Can You be Both a Web Designer and Developer?

With technology being transient, skills that the employers demand change at a fast pace too. If you are considering a career in web design and development, you might want to get a good blend of skills that allow you to work in both fields efficiently. It can be confusing whether you want to be a web designer or a web developer. No matter what you choose, you have to deal with both the designing and development aspects to learn all about web design and development. You may specialize in web designing or web development, you can opt for a career as a web designer and developer altogether, given that a web design and development course in Canada prepares you for both roles.

You can use the knowledge and skills that you acquire while studying web design and development to master and implement user-friendly web techniques. While fulfilling the responsibilities of both roles, you can design and develop aesthetically appealing simplified web solutions. 

Before we dive deeper into the advantages and disadvantages of donning the two hats together of a web designer and web developer, let us understand what these two profiles entail.

Table of Contents

Role of a Web Designer
Role of a Web Developer
Web Designing and Web Development go Hand-in-Hand
How to be Both a Web Designer and Web Developer

• Gain education
• Learn to Use Effective Tools
• Join Like-minded Groups 
• Scout for Opportunities 
• Master Both Skills

Final Thoughts

‍Role of a Web Designer

A web designer is concerned with the visual appeal of the website to keep it trendy. A web designer takes care of the look and feel of the website, its components, and design elements. One of the major responsibilities of a web designer is to make the website’s appearance unique. Web designers focus on the style of the website by creating user-friendly designs. They use software like Corel Draw, Photoshop, InDesign, and others to make the websites more appealing.  

Web designers can perform multiple duties under the following roles:  

• UX/UI Designer: UX is known as User Experience and UI means User Interface. The UX/UI designer creates simplified solutions for the website and determines how easy or difficult it is for the user to navigate the website. UX design revolves around developing and improving the user-interaction quality with the interfaces. The user interface brings out the display aspects like the location of the buttons, page content, images, scrollbars, and other interactive features. So, the UX/UI designer makes sure that these elements are creatively designed for the website to offer a seamless effective experience to the users.
• Visual designer: The role of a visual designer involves making the end product more attractive. They use different design tools to create innovative designs and bring products to life. Visual designers use web design techniques to tell stories through splendid designs. 

Role of a Web Developer

Web development is a more technical role as compared to web designing. Web developers use coding languages and software such as JavaScript, jQuery, Node.js, PHP, ASP.NET Python, and more. They plan and implement the structure to create a seamless, easily navigable, and smooth-functioning website. Web developers collaborate with UX/UI designers, visual designers, and other team members to build user-friendly websites and give the design a finishing shape.  

Web developers can have the following different types of roles:  

• Front-end developer: Front-end developers are responsible for building the front-end (User Interface) of the website. The part of the website that the user directly interacts with. Some major aspects of it include text colors, page styles, images, buttons, and navigation. The front-end developer must possess language skills like PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Their profile involves taking care of the content of whatever the user views and interacts with on a website or an app. They have to ensure that they build a responsive website.
• Back-end developer: Back-end developers are responsible for things that are not visible to the users. It is more to do with the server-side of the website and apps. The users don’t come in direct contact with the back-end of the website. They have to deal with activities like writing APIs, handling system components, and developing libraries. Programming aspects are also included in back-end functions. 

• Full-stack developer: Full-stack web developers can design a complete web website or web application. They have all the skills required to be proficient in tackling the front-end of the website, its back-end, managing databases, and figuring out how to debug a web application or website.

Web Designing and Web Development go Hand-in-Hand

The aim of a web designer and a web developer is the same i.e. to build an interactive user-friendly website or app that provides a ‘WOW’ user experience and they keep coming back to your brand for more.

It’s an asset to have knowledge of both fields altogether as it lets you design and develop websites from a user’s point of view. If you study a Web Design and Development course, it helps you to gain relevant knowledge and skills about web designing and web development. You can utilize your learning and improve your skillset by working on real projects. While it gives you a dimension of designing through the eye of a web designer, it also lets you think through the technicalities of creating a simple yet elegant website.

You can use your creativity to build a beautiful website that functions smoothly. You can use color theory and other design aspects to attract more visitors to your brand’s website and entice them to take action. 

These days people prefer learning both the skills of web designing and web development together as it helps them expand their portfolio and explore better job opportunities. Web designers are learning to code and web developers are incorporating design elements into programming to create unique websites/apps.

There may soon be a title called web designer/developer. Those who gained meaningful education through a web design and development diploma program, are sure to benefit.

How to be Both a Web Designer and a Web Developer  

If you’re wondering whether you can be a web designer and a web developer at the same time, then the answer is yes, you can be both at the same time. You can deliver services for both roles simultaneously if you have studied their tools and techniques. There have been many examples of individuals who transitioned from web designing to learning web development and vice versa. In the end, they get better job avenues. You can also look for imbibing these skills to expand your horizon. 

Here are some ways you can opt to become both a web designer and web developer:

‍Gain education‍

If you are willing to learn about being a hybrid web designer and developer, you can consider enrolling in a good school that offers a web design and development program. Such courses help you master both skillsets and gain the knowledge required to enter the field. One such program is ABM College’s Web Design and Development Diploma Program which prepares students to handle both the functional design and programming aspects of web design and development.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are able to meet current industry development standards across several coding languages and create visually and functionally effective websites. They also get real-time experience through practicums that make them ready for the corporate world.‍

Learn to Use Effective Tools 

You’ll come across various new tools and techniques while upskilling. You have to possess the knowledge of how to use the right tools effectively to get desired results. For a web designer and developer, tools such as Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) applications and source-code repositories are helpful. These tools help you build, change, share, or reuse the source code of the software. Developers need to know effective coding language techniques and other tools that make the website stand out.

‍Join Like-minded Groups ‍

While you are studying and taking on projects to build your portfolio, it helps to join like-minded people groups so you can gain different perspectives. You get to know the trends in the industry, the kind of work people do, and job opportunities available in the market. You might also start getting some work while you network and build contacts. Such communities can be a great source of learning and support, especially if you are a beginner in the field of web designing and development. 

Scout for Opportunities ‍

There is immense scope for starting working as a freelance web designer and developer. You can begin by taking up small projects and as you get more projects lined up, you can eventually scale up. Consider doing some assignments for your friends and acquaintances, and once the word spreads about the quality of your work, you can expand your circle.

‍Master Both Skills

‍While you study both web designing and development, it’s best to keep practicing and master the skills. It will take time for you to gain expertise in the fields but eventually, it pays to work hard. Web designing and development is much in demand and employers look for talented professionals who possess a wide array of skills so they can utilize their services in an efficient manner. Job prospects for web designer and developer roles seem bright.

Final Thoughts ‍

As companies move toward strengthening their online presence, they need superb websites. For building such user-intensive websites and apps, they need more web designers and developers. If you invest in your education now, you can gain an edge over others and be a front-runner for various job roles in the market. Web design and development online courses help you achieve a better understanding of the ongoing trends and prepare you to work in the field. ABM College’s Web Design and Development diploma offers industry-relevant knowledge and enhances your skillset to make you job-ready.

Want to learn more about how you can begin a rewarding web designing and development career?

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