Difference Between Web Design and Web Development

Keywords: web design, web development, web site design, web site development

• Difference Between Web Design and Web Development

The terms web design and web site development are so often used in an interchangeable manner that few people realize that these are two extremely different concepts. However, it is important for one to understand the differences between web design and web site development in order to create well designed and developed sites.

Difference Between Web Design and Web Development:

• Usability Factor
  Web site design involves creation of aesthetically pleasing, fine looking websites with user friendly features. in web designing the emphasis is on style, while web development involves making websites that carry out certain functions. Thereby, functionality is more important for web development in creating interactive components for online users. So usability, meaning user friendly components of a website, are integral to web site design more than web development which focuses more on functionality.
• Style
  Initially, the Web resembled an outdated phonebook but one that is handy to get you the contacts. But now, the Web resembles a style portfolio, isn’t it? This is due to creative web designers who see style as a necessity and come up with boundary busting, ever trendy styles to enhance a site’s visual appeal constantly. Style is like eye candy for web site developers because their focus is on ensuring user friendly features on the website to simplify the experience for the online user.
• Technical Requirements
  For web site design, it is essential for the designers to appreciate the importance of color use, be properly trained in HTML, be aware of visual aspects of website marketing and have keen understanding of what looks appealing on the online realm. But they are generally not focused on coding or ‘behind the scenes’ aspect which is integral for web development. The web developers have to focus on functionality and programming. Their focus is to provide coding server side applications, e-commerce transactions, and databases and search engine optimization that is efficient.
• Additional Programming Technologies
  Unlike web designers, web developers must have strong awareness of using additional programming technologies to balance the code that function behind the scenes. This means that the design should be displayed in a streamlined way, using the latest Internet and programming technologies.
  
• Organic Search Engines Thrive on Development, Not Design
  When there is a choice between an engaging web design of the highest aesthetic beauty and a well implemented website development marketing strategy, it is the latter that wins hands down and not design. Design is important but functionality is more important especially to optimize opportunities for small and medium size websites where the focus is functionality of commerce stores. Also, it is functionality that ushers the best possible opportunities for a website to get listed in the first high ranks among the organic search returns.
• Design Is Easier Than Programming
  Lastly, there are several web page editors that are known to be extremely user-friendly such as Macromedia Dream weaver as well as Microsoft FrontPage Express. This lets amateurs and beginners attempt designing the web pages on their own. As a result, designing aspect has become far easier and simplified while the level of skills required for programming is such that amateurs cannot attempt it on their own.
  
  The difference between web design and development may be many, but they both must go hond in hadn for any website to function well and look good.