If you asked me to tell you the difference between a Web Designer and a Web Developer in one word, I would answer marketing. The longer answer is that opinions vary between professionals – although according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), there is zero difference between the two careers.

In your website building journey, this question will most likely come to mind when you’re looking to hire one or the other. For that reason, the subject deserves a thorough answer.

From the Pros: Designers and Developers

Here are some opinions from the pros about the distinctions between Web Designers and Web Developers.

Web designers typically do the visual design of a website and create the overall look and feel of it.

Nick Schäferhoff, torquemag.io

I might be a web designer standing next to one person, but a web developer standing next to someone else.

Geoff Graham, css-tricks.com

And my favorite explanation of the day. I’m a sucker for a good metaphor!

Developers build a website’s core structure using coding languages, while designers are more visually creative and user-focused…Think of developers as construction workers, and web designers as architects

Dan Barraclough, websitebuilderexpert.com

What Matters More than the Job Titles or Descriptions

If you’re shopping for Web Designers or Developers to help with your website, what matters is their skillset. There’s a lot of overlap in skills between the two professions. That’s saying a Web Designer has to know a little code – like CSS, for example. Sometimes, a designer might need to troubleshoot or even rebuild a website completely.

A Web Developer has to understand enough about design to translate a visual depiction – often a mockup, wireframe, or a live website – into a finished website. A developer HAS TO have a mastery of HTML and CSS. These are absolutes.

So, when you’re looking for website help, consider whether your problem will need to be solved by someone getting into the code or not. Shop skillsets instead of job titles.

If you’re not clear on which you need, reach out to someone marketing themselves as a Web Developer to ask 🙋🏾‍♂️.

I’m a Web Developer because I build the things.

Michael Wright, SM₃

What am I? Web Designer or Web Developer?

As I mentioned in the intro, the major difference is marketing. I market myself as a Web Developer because most of the solutions I suggest for client websites are things I can build or configure.

Recently, I told a friend and new client the difference between a Web Designer and a Web Developer. I said to her “A Web Designer can design a complete website from colors to buttons to menus, etc. without ever touching the website.”

In short, I’m a Web Developer because I build the things.