Coding is a fundamental skill that any professional whose job requires a significant amount of digital work should learn. Though their specific responsibilities do not necessitate coding knowledge, learning to code can help them see things through the eyes of a software developer. While some designers believe that collaboration with coding experts is required, others believe that a designer should be able to perform both of these tasks independently.
So, want to code as a designer? This article explains what coding skills you’ll need, and you can read about why designers should learn to code in this post – popwebdesign.net.
Who is a designer?
Before we get into why you should learn to code, it’s important to understand who a designer is. Designers are digital professionals who create aesthetically pleasing and vibrant graphics for software and websites. Users are typically uninterested in the processes that take place behind the scenes; instead, they are drawn to the images, colors, and graphics displayed on the interface. Designers use their creative abilities to create works that appeal to users’ visual senses and keep them on websites for longer periods. Designers’ work can take many forms, such as graphics, animation, illustrations, and images.
Why should designers learn how to code?
As we’ve seen, one of the most basic requirements for designers is creativity. Once they have added coding skills to their portfolio, their work will be taken to the next level. The following are some of the advantages that designers gain from coding.
Enhanced communication with the software development team
When designers and software developers work from the same document, a collaboration between the parties is facilitated. Regardless of how beautiful a design is, it cannot exist without the work of the development team. Developers use buttons, codes, and animation to make designs shine.
True, a designer does not need to know as much as a software developer, but learning to code gives the designer a better understanding of how user interfaces work and allows them to integrate designs more effectively. This will eliminate disagreements between designers and developers about how the interfaces should look and feel.
Facilitates the design process
The designer can utilize automation tools by writing scripts for workflows such as media import, file search, and similar tasks. There are some design tools that require a fundamental understanding of computer programming in order to be utilized effectively. A framer is one such application that requires knowledge of Javascript to operate. In the near future, there may be additional toolkits that combine coding with the design of physical objects. As a designer and programmer, you would be ideally suited to utilize these tools.
Increases designers’ market value
A tech-savvy designer who is also proficient in coding will stand out on the job market. This is due to the designer’s ability to perform front-end tasks, such as UI/UX programming. A multifaceted designer is able to perform both pure design and programming tasks at the same time. Coding also looks great on a designer’s resume and can be extremely advantageous for a young business. Employers are always on the lookout for individuals with multiple skills because it allows them to save money by eliminating the need to hire more people for the same roles.
Paves the way for new opportunities
Programming is already one of the most in-demand skills in the world, with salaries to match. According to Statista, the average salary of a designer working in software development in the United States reached $108,000 in 2021, and this figure is expected to rise further in the not-too-distant future. Coding skills are useful for designers, especially now that software development can be done remotely. This provides an added benefit.
Most valuable coding skills for designers
If a designer really wants to maximize their potential, they should become proficient in the following areas of coding.
Java
Java is a well-known and widely-used programming language that is also one of the most simple to learn. Java is an object-oriented programming language that allows users to create applications such as mobile apps, gaming apps, and even cloud-based apps.
HTML
The majority of websites on the internet are written in HTML, which stands for a hypertext markup language. HTML isn’t particularly difficult to grasp. HTML tags and elements are used to create web pages and to define the contents of the website, such as headings and paragraphs. HTML enables the seamless integration of images and videos into a webpage. A designer with a thorough understanding of HTML can exert control over how a user renders an image and even size images as desired.
CSS
CSS is a coding language that can be used to improve the aesthetics of a website. CSS includes a number of features, such as fonts, colors, and layouts. This language contributes to the growth of the HTML foundation. It eliminates the need for the designer to create individual web pages from scratch by allowing for consistent design across multiple web pages. Furthermore, CSS enables the designer to make quick and impromptu changes to the designs.
Javascript
Javascript is used to create interactive content such as web browsers and software programs. It is a widely used language in the front-end software development industry. Javascript is a must-have skill for any designer looking to move into UI/UX development. According to a Statista survey, 65 percent of developers use Javascript in their work.
If you want to create applications for the web and mobile devices, you should learn about Javascript. Web pages have improved in their ability to interact and have become more dynamic as a result of Javascript. A designer can use Javascript to create image galleries, add animation, zoom in and out of images, and add effects. The designer can also use Javascript to add effects.
Wrapping up
A designer who can also code has virtually limitless opportunities. Rather than staying put, why not try something new today and start learning to code in one of the programming languages listed above? This will lay the groundwork for future design work and increase your market value overall.
