This distinction trips up a lot of businesses starting a web project — hiring the wrong role first is one of the most common early missteps. Here's how to think about it.

What a Web Designer Actually Does

Designers focus on visual identity, user experience, and interface layout — the "how it looks and feels" of your site, typically working in tools like Figma before any code is written.

What a Web Developer Actually Does

Developers translate that design into working code — handling functionality, performance, backend integration, and everything that makes the site actually work, not just look right.

For a New Site: Start With Design

If you're building from scratch, a designer should typically come first — establishing the visual direction and user flow before development begins avoids costly mid-project rework.

For an Existing Site With Functional Issues: Start With Development

If your site looks fine but has performance, security, or functionality problems, a developer is the right first hire — not a redesign.

Many Projects Need Both, Working Together

The strongest web projects have design and development collaborating throughout, not handing off a finished design with no development input, or vice versa.

Full-Service Teams Reduce Handoff Friction

Working with a team that has both disciplines in-house, communicating directly, generally produces a smoother process than coordinating two separate freelancers or agencies yourself.

Cantonet Technologies brings design and development together under one roof — so you're not stuck translating between two disconnected teams.