As a business owner, you may have come across the terms “website design” and “website development” in your search for how websites operate.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide on website creation.
What is website design and development? And what is the difference between them?
Both website design and development services refer to helping businesses to build their websites.
Website design refers to the website’s aesthetic feel, layout, and design. Website designers work on:
- Graphic design.
- Logo design and branding.
- Color schemes.
- Typography (font type, color, size).
- Placement of call-to-action buttons.
- The layout of text, images, and videos.
- UX/UI designs (designing based on user experience and the user interface).
On the other hand, website development refers to developing the features and functionality of the website, or in other words, the website’s construction.
Website developers work on:
- Writing codes (by using a programming language such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript).
- Meeting UI/UX expectations.
- Fixing bugs.
- Writing tests.
- Optimizing for SEO.
Partnering with the best website design agency in Egypt guarantees that your business gets the best website design and development services.
Why is Website Development Important?
If website design is the website’s aesthetic, then website development is its backbone.
A website without website development services is incomplete and cannot be launched.
When a website is not properly developed, it is not functional, and that poor functionality is why 42% of people end up leaving a website within a short period.
Website developers work so that websites are:
1- Responsive
Web developers are responsible for building responsive and functional websites that fit all devices and screen sizes.
That is important for any business today since 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business to others if their website is not mobile-friendly.
Website development is also essential because it can decrease a website’s load time. The faster the website, the better it is. A vast majority of users, about 53%, will abandon a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.
2- Easy to Navigate
Creating a website that is easy to navigate is one of the tasks of a web developer.
When looking at a website for the first time, 38% of people look at the navigational bar. That makes sense since visitors want to be guided through a website.
One of the web development basics is creating a website that enhances a user’s experience that is not overwhelming and leads your visitor down the sales funnel.
3- SEO- friendly
A website developer is also responsible for making a website SEO-friendly.
If you want your website to rank higher on SERPs, it has to:
- Be Mobile-friendly.
- Be Fast.
- Have a Site Map (to help search engines crawl into your website and understand it).
- Have straightforward key-word rich navigation.
Apple’s navigation bar is clear, simple and evenly spaced out.
University of Louisiana’s navigation bar on the other hand is lengthy, hard to read and is overwhelming.
What are the types of Web Development?
There are three main types of web development.
1- Front End Development
Front-end developers work on the user interface, meaning they build the website’s visuals- the pages visitors see and interact with; this includes drag and drop features, buttons, widgets, shopping carts, and everything else a user sees.
The language front-end developers use mostly HTML, CSS, as well as Javascript.
Front-End developers are responsible for creating responsive websites that perform well on both desktops and mobiles.
Note: If your front-end developer is also a website designer, he can design and build the website’s front-end. At times, this can save time and effort.
2- Back- End Development
Back-end development, also called server-side, is essentially the opposite of front-end development.
Back-end developers’ work is mainly concerned with systems and servers. They are responsible for creating the website’s basic framework, writing code, and managing the website’s data.
Example: When a user tries to log in and gets the error below, it means that a back-end developer has not validated their data.
The work of a back-end developer includes data storage and validation
Some of the languages back-end developers use are Python, Ruby, and PHP.
3- Full-Stack Web Development
Full-stack developers are those who can work on both front-end and back-end programming. These developers are usually more experienced and can understand and use multiple programming languages. They are usually assigned leadership roles in projects or, at times, carry out all the programming work for budget-limited organizations.
Expert Note: Full-stack web development is considered the most challenging and expensive, followed by back-end development and then front-end development.
What are Website Development Resources or Tools?
Other than the programming languages developers use to read and write code, there are resources and tools that developers use to create a website. There are many tools, but we will briefly outline the main ones.
Front-End Development Tools:
- Chrome Developer Tools: They allow developers to edit web pages in real-time, diagnose problems and create websites faster.
- GitHub is a control software that allows multiple developers to create changes to a web page simultaneously.
- Sublime Text: a source code editor. It supports several programming languages such as Python, Ruby, Bash, and more.
- jQuery: a Javascript tool that makes it easier to use Javascript on websites.
Back-End Development Tools:
- Ruby on Rails: a development tool used by developers for its code frameworks and structures
- Apache: a web server software. It is responsible for receiving HTTP requests from users and retrieving their desired webpage.
- Laravel: a web framework that eases some of the developers’ tasks such as authentication and caching.
How does the website Development process work?
Here is how we build websites and how you contribute to this process as a business owner.
1- Analysis
At that stage, we meet clients to gather information and identify needs.
As a business owner, the following are some questions that you need to think about beforehand:
- What are the website’s purpose and goals?
- Who is the target audience?
- What kind of website do you want to build? (is it e-commerce, corporate, portfolio).
- What content are you planning to publish on your website?
- What is your budget?
2- Planning
The next step involves creating a blueprint for your website, called a sitemap.
A sitemap outlines the overall structure and navigation of your future website.
This step is essential as it gives website developers and clients the chance to visualize the website. At this stage, it does not have to be anything too complicated yet.
3- Design
That is where website designers are key. They begin by creating a wireframe- a more detailed map of the website focusing on its layout.
A wireframe is used to visualize the design of the website in detail.
Simultaneously, they create the website’s overall design, focusing on elements such as typography, color scheme, and logo design.
Note: It is vital that you remain updated throughout this process so that you may approve the design decisions and take part in them.
4- Content
At this stage, we work on creating the content for your website. This content includes:
- Copywriting: is the process of writing a website’s content that sells; this includes landing pages, product pages, and even blogs. However, it is essential to note that blog writing is a continuous service provided after the website is launched.
- Images and videos: We use high-quality images and videos to enhance a user’s experience on your website and create a great first impression.
(You can view our media production services now!)
5- Development
After agreeing on the design, the content, and the overall structure of the website, it is time for website developers to construct the website. They do so by writing codes in different programming languages and creating databases.
At this stage, your website will have a unique domain name and an IP address.
Our website developers can create compatible websites on all devices based on your specific requests.
6- Testing
Before launching your website, you have to test it for any glitches and check its overall performance in terms of speed, response, and efficiency.
7- Launching
Your website has been officially launched!
The first few hours of a website are essential to track its performance. Monitoring the website helps website developers check if there are any glitches or minor bugs to be fixed.
In the long run, continuous maintenance and updating of the website are recommended.
Final Thoughts
With studies showing that 81% of people search online for a product or service and that 58.4% are buyers, there is no doubt that websites are essential to business.
Having a website increases sales and adds to your company’s credibility, showcases your brand, and generates more leads.
Create a memorable online experience for your clients that converts into profits for your business; become a partner with Be Group.
Further reading : digital strategy – what is mean – why it important for companies ?
