In this article, I'm going to try to explain web design and development in the shortest way possible. If you've ever wondered what's the difference between web design and development, you're not alone. Many people think that the two are very similar or even the same. But it turns out that they are two distinct professions with separate skill sets. Sure, a web designer may have some programming knowledge and a developer may have some design skills, but they don't mix very well in an ideal scenario.