When we talk about designing websites, designers generally have a multitude of options that they can readily access. For instance, WordPress, which is the most popular content management system, powers nearly 27% of the internet.
Considering there is a system like WordPress, which presents a rather basic user interface, you may have questions regarding why website designers even need programming skills in the first place.
Now, you are not the only one who has pondered over this aspect. There are plenty of website designers online who are often in a dilemma over whether it’s a skill that’s worth spending time on or not, specifically when you have simple systems like WordPress.
But the fact is the skill of programming is significant for website designers to learn. Now let’s elaborate on the reasons why web designers should learn programming.
1. Codes are the mainstay of your web design
If you are a web designer and want to gain a perspective regarding how to utilize your skills to the best of your ability, you must have to gain proper knowledge about the medium you work with, i.e. programming.
It’s not about whether you should learn to code or not, it’s about how much programming knowledge you are required. If you are equipped with a basic understanding of how programming is used, it will automatically be easier for you to understand how you are going to put together your work.
This doesn’t mean that you have to write a full site’s code. But you have to know about the aspects that influence your design. If you consider the skill of programming as an element that is related to your work, it makes your learning curve a lot simpler.
With a myriad of programming languages that you can code in like JavaScript, PHP, HTML, CSS, SQL or Ruby, it can be a little intimidating if you have no clear idea of it all.
Your responsibility as a web designer isn’t to learn everything about codes and include them in designing your website. You shouldn’t feel compelled to learn all the programming languages to become an accomplished web designer.
To turn your design into code, you’ll only have to be acquainted with the basic knowledge of front-end code development. At the front-end, you will be overseeing the elements that the user is looking at and communicating with.
On the other hand, the full-time programmers are in charge of the back-end processes. This is what runs in the background of a website and involves database accessing, calculations, and performance related questions.
As a designer, you’ll want to start off with HTML and CSS, as these are frequently adopted in case of front-end development. But with time when the user experience becomes increasingly crucial for the website, you may have to become well-versed with the JavaScript basics.
2. The distinction between front and back end of the web designing
The section of the website that the audience is able to see is known as the front end. The back end comprises of all the stored data, images, the server and other components. Web design and development is quite similar to constructing a house – The web designer is like an architect for your website, and like the crew arranges the bricks, plumbing etc. can be treated as the back-end development, and the painters, interior decorator etc. do the job of beautifying the house from outside much similar to front-end development.
Frontend development is carried out in CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, while back-end developers normally use Python, PHP, Ruby, Java, or SQL.Net for programming.
A designer doesn’t necessarily have to learn all of these programming languages. The objective is basically to gain a proper understanding of how a design transforms into code. So it makes sense for designers to emphasize more on knowing the basic elements of front-end programming since that’s the part that helps with the development of the layout and the visual elements of the design.
3. Consolidates your own skills
Understanding all the aspects of your design provides you with a clearer idea of how things work. This way you’ll also be aware of your shortcomings and create your designs by having a better understanding.
So by gaining sufficient knowledge of programming, your design skills will automatically be enhanced. Understanding what is technically feasible with your designs can save a considerable amount of in the design phase.
It’s also practical in case of having proper knowledge of how to integrate creative ideas you might come up with.
This means understanding front-end development as a designer presents a plethora of possibilities for you. You’ll often see that UX programming can be a great way to land clients who can’t afford both the design services along with separate programmers.
4. Your work becomes simple with the application of different tools
The advantage of dealing with the modern day website designing and development projects is the different tools they have available. The web design tools are efficient and functional, and this means you can create web designs with very little understanding of programming.
However, that knowledge (no matter how limited that is) is essential, because this knowledge will allow you to make significant changes to the designs when required.
Applying these different tools can be convenient for a designer to take shortcuts and save a lot of time without compromising on the final design.
5. Boosts your creativity and confidence
Design, as you already may know, is a creative process. In order to carve a niche as a designer, it’s vital to enhance your creativity. Getting acquainted with new skills is a great way to keep your mind focused when thinking about specific issues and their creative solutions.
The process of learning programming languages itself will be a great workout to enhance your creativity and ultimately allows you to have a solid set of skills. Not only will you be able to leverage those skills in your work as a designer, but they’ll provide an extra boost of confidence to make a successful career the world of technology, where coding is a universal language.
With all these tips above, you will now have more clarity in understanding programming, to prosper in your career as a web designer.
Author Bio: Ambarly Jensen is a professor at a reputed university in New York, who is recently joined an assignment help company as an academic expert. She is also holding a PhD degree from University of New York.