Your website is the first thing potential customers see, so it needs to be both visually appealing and easy to navigate. This is where web design and development come into play. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct stages in the process of creating a website. Let’s take a look at what they involve.

What is Web Design?

Web design is all about the aesthetics of a website. Designers focus on creating the visual elements that users see and interact with, including:

Layout: How content is organised on each web page, ensuring it looks attractive and is easy to use.

Colour Schemes: Choosing colours that convey a brand's message and create an engaging atmosphere.

Typography: Selecting appropriate fonts to improve readability and maintain the website's visual identity.

Graphics and Images: Incorporating images, icons, and other visual elements to enhance the overall look and feel of the site.

Tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, or Figma are typically used to create mockups of the website's design before the development stage begins.

What is Web Development?

Once the design is ready, it’s onto the technical part, where it’s transformed into a fully-functioning website. Web development involves a number of elements, namely:

Coding: Using programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, web developers build the structure, layout, and interactivity of the website.

Server-Side Scripting: They implement server-side functionality, databases, and server configurations to ensure dynamic content and interactivity.

Responsive Design: Developers make the website compatible with various devices and screen sizes so it’s accessible to a wider audience.

Testing and Debugging: Rigorous testing is performed so that the website functions flawlessly across different browsers and platforms.

Performance Optimisation: Developers work to optimise website speed, security, and overall performance.

In essence, web design focuses on the visual aesthetic of a site, whilst web development brings those designs to life with coding and technical expertise. Both are essential for building a website that not only looks attractive, but also functions seamlessly.

If you need help with rebranding, redesigning or even creating a new website, remember that we're here to help. Our constant communication with different people from international education helps us understand what clients within our industry are looking for on sites, and we will make that happen for you!

Written by Stephanie Clark