At first glance, it may seem as though there wouldn’t be much difference between web designers and web developers. But this isn’t the case. Yet, determining which would be better for you will require us to get straight to the facts about what each field is, how they’re different, and what your strengths and goals are.
What Is Web Design?
Web design focuses on the aesthetics and user experience of a web site. A web designer might use photoshop to create images that make content resonate better or may tinker with the layout to better draw a user’s attention to various site elements.
Web designers strive to hit a couple major design benchmarks. They need to strike the right balance of contrast, size, shape, and texture for images, fonts, and colors. Good designers pay attention to consistent navigation principles so users don’t have to work too hard to find what they need. Further, designers must be on the lookout for how items in menus or on the page are grouped so everything makes intuitive sense and works as a coherent, unified whole.
What Is Web Development?
Web developers work closely with web designers to implement their shared vision. They use coding tools like HTML, CSS, and Javascript, as well as frameworks like Ruby on Rails to build out the actual web page. If a web developer is proficient in the web development ‘full stack,’ they may also control how websites store and access data in a database, how the website interface with servers, and whether it features an API.
Web developers have to worry about the security and maintainability of their code and may be called upon to make updates as client requirements change.
Which Should I Choose?
Web design and web development are both rewarding and in-demand fields which create a lot of value. Deciding between the two is hopefully easier now that you’ve got a clearer picture of what each entails.
Ask yourself:
- Do I like tinkering with things, or making them beautiful?
- In the past, have I enjoyed discussions about specific language features, or discussions about what makes a good color scheme?
It ultimately comes down to whether you have more of an engineering mindset or more of an artistic mindset.
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