Have you ever wondered what goes into website design? While there are many moving parts and systems behind the scenes, the visual elements of a website usually make the biggest first impression on users. How does it feel to scroll up and down on the page? Are the words easy to read? Does the placement of buttons make sense?

These features and more work together to make website navigation simple, intuitive, and enjoyable. Thanks to the efforts of front-end developers and user experience (UX) designers, website users can effectively engage with the content they’re looking for.

This blog discusses front-end developers and UX designers, including differences in required education and job duties. Read on to learn more, including how to identify which of the two roles best suits your career interests.

Differences in Education

The following sections explore the types of education that front-end developers and UX designers commonly receive.

Front-End Developer Education

Front-end developers typically write, edit, and debug code for websites. This means that they need to learn and apply principles of programming. While they might know how they want a finished website to look, front-end developers need to understand how to translate design information into actionable code that computers will recognize and interpret as website instructions.

Many front-end developers earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or software engineering to gain an understanding of how computer software functions. Some front-end devs may go on to get certified in a particular programming language or framework relevant to their job. Coding bootcamps are also great places for front-end devs to learn the programming skills they’ll need to thrive.

UX Designer Education

UX designers work to make websites look and feel user friendly. To achieve this, these designers need to consider the user’s overall experience on a website. Rather than writing code, UX designers create and modify the visual and tactile elements of websites and engage in user testing to measure usability and accessibility.

Common degree programs for UX designers include web design, graphic design, and human-computer interaction. These programs teach fundamental design skills like wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing. Additionally, UX designers typically learn how to use digital tools to build and edit website layouts.

Differences in Job Duties

The sections below highlight the key differences between front-end developers and UX designers regarding their day-to-day job duties.

Front-End Developer Job Duties

Front-end developers lay the website foundations that UX designers then optimize for users. The front end simply refers to the aspects of a website that visitors see when browsing the internet. The back end, on the other hand, includes the software and server connectivity that keep websites running.

Front-end developers write structural code in various programming languages, including Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript. HTML allows developers to assemble the basic architecture of a web page. CSS and JavaScript are primarily used to further define a website’s colors, text sizes, margins, interactive modules, and more.

In addition to coding website pages, front-end developers work on the following tasks:

• Testing and debugging web elements.
• Collaborating with designers to create user interfaces.
• Determining web page layout and functionality.
• Measuring and evaluating website performance.
• Troubleshooting with clients, users, and stakeholders.
• Communicating with software engineers and back-end developers as needed.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary in May 2023 for web developers was $98,540. Front-end developers can expect to make similar earnings.

UX Designer Job Duties

UX designers manage the accessibility, navigability, and overall usability of websites. Their jobs often include user interface (UI) design, which involves components like text size and font, menu positions, color scheme, and more. These professionals draw on essential design principles to ensure that users have a smooth, positive experience interacting with all relevant aspects of a website.

A UX designer role generally requires familiarity with tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, and Photoshop to mock up and apply visual design elements. To ensure that user needs are met, UX designers may also perform user testing each time a new design element is published. UX elements that are received or reviewed poorly can be improved and iterated upon.

Other UX designer duties may include the following:

• Monitoring user engagement and conversion rates
• Simulating journey maps—potential routes that users may take on a website
• Making continuous adjustments to website design elements
• Researching trends in user behavior
• Collaborating with web developers, marketing specialists, and other relevant stakeholder

The BLS states that the average annual salary in May 2023 for digital and UX designers was $98,540—the same as for web developers.

Choosing between Front-End Development and UX Design

If you’re looking to begin a career in front-end web development or UX design, consider what would best align with your professional goals and interests. Front-end web development is a great choice if you enjoy programming and coding. UX design might be a better alternative if you prefer ideating and building out visual design components. Keep in mind that each role will likely require you to learn different concepts and adopt different approaches to website creation.

As you decide, consider studying at WGU. Our online bachelor’s degrees in computer science, software engineering, and UX design are each planned with input from industry experts and can equip you with the skills that employers love to see. Our front-end web development certificate is designed to boost your résumé and guarantees admission into a WGU School of Technology degree program.

In addition, WGU’s competency-based learning model lets you advance through coursework as quickly as you show mastery of the material, so you can potentially graduate faster and save money. Learn more today.