If you've ever gone searching for someone to help you build a website — either on job boards or Craig's List or simply on Google — you might encounter the phrases "Web Designer" and "Web Developer."

What's the difference? Are they pretty much the same?

To understand the difference, it may be helpful to think about real estate. When you're building a structure, you may hire both a designer and a developer. A developer (more likely a construction company) will build the structure itself — the walls, the floors, the ceiling, the plumbing, the electrical wiring and the beams and studs that hold it all together. Then you may hire a designer to paint the walls (interior and exterior), select the furniture, select artwork to put on the walls, install flooring and trim, etc.

Similarly, a web developer will program all the stuff that makes a website function. A web designer, on the other hand, will focus on the look-and-feel of the website: the colors, the fonts, the layout, the images, etc.

Often the difference between the two is referred to as "the back end" (web developer) and "the front end" (web designer).

Some people are skilled at performing both roles. Even if they're performed by different people, there's often some overlap between their responsibilities.

But generally, if you're looking for someone to help build your website (the back end), you should look for a web developer. And if you're looking for someone to help design your website (the front end), you should look for a web designer.

If you need both, look for two people — or try to find someone (like me) who can do both.

Contact me for more information.