Difference
Between Web Designer and Web Programmer
Difference Between Web Designer and Web Programmer
Although you may have heard the titles "Web-designer"
and "Web-developer" being used interchangeably, there
is actually a dramatic difference between a web-designer and a web-developer.
In effect, the difference between the two goes back to two extremely
important aspects of a website – the visual or aesthetic aspect
of a website, known as the “front-end”, and the unseen
coding aspect of a website, known as the “back-end”.
Simply put, web-designers deal with the front-end of a website,
while web-developers deal with the back-end of a website –
however, these days there can be quite a bit of crossover between
the two.
What is a Web-Designer?
A web-designer, for the most part, is only concerned with the visual
aspect of the website – they know and understand what colors,
fonts, images, and page layouts are the most aesthetically pleasing,
and employ both their artistic merits and artistic experience to
make the website as attractive as possible.
In essence, a web-designer understands and appreciates form and
color theory, the visual aspects of marketing, and what drives a
person to react to visual stimulation – essentially, they
know what looks good, and know how to visually enhance your website.
However, what is visually appealing is not always the most efficient
and stable means to communicate a message – effectively, this
is where a web-developer steps in.
What is a Web-Developer?
Fundamentally, web-developers help you build your website; again,
they deal with the unseen coding aspect of a website, known as the
back-end, and are primarily concerned with making a website function
quickly, efficiently, and with the greatest stability. Moreover,
many web-developers oversee and direct the construction of a website
from its birth – again, it is up to them to build the backbone
of the website, and ensure it functions properly.
Although this process is not actually visible to the visitors of
the website, it is absolutely vital to the visitor’s experience
while browsing the website – for example, a web-developer
can optimize and dramatically reduce loading times, so that a visitor
can access anything quickly and without frustration.
Typically, a web-developer will be responsible for developing and
coding server side applications, databases, complex e-commerce transactions,
and for search engine optimization – naturally, a web-developer
must make certain that these are done in an accessible and sensible
fashion, while being efficiently coded and highly compatible.
When looking for a web-developer in the Windsor, Ontario region,
keep the following points in mind:
Server-side development knowledge (ASP.NET,PHP,JSP). Be sure that
your web developer has mastered at least one server side development
framework. Even if your website will be mostly presentational, your
developer should have the skills to develop even the simplest of
server side components such as a contact page, or newsletter sign-up
form.
XHTML/HTML standards for the text and layout framework of a Web
page. Make sure that your web developer conforms to web-standardards
when developing your website. Be weary of developers who use graphic
tools to generate HTML code, as the website more often than not
ends up to be very sluggish with a lot of bloated code.
Check their on-line portfolio for previous projects they have completed
in the same scope as your project. This is one of the most important
things to do when choosing a web developer. Moreover, be weary of
web developers who only show a picture of their work without giving
you the opportunity to use the live website. Be sure to ask for
references from companies in the Windsor Ontario area and ask the
companies how happy they were with the web development experience.
Never pay in full upfront for any development project. Deposits
should never exceed 50% upfront.
Discuss hosting and deployment options with your web developer
and make sure you are 100% sure there are no hidden 'set-up' fees
with regards to hosting.
Of course, web developers and web designers are not mutually exclusive
– for example, a professional web-developer will often times
work with a web-designer to make the website he developed more visually
pleasing. In effect, a web-developer assembles a development team,
which includes a web-designer to ensure the website looks good.
To sum it up...
Creating a new website can be both challenging and extremely rewarding
- thankfully, there are professionals out there with the skills
required to make your website functional, attractive, and competitive.
With the coding skills and developmental guidance of a web-developer
combined with the artistic aptitude and aesthetic appreciation of
a web-designer, a website can be visually stunning, exceptionally
functional, and wonderfully stable.
About the Author Sharbel Lutfallah is
a Web Developer and Programmer in Windsor. Visit http://www.wiredsolutions.ca
to gain more valuable information when looking for your own Web
Developer and Web Programmer.
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