Here at Owl Tree, we specialise in a broad spectrum of different web-based applications. Although they may sound the same, web design and web development are two separate industries, however their efforts are combined in order to create a reliable and interactive website that will engage users and turn them into paying customers. Read on as we explain what it means to be a web designer as opposed to a web developer…

The Definitions

A web designer is an individual who is responsible for designing the layout and visual aspects of a website, which means that these professions must possess an artistic flair and a range of creative, technical and graphic skills. On the other hand, a web developer is a person who actually builds and maintains a website's core structure using a range of different coding languages like HTML, JavaScript and Python. 

Although a web designer is thought to merely focus on the aesthetic side of a website, they are just as important as a developer. Essentially, the role of a web developer is to bring the vision of a web designer to life and turn it into a functional website which means that both ends of the spectrum are reliant on one another because a developer needs to have a design blueprint to work from. 

The Characteristics of Web Design

There are many tasks involved in web design aside from selecting a colour scheme. The visual aspects of a website also include its layout as it is important that a website is user friendly in order to encourage the user to stick around for as long as possible. As such, another aspect of this role may involve designing web pages that translate well across different devices, addressing brand imagery, fonts and colour palettes.

The Role of a Web Developer

Turning a web design into a functioning website is no easy feat and web developers need to understand a lot of technical coding languages in order to do so. In fact, the role of a web developer does not only involve building a website, but also maintaining it too. Once a website has been coded and configured onto the servers, web developers will also look at implementing user-friendly features and essential functionality to make the site as easy to browse as possible. Further maintenance may involve testing, fixing server/hosting issues and debugging. 

It is important to avoid pitting web design and web development against one another in a bid to prove which is best as both are completely valuable in their own right. After all, aesthetic design may be what catches the users attention but interactivity is what will keep them there. Here at Owl Tree, we make use of technical skills in order to deliver long-lasting results in both web development and web design. To find out more information, get in contact with a member of the team today.