Web Development vs Web Design

Several components go into building and creating a successful website. Both front-end and back-end development and website designing will be necessary for creating an online e-commerce store, an informative website for a local business, a news site or a blog.

Web design and web development are often used when creating a website in Singapore. Although there may be some overlap in both functions, web design and development are two distinct fields that require separate skill sets and are equally important.

Web Design vs Web Development

Website design is the visual appearance of a website and its functionality from the user’s point of view. To create visually appealing user experiences, web designers frequently use design software such as Figma or Adobe XD. The designs are then passed on to developers. UX designers and visual designers use their skill sets to create wireframes, website mockups, design systems, colour palettes, templates, and more to assist developers when building the website.

Website development is creating a website’s intended design by coding it in programming languages such as CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python, Ruby on Rails, and more. Back-end developers work on the infrastructure of a website or online application (hosting, security, etc.), front-end developers work on the functionality of the website or app, and full-stack developers work on both front-end and back-end.

Web Design vs Web Development: Significant Differences

Now that we have established that web design and web development are two distinct functions let us discuss their considerable differences.

Most web designing does not involve coding.

Web designers are in charge of a website’s overall appearance and feel. To develop images, they may utilise a visual editor like Photoshop or an app prototyping and animation software such as InVision Studio to design layouts and build high-fidelity prototypes. However, none of these primary roles requires coding.

Beyond their conventional position as visual designers, the growth of content management systems (CMS) like WordPress and no-code website builders like Wix means that there are web designers who can use their graphic skills to build a website without knowing how to code.

Web development does not involve creating assets.

Web developers are programmers who have the coding abilities required to add functionality to a website. They use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to convert the designer’s wireframes and mockups into code. Web developers are not frequently required to generate visual assets such as images behind buttons, colour schemes, and fonts. They only need to utilise code to incorporate them into the page.

Web development is generally more expensive than web designing.

A web development service in Singapore is typically more expensive than a basic website designing service. The main explanation for this discrepancy is most likely supply and demand—there are more designers than developers, and coding, in general, is in high demand. The rate difference reduces as coding becomes more common among the talent pool. Whether hiring developers or designers, the cost highly depends on experience and skills.

Web Design vs Web Development: Similarities

Web design and development are essential for businesses that wish to establish and maintain a favourable online presence. These two roles work collaboratively and, sometimes, can be filled by a single person. Both web designers and web developers require programming knowledge at varying levels. They must also have strong analytical and problem-solving skills since they will test design and function choices to find the best fit. Finally, web designers and developers must keep up with the latest trends, programmes, and advances in their respective fields. When appropriately executed, design and development produce a cohesive tech-driven concept that links into and advances a company’s goal, allowing the business to connect with consumers more readily.

Web Design vs Web Development Tools

Web Design Tools

Web designers have a range of tools and software at their disposal. While it is not required to be proficient in all of these tools, the following are some of the more common ones used for web design:

• Adobe Photoshop: Although Photoshop is an image editing software, it is often used for website wireframes and design mockups. Photoshop is also helpful in creating website banners and other visual elements.
• Adobe XD: Unlike Photoshop, XD was explicitly created for UX/UI design. It is perfect for designing websites.
• Sketch: Another popular design tool explicitly created for UX/UI design.
• Figma: A collaborative and primarily web-based prototyping tool.
• Balsamiq: A wireframing tool on a mission “to help rid the world of bad user interfaces.”

Web Development Tools

Numerous technologies are available now that make web creation quicker, faster, and more efficient. The following are a few of the most popular tools that web developers use:

• Sublime Text: Most of a web developer’s work requires a code editor. Sublime is a popular choice due to its efficiency and ease of use.
• Chrome Developer Tools: Chrome’s built-in Dev Tools allow editing of a website’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code in real-time without affecting the live site. This free tool is indispensable for troubleshooting.
• GitHub: As mentioned above, GitHub is invaluable for version control; in other words, it makes it easy to revert to a previous version of a code in the event of a mistake.
• Web frameworks: Depending on the specialisation in front- or back-end development, various frameworks and libraries are helpful. Some frameworks include PHP, Codeigniter, Laravel, WordPress, Drupal, Magento and more.

Do you need a Web Designer or a Web Developer?

Getting a web team with at least one developer and designer who can work together is required to build a website. Look at the table below for a quick overview of when is needed in different phases of creating a website.

Many companies looking to build a website or redesign an existing one may find some confusion between web design and development. Although some individuals can do both, many digital marketing firms in Singapore employ specialist designers to build a customised website layout and programmers to create and maintain websites. To learn more, continue reading the following article, a guide to website design and development in Singapore.