The web design vs. web development debate continues… are these design industry careers really all that different? Well, in some ways they are very similar and, in other ways, extremely different. When it comes to the job market, the web design and web development pay scales tend to be quite different as well. Developers are generally paid more than designers… drastically more. Here’s why.
Basically, what you see on your desktop or mobile screen is what has been “designed.” The web designer who created the site may or may not have a complete understanding of the complexities of what’s behind the scenes. Those under-the-hood complexities are generally dealt with by a web developer. Together, web designers and developers create beautiful (and functional!) websites and web applications that you enjoy every day.
WEB DESIGN VS. WEB DEVELOPMENT: WHAT ARE WEB DESIGNERS?
Web designers basically act as architects. They put their focus on the look and feel of the website itself. The visual style and flow of a site are their main concerns. That means they should possess the following characteristics and skills to secure a solid web design career:
- Visual arts experience
- Color scheming talent
- Graphic design skills
- Information flow techniques
The right brain is what helps with imagination, intuition and creativity. Web designers need to be in-tune with their right brain in order to create visually appealing websites with amazing user experiences.
WEB DESIGN VS. WEB DEVELOPMENT: WHAT ARE WEB DEVELOPERS?
In order to be a great web developer, you’ll need to be more in tune with the left side of your brain. Why? This side of the brain deals with the more technical, linear and logical thinking side of things. This is the way you need to think in order to deal with the behind-the-scenes portions of creating a website.
Web designers speak various different languages, many of which front-end web designers simply do not speak. Since we look at web designers as the architects of a website, developers can be considered the physical builders of the site. They’re the ones who get in there and get their “hands dirty” creating what the architect has designed.
Web developers deal with more complex issues of a website, such as (but not limited to):
- Coding
- Programming languages, such as HTML, CSS, PHP, ASP, HTML, Python and Ruby on Rails
THE PROS OF WEB DESIGN AND WEB DEVELOPMENT
Yes, there are some differences when considering web design vs. web development. But, when it comes to the advantages of these two occupations, the pros are basically the same:
- Flexible work hours
- Work from anywhere in the world
- Only a computer and internet connection required
- Creating something beautiful from scratch
- Doing a job you love to do
- Local schools likely available for convenient learning
RECAP OF WEB DESIGN VS. WEB DEVELOPMENT
Here’s a quick recap of what a web designer does and needs:
- Focuses on the visual style and feel of a website
- Uses JavaScript, CSS and HTML, to name a few
- Deals with graphic design, information flow and color scheming
- Creates the best user experience possible
- Uses right brain for imagination, creativity and intuition
- Median salary: $47,820
Here’s a quick recap of what a web developer does and needs:
- Deals with the website’s inner workings
- Is very competent when it comes to many programming languages
- Responsible for developing user interfaces
- Must have hands-on coding experience
- Uses left brain for more technical, linear thinking, and logic-related issues
- Median salary: $85,430
FIND YOUR WEB DESIGN EDUCATION ANSWER WITH US!
Want to learn how to create a website and the skills needed to expand your resume and reach for high-paying design industry and web design career options? Speak with an admissions rep at F.I.R.S.T. Institute to find out just what the Graphic Design & Web Development program can do for you.
Here at F.I.R.S.T. Institute, we strive every day to be of service to our students and provide them with the very best Graphic and Web Design education that we can offer — with a faculty made up of experienced design industry professionals, we do all we can to ensure that our students receive the best possible web design education opportunities.
