What Exactly is Web Development?
Web development is closely related to the job of designing the features and functionality of websites and apps (often called “web design”), but the “web development” term is usually reserved for the actual construction and programming of websites and apps.
Think of all the web pages you have used over the years – Web Developers built those sites, making sure they functioned properly and performed in ways that allowed for a great user experience. Web Developers do this by writing lines of code, using a variety of programming languages, which vary depending on the tasks they are performing and the platforms they are working on.
Web Development vs. Web Design
Though there is overlap, there are also key differences between web development and web design. Let’s take a closer look:
Web Designers:
- Create everything a user sees on a website or software product, including all visual, color, typography, and usability elements
- Work directly with a client to create designs or work as part of a team to develop client vision
- May need knowledge of a programming language or some coding skills, or at least some level of familiarity with widely used languages such as HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript
- Create wireframes and prototypes to test design ideas, offer input on design logos, branding, company style guides
Web Developers:
- Write the code that makes a website function, whether they work on the front end or back end (server-side)
- Create or implement designs demanded by a client or created by a design team
- Need expert-level knowledge of a variety of programming languages, including HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS, PHP, and JavaScript but also extending to other languages (Ruby, C/C++, Python), frameworks, and libraries
- Rarely create mockups, select typography, or pick color palettes
What Are the Most Common Programming Languages?
The most common programming languages involved in web development are:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- JavaScript
