In this article, we are going to briefly discuss what a web developer is and isn't, as well as analyze the overlap between web development and web design.
Definition
Simply put, a web developer is someone who makes websites and/or web applications and is able to do so through their varying degrees of skills and knowledge of programming languages and databases.
Web Development Specification
Web developers who work on the graphical user interface of a website or web application are called front-end developers. They build all the stuff that you can see and interact with, e.g., text, font, images, animations, click a button and something pops up. In contrast, back-end developers deal with server-side code and databases. A good way to understand the difference between the two would be to consider a contact form. The styling of the form and all the other stuff that you see on the web page is the responsibility of the front-end developer. Rendering errors on the page, sending the contact form information to the server, and storing the contact form information in the database are the responsibilities of the back-end developer. Both developers generally know a little bit about what the other one does. Lastly, a developer that works in both front-end and back-end development is called a full-stack developer (which is what I am).
Web Development vs Web Design
Is a web developer also a web designer, and vice versa? Not necessarily. Web developers, i.e., front-end developers, are primarily responsible for taking the web designer’s graphical designs and turning it into code. How involved they are in the design process will vary from project to project and company to company. However, it is safe to say that a good front-end web developer will have design skills and acumen.
Web designers, on the other hand, may or may not have front-end coding skills but are expected to create designs that are practical for the browser. If you design and build a website completely from scratch, then there’s no denying that you are both a web designer and web developer. Go you!
What a Web Developer Isn’t
While a lot of people earn a living making websites, they often can’t don the title of “web developer” because of their lack of expertise in programming and instead are dependent on platforms known as website builders. This unfortunately puts them in a somewhat awkward position because there is currently no convenient 1-2 word title in the English language to accurately describe their occupation other than “someone who makes websites”. The most accurate job title would be to add developer to whatever platform they utilize, e.g., Wix developer, Squarespace developer, etc.
Conclusion
I hoped this article helped shed some light on what a web developer is and isn’t. If you would like to consult a professional developer with regards to your website needs, please contact me by using any of the links provided below. Thank you.
