools and software
- Highly skilled in interactive animation
The differences between website developers and website designers
The roles of a website developer and a website designer differ in many ways, but both are needed to build a website. Below, we compare the two side by side.
Which one should you hire to build your company's website?
Even though the roles of a website developer and a web designer are different, both are equally vital to building a website. Hiring both can help you get an aesthetically pleasing web design and a well-functioning website that captures your target audience's attention.
After all, 94% of first impressions come from a website's visual aspects, followed by the navigation experience.