5 Amazing Differences Between Web Design and Development

Tom Canterino • February 23, 2022

5 Amazing Differences Between Web Design and Development

There is a lot of confusion between web design and web development. Many people think that they are the same thing, but this could not be further from the truth! In this blog post, we will outline 5 amazing differences between web design and development. By understanding these differences, you will be able to make better decisions about which services you need for your website. Let's get started!


Web Design vs Web Development 

  1. Web design is the process of creating visuals for a website. This includes everything from the layout to the fonts and colors. Web development, on the other hand, is the process of creating the functionality and features of a website. This includes things like coding and programming.

  2. Web design is the art and science of creating user interfaces with a focus on looks or style. This involves using different tools like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc., to create visuals that are aesthetically pleasing for visitors. Web development is writing code in order to develop applications that can be used by end-users as well as others who may want to interact with them over an internet connection (e.g., web browser).

  3. Web design is more about aesthetics than anything else. It's all about making your website look good and feel nice in the eyes of visitors so that they want to keep coming back again and again. Web development focuses on how well a website functions as opposed to how it looks; this means developing something that works right out of the box without any glitches or errors.

  4. Web design is all about visuals, whereas web development is more about functionality. This means that a web designer will focus on things like layout, fonts, colors, and images, while a web developer will focus on things like coding, programming, and developing features.

  5. Web design is an art form that requires creativity, while web development is a technical skill. A web designer can take the same elements and make them look completely different by adding some visual flair to them, while a developer will use those same elements but in different ways to create functionality for users (e.g., login form). Web development is more of a technical skill that requires knowledge about programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc., in order to create websites.


A web designer can take the same elements and make them look completely different by adding some visual flair to them, while a developer will use those same elements but in different ways to create functionality for users (e.g., login form).


Now that we have outlined the main differences between web design and development, let's take a look at some of the benefits of each:


Web Design Benefits

  • Makes websites more visually appealing 
  • Helps to engage and convert website visitors into customers 
  • Encourages repeat visits


Web Development Benefits

  • Helps to make websites more functional and user-friendly 
  • Enables website owners to add new features and functionality over time 
  • Makes websites more secure and less prone to hacking attacks.


We hope this blog post has helped clear up some of the confusion between web design and development!


To learn more about how
LevelUP Digital Solutions can help you grow your business

through happy customers, contact us today at 401-298-9361. Our automated feedback collection, management, and syndication platform makes you the authority for your reputation and turns your customers into your best marketers.

October 28, 2025
How to Build a High-Converting Website Design Providence, RI: Expert Tips & Best Practices
Boost Local Visibility with SEO Digital Marketing for Rhode Island Businesses in 2025
October 28, 2025
Explore essential SEO digital marketing strategies for Rhode Island businesses in 2025. Learn how to optimize your GMB, build citations, implement schema, acquire backlinks, and leverage reviews for better local search rankings.
October 25, 2025
Why Clients Love LevelUp Agency's Results: Proven Success, Testimonials, and Digital Marketing Impact 
October 25, 2025
Maximize Impact With Digital Branding Tactics: Effective Strategies to Build a Strong Online Brand 
October 24, 2025
Mastering Performance Marketing Strategies with LevelUp Agency for Maximum ROI
October 24, 2025
How to Measure Brand Success and ROI: Key Metrics and Practical Methods 
September 22, 2025
Discover how strategic landing page design, creative optimization, and well-built conversion funnels boost ROI for paid traffic. Learn expert tips for marketing managers.
September 22, 2025
Discover how daily PPC audits reduce wasted ad spend, optimize bids, improve creative testing, and scale campaigns for better ROI through human oversight.
August 26, 2025
Content marketing for business growth generates three times more leads per dollar spent than traditional advertising while costing 62% less, offering measurable ROI and sustainable audience engagement. This guide explains why content marketing unlocks high-quality lead pipelines, how to build a strategy, leverage semantic SEO for visibility, measure ROI precisely, and adopt emerging trends like AI, video, and voice search. Readers will learn actionable steps to attract, engage, and convert prospects, with supplementary pointers to elevate execution through comprehensive digital marketing services. Content Marketing ROI Content marketing generates three times more leads per dollar spent than traditional advertising while costing 62% less, offering measurable ROI and sustainable audience engagement. The average content marketing ROI is $7.65 for every $1 spent.
August 26, 2025
Effective social media marketing strategies align clear objectives, audience insights, platform selection, content pillars, and analytics to drive measurable growth and engagement. This guide maps foundational goal setting, audience research, platform choice, content planning, and performance optimization—each step reinforced by proven digital marketing services designed to elevate your campaigns. Whether you seek to boost brand awareness, generate qualified leads, or foster community loyalty, the following sections deliver actionable frameworks. Alongside strategic best practices, our comprehensive digital marketing services integrate seamlessly at every stage to ensure consistent, data-driven results. What Are the Key Goals for Effective Social Media Marketing? Key goals in social media marketing define outcomes that guide strategy— brand awareness expands reach through targeted engagement, lead generation converts interest into prospects, and customer retention fosters ongoing loyalty for sustained revenue. How Do You Set SMART Social Media Marketing Goals? Setting SMART social media marketing goals involves creating objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, ensuring each campaign aligns with overarching business outcomes.