A Web Designer is NOT a Web Developer—Let’s Get This Straight

1. Web Design vs. Web Development: The Core Difference

At its core, Web Design is about aesthetics and user experience. Web Development is about functionality and structure.

✔ Web Designers focus on how a site looks and feels. They create layouts, color schemes, typography, and interactive elements that guide users through a seamless experience. Their work is rooted in UX/UI principles and brand identity.

✔ Web Developers focus on how a site works. They take the designer’s vision and translate it into a functioning website using coding languages like JavaScript, PHP, Python, and SQL. Developers handle the logic, databases, APIs, and all the behind-the-scenes magic that makes a website function.

👉 Designers = Architects (They create the blueprint and visual concept.)
👉 Developers = Builders (They construct the website and make it work.)

2. Should Web Designers Know Code? Yes, But…

There’s this myth that if you’re a web designer, you must also be a full-stack developer. No.

While it’s great for designers to understand the basics of HTML, CSS, and maybe a little JavaScript (so they can communicate with developers), they should not be expected to build full applications.

Understanding how a website functions is one thing. Being responsible for coding the entire back-end? That’s a different skill set.

Would you ask a fashion designer to also be a textile engineer?
Would you expect an architect to build an entire skyscraper alone?

Then why are job postings expecting web designers to also be full-fledged developers?

3. Why Companies Confuse These Roles

Unfortunately, many businesses don’t understand the difference between web design and web development—or worse, they do and just want to save money by hiring one person for two jobs.

🚩 Budget Cuts – Hiring a designer and a developer costs more, so they try to cram both roles into one.
🚩 Miscommunication – HR teams often don’t fully grasp the distinction, leading to unrealistic job descriptions.
🚩 DIY Mentality – Companies think website builders like WordPress, Webflow, or Squarespace mean “designers can do it all.” Spoiler: Those tools still require expertise.

4. The Problem With Blurring the Line

Forcing designers into development roles leads to bad design, bad code, and bad experiences.

• Great designers don’t have time to code full projects. Their focus should be on UX/UI, branding, and usability—not debugging a JavaScript error for six hours.
• Great developers aren’t necessarily strong designers. A developer’s job is to bring a vision to life with code, not spend hours picking the perfect color scheme or typography.
• Burnout happens when creatives are expected to do everything. Juggling two full-time skill sets is a recipe for exhaustion, resentment, and subpar results.

This isn’t about limiting skills—it’s about respecting expertise.

5. What Companies Should Do Instead

If you’re hiring for a Web Designer, here’s what the job description should actually include:

✅ Strong knowledge of UI/UX principles
✅ Experience with design tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD
✅ Understanding of color theory, typography, and branding
✅ Ability to create responsive, accessible, and visually compelling web layouts
✅ Basic understanding of HTML & CSS (but not full development!)
✅ Collaboration with developers, marketing teams, and clients

If you’re hiring for a Web Developer, your listing should include:

✅ Proficiency in front-end languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
✅ Knowledge of back-end development (PHP, Python, SQL, Node.js)
✅ Experience with CMS platforms like WordPress or Webflow
✅ API integration and database management
✅ Performance optimization and debugging
✅ Collaboration with designers to bring their vision to life

If you need both, hire two people. Or at the very least, offer fair compensation for a hybrid “Web Designer/Developer” role.

Final Thoughts: Stop Merging Two Separate Jobs

Web design and web development are two distinct professions. Yes, they overlap in certain areas, but expecting a designer to be a full-stack developer is unrealistic and unfair.

👉 Web Designers craft the vision.
👉 Web Developers bring it to life with code.

If companies keep blurring the line, they’ll end up with burned-out designers, frustrated developers, and mediocre websites.

So let’s stop treating “Web Designer” like a catch-all term for “We want a developer but don’t want to pay for one.”

Have you seen job postings like this? Let’s talk in the comments!