The world of programming creates confusion sometimes. In this world, the terms “software engineer,” “web developer,” programmer sounds synonymous. However, they are quite different job-wise. The similarity between these professions is that they all type lines of code to develop a program or website. However, their focuses are vastly different. Hence, programming vs. web development varies based on the job type are performed in web development programming by web developers and programmers. In the vast world of programmers, they also vary based on what they make because sometimes they develop new software or sometimes work on customization of software.

On the other end, web developers specifically deal with developing and maintaining websites. Another website development division is a web design, where web designers create a mock-up of a website and decide its features. Interestingly, a designer doesn’t need to write any code to perform his task though he is a part of web development.

So, let's ask us a few of the points on the job patterns in Programming vs. web development to find the right answers.

What is programming?

Programming is mainly used to construct an application. Thus, for programming, a person requires knowledge of algorithms, applications, domains, and programming languages. Programming can follow different logic based on the knowledge of the developer or programmer. The code and logic can be developed in different programming languages based on the application and domain.

Programming must follow below features to generate the best code:

Readability: Proper documentation of the code like code commenting and availability like versioning.

Robustness: The capability for program continuation.

Reliability: The implementation of the correct design and algorithm.

Efficiency: Optimum usability of hardware, memory, or other things related to optimization.

What is web development programming?

In General, web development signifies building and maintaining websites. The phases of website development include web design, web development, web publishing, and database management. The coding and programming used for web development enable website functionalities to meet the design requirements. Also, it deals with the non-design aspects of the website. The website development requirement can vary from complex web applications to plain text pages or even social networking applications. In typical website development, three-layer architecture is followed as mentioned below:

- Client-side coding

- Server-side coding

- Database technology

In a nutshell, it is known as front-end and back-end development. Front-end development mainly deals with how a user interface will be, whereas back-end development controls the website's back-end applications. It is mainly related to database technologies. And the front-end development deals with content design, different web development programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

What do web developers do?

We can say web developers are the bridge between web designers and programmers. If we analyze Web developer vs. web designer, then we can say if a web designer comes up with an idea, the web developer builds it following its specifications. And in this whole game, a programmer might create a new tool to process the website visitor’s requests. So, the programmer’s role is over once his app is complete, whereas the web developer would be responsible in the long run for updating and maintaining the site. As a web developer, one may need to create web content, code the web pages in a text editor, or to build a website using a specific tool like Dreamweaver.

Also, if it is a blogging website, they may need to update the blog. Furthermore, similar websites can be designed and developed in many different ways. For example, an individual blogger may use a content management system like WordPress to develop and maintain their website, whereas a big business does not use content management systems; instead, they maintain their own development team for maintaining company websites. This is different between simplicity and customization.

What do programmers do?

The task of the programmers may vary based on their project. They may be a part of website development, or in a business environment, they could be asked to customize proprietary software. Thus, coding and technical knowledge are compulsory for programmers. If the programmer is specific to website development, he must know scripting languages like CSS, PHP, Javascript, etc. Usually, programmers work on internal architecture. They must be technical, logical, and thinkers. For a programmer, quality is a higher priority than time to market a product.

Programming vs. web development – do they use the same programming languages?

Programmers may work in different trades in the programming world. Some in website development, some in the machine learning field, some in mobile development, and some may be on the age-old mainframe. Similarly, there are dozens of different programming languages used for different purposes. So, based on the field, programmers use different programming languages. A web developer uses HTML, CSS, ASP, Ruby, or PHP. Also, for the client and server-side development, they use different languages. For example, Javascript is widely used in front-end development, whereas PHP is used in back-end development.

On the other hand, for a programmer, there are numerous languages to build the application. They can use Java, C#, Python, C, etc., based on their choices to build an application. Programming languages have their own pros and cons. Besides, every programming language has its own dependency on the market based on which it can satisfy clients' current needs.

Another important implication of these differences is that web programmers need to keep pace with changes in the languages they regularly use in the context of programming vs. web development. A website written in Java may become outdated after a few years where several open-source programming languages get hold in the market. This is a rapid development field.

In contrast, a book written on C++ could still be effective for that language because it hasn’t changed much in decades. Of course, best practices and some stylistic standards may come into the picture. However, those are nowhere near the level of web development.

How do they implement languages?

We have mentioned a few names of programming languages both for conventional coding and web development. Interestingly, these languages perform very differently behind the scenes. For example, programming languages like Java and C++ are high-level languages since they maintain heavy abstraction from the machine level when they are compiled. So, you don't need to write many more code lines than a low-level language like assembly code, which is difficult and tedious. The low-level languages closely deal with hardware. 

This is a contrast with most web development, where there is no concept of code compilation. However, there are few exceptions of web-based applications where compilation and run happen on the webserver. However, mostly used languages in web development like HTML, CSS are not true programming languages, and these are syntax-based languages. So, broadly we can say that the languages used by a web developer are presentation level whereas, for programmers, a language is more functional.

Final verdict:

So, in the programming vs. web development context, we can conclude that if programming is a set, then web development is a subset of it. We have seen that many similar skills and methods are in place for both professionals. But there are exceptions too. For example, Web developers use specific skills and tools that programmers don’t use, such as graphic design and video editing software. So, if we want to conclude Programming vs. Web development, we cannot fix one. Both of these professions are very important and have their own dependency on the current market. Thus, in programming vs. web development, they introduce different features with versions and different changes.