Is using Wordpress considered to be Web Development or Web Design?

[malikben9]

If you're just using Wordpress to make a website for yourself or a client or company, without coding at all, just installing plugins and using themes, is this considered to be Web Development or Web Design?

[PL281 · Accepted solution]

@malikben9 

Personally I would say it's both. It's web design from the perspective that you still need to know best practices for doing the layout of pages and doing formatting.

It is web development from the plugins you use and how you set them up / configure them to work together

[PL281 · Accepted solution]

@malikben9 

Personally I would say it's both. It's web design from the perspective that you still need to know best practices for doing the layout of pages and doing formatting.

It is web development from the plugins you use and how you set them up / configure them to work together

[Muse · Accepted solution]

@malikben9 

To add to what @PL281 posted, within the "industry" there is a pretty distinct difference. WordPress is just one of many platforms to build a website.  The skills used with WordPress or any platform can determine if you are truly a designer vs. a developer.

If you are asking because you plan on labeling yourself, here are some additional considerations.

"Designers" tend to be about the creative elements, visuals and layout. 

Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) 

Graphic design

Logo design

Layout/format

Placing call-to-action buttons

Color palettes

Typography

"Developers" tend to indicate you get your hands dirty with code.  Things like: 

HTML/CSS/JavaScript

CSS 

Frameworks 

Libraries

Git and GitHub

So while you can do both by using WordPress to create a website, there is an implied set of skills if you were to call yourself one thing over the other.

HTH! 😉