What is the difference between a web developer and web designer?

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Web developers and web designers are term people tend to use interchangeably, but they represent two completely different disciplines. You could argue that at some point in the past, web development and web design were the same thing. Many websites were developed by teams of web developers. But a lot has changed, so what is the difference now?

The key difference is this: Web developers use languages like JavaScript to write applications that run on the web. Web designers create the look and feel of those applications. You could take it a step further and say that although both disciplines would use JavaScript, one does so for program logic, while the other uses it for aesthetics. Web development is function, and web design is form.

In terms of skillsets, both need to know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Designers will need to take that a step further have skillsets in design applications. Developers will use one or more frameworks like React, Vue, in addition to authentication for use with a back-end. Every team needs web developers and web designers.

It is important to note that while a web designer could switch to web development, the reverse is not always true. Design is an artistic discipline that is not something you can learn in a short period. Some things like user experience and user interfaces can be learnt, but a true designer is someone with a passion for it with the creativity to match.

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