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What is the differences between web developer and web designer?
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Jay’s Answer
Hi Yuyan
I was fortunate enough to do both in my career. As Michael indicates, designers are more creative and developers are more technical. To give you an idea of what that means, I will try to illustrate the difference in the corporate world.
Web designers are often creative folks that work in or alongside a company's Art/Marketing teams. Sometimes they are simply graphic designers that specialize in User Interface or User Experience (UI/UX) design, but may have very little knowledge in writing the code to turn a flat image into a functional website. Other times they are programmers that can take a graphic designer's concept or wire-frame and write the code (ex: HTML, Javascript, CSS) to turn it into a functioning site interface.
Web developers are usually more technical and have experience in programming. Usually, webdevs care more about how a site functions and less about the aesthetics of the site like fonts, colors, and images. Like most areas of Information Technology, web development has many different sub-categories, specializations, and skill-sets. Generally speaking, your webdevs will typically fall into "front-end" and "back-end" roles. Front-end developers create the code for visual user-facing display and functionality, such as presenting a large amount of information into smaller easy-to-consume chunks using an accordion-styled interface. Back-end developers are more concerned with obtaining, storing, and retrieving the data that is then used to populate the interface, such as creating a form to capture a user's profile information, validating it is not malicious, and then storing that data in a database.
It is important to note that there is a growing number of individuals that are capable of being all of these at the same time. I started off my career as a graphic artist and website designer that created concepts and wire-frames and then converted them to functioning "static" websites. I eventually grew in my career and began developing "dynamic" data-driven websites using various programming languages and technologies. I was able to visualize the UI, plan the UX, create the site, and populate it with data.
I was fortunate enough to do both in my career. As Michael indicates, designers are more creative and developers are more technical. To give you an idea of what that means, I will try to illustrate the difference in the corporate world.
Web designers are often creative folks that work in or alongside a company's Art/Marketing teams. Sometimes they are simply graphic designers that specialize in User Interface or User Experience (UI/UX) design, but may have very little knowledge in writing the code to turn a flat image into a functional website. Other times they are programmers that can take a graphic designer's concept or wire-frame and write the code (ex: HTML, Javascript, CSS) to turn it into a functioning site interface.
Web developers are usually more technical and have experience in programming. Usually, webdevs care more about how a site functions and less about the aesthetics of the site like fonts, colors, and images. Like most areas of Information Technology, web development has many different sub-categories, specializations, and skill-sets. Generally speaking, your webdevs will typically fall into "front-end" and "back-end" roles. Front-end developers create the code for visual user-facing display and functionality, such as presenting a large amount of information into smaller easy-to-consume chunks using an accordion-styled interface. Back-end developers are more concerned with obtaining, storing, and retrieving the data that is then used to populate the interface, such as creating a form to capture a user's profile information, validating it is not malicious, and then storing that data in a database.
It is important to note that there is a growing number of individuals that are capable of being all of these at the same time. I started off my career as a graphic artist and website designer that created concepts and wire-frames and then converted them to functioning "static" websites. I eventually grew in my career and began developing "dynamic" data-driven websites using various programming languages and technologies. I was able to visualize the UI, plan the UX, create the site, and populate it with data.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Clory
Good examples to show what each role might be tasked with doing.
Don Lewis
Same, great answer!
Sadia Khan
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question.
Web Designer is focusing on the design and user experience. E.g. the graphics design on web pages, navigation between different web pages, etc. User friendly and ease of use are their key objectives. Web Designer may have art or graphic design background.
Web Developers are the one who defines the logic / behaviour of the web pages. E.g. the process that it would carry out after the user press 'submit' button. Usually, the Web Developer would require the knowledge on programming languages, e.g. Javascript, HTML, etc.
Sometimes, both roles may play by the same persons in some smaller scale projects or companies. However, for large corporates / online stores, they have designated teams of people on these 2 areas.
You may explore more on these 2 careers and find out what you have more interest to pursue.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Web Designer is focusing on the design and user experience. E.g. the graphics design on web pages, navigation between different web pages, etc. User friendly and ease of use are their key objectives. Web Designer may have art or graphic design background.
Web Developers are the one who defines the logic / behaviour of the web pages. E.g. the process that it would carry out after the user press 'submit' button. Usually, the Web Developer would require the knowledge on programming languages, e.g. Javascript, HTML, etc.
Sometimes, both roles may play by the same persons in some smaller scale projects or companies. However, for large corporates / online stores, they have designated teams of people on these 2 areas.
You may explore more on these 2 careers and find out what you have more interest to pursue.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Updated
Elliot’s Answer
The terms "designer" and "developer" are similar (and frequently overlapping) in function. Design usually refers more to aesthetics and look and feel of a website. Development is more all-encompassing and covers any / all functionality and coding of a website.