The digitally connected world that we live in today is incomplete without websites and web applications. Businesses and individuals get websites and web apps developed for their scope of work and purpose. However, they often get confused when deciding between web development and web design. For layman users, the terms can be quite confusing.

While both these terms can sound similar, the scope and purpose of both are entirely different. Web developers and web design experts perform totally different duties and deliver separate outcomes. In general, web design translates to how the website will look while web development translates to how the website or web app will function. Potential clients engage skillful companies that provide full-stack development services to resolve both issues creatively.

If you are also looking to build a website for your business, then keep reading this article to learn about the differences between web development and web design.

Top 6 differences between web development and web design

Both web designers and web developers play a crucial role in creating, maintaining, and modifying websites. The main thing to know here is that web designing is generally implemented after web development. These processes can also run in parallel but they need to be done in a single place. The collaboration of web development and designing can result in brilliant-looking websites.

Let’s delve deeper to explore some differences between web development and web design.

1. Purpose

The first difference between web development and web design is the purpose. The purpose of web development and web designing differs greatly. Website design is aimed towards website aesthetics and visual elements. These include elements that develop and improve website appearance. These elements are layouts, color schemes, visual placements, and more.

Web development is entirely different in this aspect. The purpose of web development is to create and improve mechanisms that allow the website or web app to work correctly. It involves writing code, implementing features, creating databases, and more. The web development is necessary to make your website or web app functional. For this purpose, you can contact reputable companies for web development in Dubai and get started with your next project right away.

2. Scope of Work

The second difference between web development and web design is the scope of work. The scope of work for web designers is to provide the external side of the website. This is usually the visual layout that users view when they visit a web page. Web developers give this section the design functionality. They usually work on the front end of the site.

The scope of work of web development greatly differs in this aspect. Web developers work on the back end of the project. This is usually the server side of the website or web app. They make sure that the back-end works correctly to manage data within a database and deliver it to the front-end or external side of the website.

3. Technology

The third difference between web development and web design is technology. For web designers, the main technology includes CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Using these technologies, they make sure that everything on the front end side of the website works correctly.

For web developers, the main technology includes PHP, Python, Java, and C#. In addition, they can use several frameworks that are intended to make the development process smoother and easier. Other technologies involved are database management systems along with security and authentication technologies.

4. Skills and Tools

The fourth difference between web development and web design is skills and tools. The main skill set for web designers is to learn how to design. While a college or university degree isn’t necessary for web designing, they can still graduate in web designing programs. In addition, tools like Adobe, Figma, and more must be learned to enhance web designing skills.

For web developers, this list greatly varies. Web developers can gain technical expertise through portfolio projects, boot camps, and certifications. However, a lot of web developers hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science. In addition, they must know how to use various programming languages and development tools to supplement their careers.

5. Cost and value

The fifth difference between web development and web design is cost and value. The cost of hiring a web designer is less than a web developer. This is because web designers work on the front-end side which usually takes place after the structure of a website is built.

However, hiring a web developer is costly but the cost usually translates into quality. Web development is a lengthy, complex, and time-consuming process. No matter how brilliant the UI looks, if the back end isn’t functioning properly, the website will always crash. If you want to build a great website, then contact professional developers to get top-notch web development for your website.

6. Outcome

The sixth and last difference between web development and web design is the outcome. As discussed earlier, the outcome of web design is the UI (user interface) of the website or web app. A great web design ultimately results in higher user traffic. This is because a website that looks attractive can captivate the attention of users.

Web development has great outcomes when it comes to a website. When web development is done correctly and professionally, the functionality of the website or web application functions very smoothly. Combining top-class web development with great web design results in excellent websites that attract millions of users.

Get the Best Web Solution for Your Needs

Now that you understand the scope of web development and web designing, it’s time to analyze your needs. However, the technical aspects can be discussed and narrowed down with an expert developer. Get in touch with a reputable full-stack development agency to get your very next project started.