Member Avatar for cloud02

Hello, I just wanna ask if web designers need to master programming like java, C++ etc? coz I'm not good at it, I Mean really suck at it no matter how hard and long I practice it I just dont get it and when I do I forget in a few days.. I'm pretty descent on HTMLs, css and working my imagination is that what it takes? do still have a chance pursuing the career of being a web designer? thank you.

  • 7 Contributors
  • 8 Replies
  • 188 Views
  • 1 Week Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Rashakil Fol

Dani AI

Generated

— short answer: yes, you can build a career as a web designer even if low-level languages like Java or C++ aren’t your thing. This thread shows two real situations: describes teams that keep design and development separate, while others here (e.g. , ) describe smaller shops where people wear many hats. Both are right — pick the path that matches your strengths.

What to focus on if you want to be a designer (not a full-blown engineer): semantic HTML and clean CSS, responsive layout patterns, typography and color systems, accessibility basics, building a small component/style guide, and clear, annotated case studies in your portfolio. Those practical skills and the ability to communicate design choices are what hiring managers look for more than mastery of general-purpose languages.

Actionable 6-step mini-plan you can apply this month:

  1. Rebuild a single-page personal site mobile-first with clear, semantic markup.
  2. Create three short case studies (problem → process → solution).
  3. Build and document a tiny component set (buttons, forms, cards).
  4. Learn the browser inspector to debug layout and spacing.
  5. Add one interactive pattern using minimal client-side scripting or a visual prototyper.
  6. Keep a one-page cheat sheet of reusable CSS patterns you rely on.

Tiny CSS example (mobile-first responsive container):

.card-list {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 1rem;
}

@media (min-width: 720px) {
  .card-list {
    flex-direction: row;
  }
}

If programming “doesn’t stick,” swap memorization for small, repeated projects and templates; pair with a developer on a real task; and emphasize design process, accessibility, and handoff quality in your portfolio. Those strengths will get you work — and if you later want to pick up more code, you’ll have a solid, practical foundation to build from.

Recommended Answers

All 8 Replies

Member Avatar for deceptikon

Web design these days is more about dynamic pages than static, so you probably won't just be using HTML and CSS. Using things like Javascript, PHP, ASP, and databases is a lot easier when you have some programming experience. If you can't work with those technologies, you could probably still get a job skinning/styling pages, but you won't be as marketable as a web designer.

Member Avatar for pritaeas

I disagree, but this may be a regional thing. If you are looking for a job as a web designer here, you are not expected to be able to program (except maybe javascript and the likes). Several of the companies I've worked for had a separate designer, which did nothing but that. Anything that involved coding came to our development department. The designers job was design, layout and user experience only.

Member Avatar for deceptikon

Several of the companies I've worked for had a separate designer

My experience differs in that I've only worked for smaller companies/departments where everyone wears multiple hats. Thanks for the alternative perspective. :)

Member Avatar for JackieBolinsky

Yea, programming an entirely new language is not something you can do in a week or two. My first language was C++ but this left me mentally unstable and with a compulsive need for optimization so I suggest perl as well. The key part of that statement is "a little bit," not "everything." I never said people should "know EVERYTHING related to the industry."

Thanks,
Jackie

Member Avatar for mikulucky

As a web developer, you do not need to know about the actual coding of the backend of a website. However you must be fluent in especially jQuery json, it really helps to know back end scripting, such as php and so on.

However the most important aspect is to know all the bugs with each version of each browser compared to the html and css. I can't stress that point the most.

Member Avatar for Rashakil Fol

Considering how Javascript is used in the browser these days, a web designer who can't program is not going to be able to do anything interesting, and won't get paid very much.

Member Avatar for stultuske

also, considering the fact that JavaScript can be disabled by the user, JavaScript on it's own can, but isn't necessarily the "go-to-language" to know.

"you must be fluent in especially jQuery json".. how come? sure, it can come in handy, but saying it's impossible to be a good web designer if you're not fluent in jQuery is a bit of an exaggeration.

I worked on several huge projects in the past (a +- 40 developer team, spending several years) that contained little or no javascript at all.

Member Avatar for Rashakil Fol

also, considering the fact that JavaScript can be disabled by the user, JavaScript on it's own can, but isn't necessarily the "go-to-language" to know.

If the user disables Javascript then let the site break. There's no reason not to target the 99.9% of users that aren't self-destructive crackpots.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.