Web Development and Web Design – What’s the Difference?

When it’s time to give your website a make-over, how can you know whether you need a developer or designer? Both terms are commonly used and this can cause some confusion. Design is the name most commonly used by people in the industry, but it includes a large number of skills, only one associated with the visual elements. Here the goal is to clear up some confusion.

Web design

Elements of the design refers to the front end of the site, the part which is seen by visitors. It is the duty of web designers to design how the site looks and how users can interact with it. Using the principles of design theory, professionals work to make the site look good and engaging. They also ensure that the site is easier to navigate and use, offering intuitive elements to give users a pleasant experience. This is more than just aesthetics; the site should feel good too. For Web design in Yorkshire, visit Etempa

Web development

There are two sides to web development – front and back-end. Often the two will cross over, but they have separate goals.

Those who work on the front-end will work on visual design, created by yourself or a designer and a build team. Most sites will only require a simple front-end development completed. Sites that are larger and more complex will require back-end development as well. This process is more advanced, involving more complicated programming and interaction on various site pages. Developers of back end functions concentrate on how the site functions and runs for customers. This may involve coding for interacting with databases or building the e-commerce function that links to the payment processor, for example.