You may think of hiring a web developer or designer when you first consider building a site. Did you know that web development is different from web designing ? Website design and web development are both essential for the creation of software platforms, applications and websites on smartphones and tablets.
Understanding the similarities and differences in website design and web development can help you better understand how they co-exist and why both are necessary for today’s web projects.
What is Web design and development?
You will need to design and develop a website if you want it to be. It is possible to design a site, but it cannot be launched without development, which involves standard programming languages and code. Web designers spend more time on usability, and the user experience of a website than they do working in the backend.
Both are interconnected and in many cases designers and developers are familiar with each other’s languages. Understanding the differences between web design and web development will help you to better understand what you require for your next web design project.
You will need the help of a web designer to bring your website design to life, and make it accessible to your visitors.
Web Design Elements
A web designer can be a very visual person. They may use a guide for website development as a tool to create branding and visual elements on a website. Web designers work with visuals and graphics, rather than working with code. They may concentrate on the layout, aesthetics, color scheme and logo of a site to make it as pleasant as possible for the visitors. However, it is possible for web designers to also be well-versed in a variety of coding languages, especially front end development languages such as HTML (HTML5) and CSS (CSS3).
When working on web design, web designers always consider the following elements:
Layout and Design
It is important to make a good first impression, especially for new visitors. Web designers are responsible for arranging logos, text introductions, navigation, headers and footers as well as additional graphic or video elements. The web designer is also responsible for staying up to date with the latest design trends based on their particular market or industry. Website developers may include mobile-friendly options in the layout of a website.
Branding and Colors
The color scheme of a website is heavily dependent on the logo used by the website or business, and the audience that the website is aimed at. The aesthetic of a website can be influenced by the branding and colors used.
Graphics
It is the web designer’s responsibility to choose which graphics, photos, illustrations, and logos are used. The web designer must have a thorough understanding of color theory and how to combine a variety of layouts, colors palettes, themes, etc. into one central location online.
Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is important for a website, especially if you want to attract prospective customers, gather user information or generate sales. It is important to know where specific elements should be placed on your website and what graphic elements will make the best impression.
Navigation
The navigation of a website is a crucial element. When you first visit a site, you’ll likely start looking for navigation links. It may be difficult for a website to retain users if it does not have an appropriate navigation bar or column. Navigation on a website must be easily visible, accessible and responsive. It should also be mobile-friendly and easy to use for users who browse using smartphones or tablets.
Accessibility
Even web designers should consider accessibility when designing a website. It is the responsibility of the web developer or designer to create the necessary coding for your website. However, web designers should also consider adding additional design and graphical elements to make it more accessible to those who use smartphones and tablets to browse online. More people than ever are using a tablet or smartphone to browse the internet. Designers should ensure that all users can access their website.
Website Speed
Web designers should also consider the size of graphics and other design components they choose to use when building a website. The owner of a website who takes too long to load their website may see an increase in the bounce rate.
The bounce rate is the percentage that users leave a site after visiting a page or landing there for the first. A simple delay of 2 seconds in the loading time can increase bounce rates by as much as 103%, according to one study. When designing layouts and other elements, web designers should keep in mind image optimization and compression.
A web developer has a strong understanding of various programming languages. This includes HTML, CSS, Java, JavaScript and Ruby. Web developers work with web designers to coordinate the efforts of bringing a design to reality. A web developer is able to work with a wide range of elements, whether it’s a 2D design, or a dynamic Flash, video and animation.
Programming
Web developers use a wide range of languages. Also, they are familiar with languages for front-end code such as HTML and CSS. Ruby, Perl C++ Java and Python are also languages that web developers may be familiar with.
SEO Optimization
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is something that web developers know about. Consider and implement the latest SEO techniques when developing a website to optimize it for the top search engines. If your website is properly optimized, it will appear on the first page of results from top search engines like Google and Microsoft Bing.
Web developers are also well-versed in optimizing websites, regardless of whether you build your website from scratch, or use a third party solution like WordPress. The developers eliminate all unnecessary code, and use only what is necessary for the website’s visitors. Web developers also know how to optimize websites for different devices and browsers depending on who the client is targeting.
Structure
Web developers know how to use properly formatted lines of code, making your site load faster and without getting bogged down. This is true even if you have a large, robust, and expansive website. The coding of your website can be formatted and aligned properly to increase the loading speed. This can reduce your bounce rate.
CMS operation
CMS (content management system) is used more than ever today. Traditionally, users uploaded files individually to their website using FTP or other web hosting file upload solutions. CMS like WordPress, Joomla and even ecommerce solutions like Shopify are now more popular. Web developers can easily integrate your design into the CMS you choose.
Combining web design and development
Combining website design with development is the key to a truly successful online presence. Web design is primarily what a user sees on a website. Web development, however, focuses more on the backend or foundation of the site.
It is easier to decide what elements and areas you should focus on when you know what website design is. If you’re looking for Tips for E-Commerce Website Design or want to learn how to create your own storefront then using web design and development is important for a Modern Website.
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