What’s the difference between web design and web development?

Sometimes I refer to myself as a web designer. Other times I refer to myself as a web developer. But what’s the difference? It’s pretty simple once you boil it down.

Web Design is focused on how the website will look. Design can include the logo, the navigation, the overall layout, where the social media buttons go, where the text goes, what fonts are used. Anything having to do with the overall appearance of the site.

Web Development is focused on making the website work. Development can include making the navigation go to the right pages, installing WordPress, setting up custom forms, setting up custom fields, writing code. Development is turning the design into a functioning website.

Are you a unicorn?

Within the WordPress community, we refer to someone who does both web design and web development as a unicorn. A unicorn can do graphic design, they can create vector graphics, they can write copy, and they can write code.

A good unicorn is rare and hard to find, but they do exist.

While I can hold my own in Photoshop, I’m definitely not a unicorn. I am not creative enough to think up all the great elements that a good website design needs. When you hire Sumy Designs, you are hiring a team. Susan is our creative half, and she is in charge of the web design. She’s creative and artistic and loves to come up with ways to make new sites look original and professional.

On the other hand, I’m a code monkey. My happy place is taking that design and making it into a working website. I love setting up custom fields, custom post types, and finding new ways to make your site function well.

Sumy Designs does both web design and web development, because we have merged our skills to be able to offer those services. Together we can accomplish more than we can independently.