The differences between a UI and UX developer

UX UI Developer: Can you tell the difference?

A good website or app is not only good-looking, but it should also be user friendly. If it is hard to see, the chance for users to visit it again is very low. Therefore, a UX UI developer plays an important role in creating intuitive products or services. 

That’s why becoming a UX UI developer is probably one of the dream jobs of those who love programming and design. This is because of not only the prospects in the field but also the high earning potential. 

But many confuse this position with UI designers. So what exactly do the words mean? What is the difference between them? Keep reading to find your own answer. I also include detailed job descriptions to help you prepare necessary knowledge. 

What is a UI and UX developer?

Many of you may all know the term UX/UI developer. However, what exactly it is. Firstly, we need to differentiate the UX and UI.

Simply put, user interface (UI) focuses on the products and all visual elements that customers interact with. It could be an icon or a button on a website, product, or service. User experience, on the other hand, focuses on users and how they feel when using that app or product. 

In the meanwhile, a developer is a person who creates and is responsible for developing software, websites, applications, or apps. So a UX/UI developer will use or implement visual design principles to develop an app or build a website using design tools or HTML, CSS, JS, etc.

UI and UX developers are responsible for different tasks.

What is a UI designer and UI developer?

Now you know what a UI developer is. In order to distinguish the difference between UI designer and UI developer, you’ll need to know the definition of a UI designer.

As a UI designer, you have to be expert in using design tools such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch,… And the main tasks of a UI designer are creating looks or appearances of a product, app, or website.

So, the primary difference between these two terms is that a UI developer tends to focus more on programming languages to accomplish the product or service. 

UI designers vs. UI developers.

UX UI developer job opportunities

As you may all know, this field is growing fast, and its job opportunities are large and open for anyone who loves and has skills in design and development. The annual average salary for a UX/UI developer is around $85,277 in 2020, according to the Glassdoor. That’s a really good payment. 

To sufficiently prepare, you will need to read through the UX/UI developer job description to understand what employers are looking for in that position, what you will do, and what skills you will need to become a UI/UX developer. 

Open job opportunities for UX UI developers.

Job description

You may google this and find lots of job descriptions for this position. Depending on the company size, you will be responsible for different tasks. In general, a detailed job description for a UX/UI developer consists of three parts, which are job overview, responsibilities, and requirements or qualifications. 

Job overview is usually about a brief of a company, what the company does, its size and development. We will not discuss more about this because it varies depending on companies.

Responsibilities include daily tasks that a UX/UI developer does. Some of the most common tasks are:

  • Test completed software, website, or any product to collect and evaluate user experience (some bigger companies will have UX researchers responsible for this task)
  • Conceptualize design ideas using storyboards, sitemaps, etc.
  • Create graphic designs such as widgets, drop-down menus, etc.
  • Use codes to develop aesthetics of the product from layout to colors
  •  Adjust layout based on users’ feedback
  • Work with back-end developers to enhance the usability

In terms of qualifications, some companies will require degrees and experience. For internship or entry-level positions, there might not need to prove work experience. 

Some essential UI/UX developer skills you need to equip yourself include knowledge of design tools and software such as Adobe, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc. You also need to have an understanding of programming languages such as HTML, CSS, etc. 

Besides, soft skills are crucial when you apply for any job. For this position, teamwork is very important because you will need to work with other key stakeholders to develop top-performing products. Other skills can be the interpretation, communication, time management, etc. 

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, a UI developer will focus on how a website or app’s interface looks and functions. UX developers, on the other hand, are in charge of improving the user’s feelings they have while experiencing the product’s interface. No matter what position you go for, make sure you love it and equip the necessary skills to bring responsive products or services to targeted customers.

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