You may have heard that UX developers are an integral part of a software or web development team. But what is a UX developer? What do UX developers do? In this article, we will discuss what a UX designer is in simple terms, their skills and responsibilities, salary and job outlook, as well as what you need to become one. Let’s get right into it.
What Is User Experience (UX)?
UX design is all about making sure that a person has a good experience when they are using a product. This includes making sure that everything from the way the product looks to how it works is easy for people to use.
One of the most important parts of UX design is making sure that the user’s needs are considered during the design process. This means understanding who the users are, what they need, and what they want from the product. It also includes designing for different types of users, including those with disabilities.
UX is integral for any software, app, or website, as it ensures that the user is able to navigate it in a way that is intended in a quick and easy way.
Why is UX Important?
UX is important because it focuses on the user and their needs. UX ensures that users are able to find what they need quickly, with minimal frustration. This means that users are more likely to stay on the site and make use of the product or service.
UX design is also important because:
- It helps create products and services that are easy to use
- It makes sure users enjoy using the product or service
- It can reduce costs associated with customer service and support
- It can increase user loyalty and engagement
Examples of UX Design
Consider a personal finance mobile app that lets a user track their spending.
Let’s say one of the functions of the app is to add a new expense.
Proper UX design would make sure that the user is able to quickly and easily understand the steps they need to take in order to add an expense. This includes displaying items and buttons in a way that is logical, having easily understood labels for each item, and making sure the overall process is quick and easy.
As an example, you would need to first find the “Add Expense” button and then enter in the amount, date, type of expense, and any other relevant information. Appropriate UX design would make sure that this process is easy to understand and can be completed by the user quickly.
What Is a UX developer?
A UX developer is a type of software developer that specializes in building user interfaces for websites and applications.
They are responsible for creating the code that will be used to create the interface, as well as working with designers to ensure that the interface looks great and works properly.
UX developers have a deep understanding of both UX design principles and coding languages. They use this knowledge to create code that will make the product easy and enjoyable for people to use.
UX developers also need to be able to work with designers to make sure that the design looks great and meets user needs. They also need to be able to troubleshoot any issues that arise in the development process.
Difference between UX Designer and UX Developer
The main difference between a UX designer and a UX developer is that the former focuses on design, while the latter focuses on coding.
UX designers are responsible for creating the overall look and feel of the product, while UX developers are responsible for coding the interface that will be used to interact with the product.
UX designers need to be able to think creatively and understand user needs while UX developers need to have a deep understanding of coding languages and be able to work with designers to ensure that the interface looks great and works properly.
In other words, UX designers focus on creating a product that is visually appealing, intuitive, and meets user needs, while UX developers are responsible for translating those designs into code.
Duties of a UX Developer
Let’s expand on what are the individual duties of a typical UX developer. Among the responsibilities of a UX developer are:
- Designing user interfaces that are easy to understand and use
- Writing code for user interfaces, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other languages
- Working with the design team to ensure that visuals are consistent and meet user needs
- Troubleshooting any issues or bugs that arise during development
- Testing the interface to make sure it works properly
- Creating documentation for the user interface
- Making sure the user interface is secure and compliant with industry standards
- Staying up to date on the latest UX trends and technologies.
Overall, a UX developer is responsible for coding the user interfaces that will be used by people to interact with websites and applications. They need to ensure that these interfaces are secure, visually appealing, easy to use and meet user needs.
By understanding both UX design principles and coding languages, a UX developer can help create user interfaces that are enjoyable and easy for people to use.
Does UX Development Require Extensive Coding?
Yes, UX development does require extensive coding. Because UX developers are responsible for coding the user interfaces that people use to interact with websites and applications, they need to have a deep understanding of front-end development languages.
Additionally, UX developers need to have the ability to troubleshoot any issues or bugs that arise during development, as well as create secure and compliant user interfaces.
In summary, UX developers are responsible for coding the user interfaces that people use to interact with websites and applications. They need to have a deep understanding of multiple coding languages, as well as the ability to troubleshoot any issues or bugs that arise during development.
UX Coding Languages
There are a number of coding languages that UX developers need to be familiar with in order to create well-structured, interactive user interfaces. These include HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other languages such as Angular, React and Node.js.
HTML is the foundation of the web and is used to structure the content on a page. CSS is used to add styling to HTML elements, while JavaScript can be used to add dynamic functionality. And the other languages mentioned can be used to create more complex user interfaces that are faster and more efficient.
What Skills Does a UX Developer Need?
UX developers need to have diverse skills, including:
- Knowledge of coding languages
- Ability to translate effective user interfaces
- Understanding of usability principles
- Knowledge of design guidelines and best practices
- Proficiency with prototyping and testing tools
- Understanding of user research
- Problem solving skills.
One important item on this list is user research, which means UX developers need to be familiar with the research process and how to collect meaningful data from user feedback. This helps them analyze user behavior in order to troubleshoot and improve the user experience.
Overall, UX developers need to have a deep understanding of coding languages, design principles, and user research in order to create effective user interfaces that are intuitive and meet user needs.
UX Developer Salary
According to Glassdoor, the average annual total pay of a UX developer in the United States is $120,642. The actual earning, however, can vary based on experience, location, industry and other factors.
This role is also lucrative, as it was included in Glassdoor’s list of 25 Highest Paying Entry Level Jobs, ranked at number six. This compare favorably to $58,260, which is the mean annual salary across all occupations in the United States.
UX Developer Job Outlook
The demand for UX developers is expected to grow in the coming years, as businesses across all industries are now recognizing the importance of creating user-friendly and enjoyable experiences. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developer job growth is projected to increase 23% from 2021-2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
This is great news for UX developers, as they are in high demand and can expect to see a positive job outlook.
The UX developer position, as it is, is a fairly new concept, originating only in the last decade. As companies continue to recognize and appreciate the importance of UX design, this job title has become commonplace in the recent years.
So if you have the drive and interest in becoming a UX developer, now is certainly a great time to enter this field!
Is UX Development Easy to Learn?
UX development is an in-demand skill and can be learned relatively quickly if you have a basic understanding of coding languages. It can be said that becoming a UX developer is as difficult (or easy) as becoming a front-end web developer.
It can take an average of 6-9 months to gain an understanding of UX development, but you can speed up your progress with the right resources and adequate number of hours per week spent on learning.
It’s important to understand the core principles of UX design as well as how coding languages are used to create interactive user interfaces. Additionally, UX developers need to stay up to date on the latest trends and technologies in order to create effective solutions, as UX standards change very quickly over time.
It’s ultimately fun and rewarding to be able to use coding languages and design principles to create meaningful user experiences.
How to Become a UX Developer?
So, what do you need to become a UX developer in terms of education and training?
Most UX developers have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering or a related field, as well as experience in coding languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Getting a degree usually takes four years, unless you also want to get a Master’s degree to further advance your career.
If you don’t want to spend years in school studying to become a UX developer, another quicker option is a coding bootcamp. These intensive programs are designed to teach aspiring developers the necessary skills and knowledge in only a 2-6 months.
If you are not sure which option is right for you, check out our article “Coding Bootcamp or Computer Science degree: which route should I take?“.
Besides the two options, self-learning is also a viable route if you have the right resources and determination. With plenty of online tutorials and courses available, as well as open source projects to get your hands on, you can learn a lot and quickly, if you are dedicated.
If you are looking to become a UX developer in the near future, the best thing to do is to get started right away! Whether you are taking a degree, coding bootcamp or self-learning route, make sure you are practicing every day and honing your coding and UX design skills.
Difference Between UX and UI Developer
You may have also heard about UI development that is commonly used together with UX development. Let’s discuss the similarities and differences between the two.
UI stands for “User Interface”, and UI developers focus on the look and feel of a product or website. It is their job to create interfaces that are visually pleasing and make the product easier to use.
UX stands for “User Experience”, and UX developers create the overall user experience on products or websites. They focus on the usability of a product and make sure it meets users’ needs.
In conclusion, UX and UI developers work together to create user-friendly websites and products that are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. The two disciplines often overlap, but UX developers focus more on the overall user experience while UI developers focus more on the visual design aspect.
UX Developer vs. Front-End Developer
Another distinction to be made is between UX developers and front-end developers, which indeed are quite similar, but with important distinctions.
Front-end developers focus on the mechanical design and development of websites and web applications, with the primary goal of creating a functional and esthetic user-facing screen.
Front-end developers work on the website’s layout, design, navigation structure and other similar elements that define the user experience. They also have to be knowledgeable in coding languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and others.
UX developers take a slightly different approach. While their main goal is also to create a polished user interface, UX developers go beyond just the visuals of a website or web application and focus more on the user’s journey with the product. They focus on understanding and predicting user behavior, analyzing user feedback and using this data to improve the product’s overall usability and user experience.
In a nutshell, front-end developers create the look and feel of a website or web app, while UX developers focus on the user experience of a product. Having both involved in the development process is essential for creating successful products and websites.
When working together, the interaction between front-end developer and UX developer is usually as follows: the UX developer will create the design of the product and simulate the user experience on the site or app, which is then passed onto the front-end developer who can start coding and creating the website or app.
Conclusion
So, what is a UX developer? A UX developer is someone who specializes in the design of user interfaces and the overall user experience. They use their knowledge of coding languages and user behavior to create websites and products that are both visually pleasing and functionally intuitive. If you are considering a career in UX development, now is a great time to start learning and honing your skills. With the right dedication, UX development can be an incredibly rewarding career path!
Elmar Mammadov is a software developer, tech startup founder, and computer science career specialist. He is the founder of CS Careerline and a true career changer who has previously pursued careers in medicine and neuroscience.
Due to his interest in programming and years of past personal experience in coding, he decided to break into the tech industry by attending a Master’s in Computer Science for career changers at University of Pennsylvania. Elmar passionately writes and coaches about breaking into the tech industry and computer science in general.