5 Commonly Asked Web Development FAQs

Web development is the backbone of a successful website. While web design focuses on the look and feel of a site, web development ensures that it functions smoothly and delivers a seamless user experience. From coding and content management to security and performance, web development plays a critical role in how a website operates and how users interact with it.

As experienced web developers, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions about web development and provided detailed, expert answers to help you build a fast, secure, and high-performing website.

What’s the difference between web design and web development?

Web design and web development are closely related but focus on different aspects of a website’s creation and performance.

Web Design:

• Focuses on the visual and interactive elements of a site (e.g., layout, colour scheme, typography).
• Involves creating wireframes, prototypes, and visual mock-ups.

Web Development:

• Focuses on the technical side of a website — coding, server management, and functionality.
• Involves writing code using programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and Python.

What are the main programming languages for web development?

Web development relies on a combination of frontend and backend programming languages, each serving a specific purpose:

Frontend Languages

These languages control what users see and interact with in a browser:

1. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): Provides the structure and content of a webpage (e.g., headings, paragraphs, images).
2. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): Controls the styling and appearance of HTML elements (e.g., colours, fonts, layouts).
3. JavaScript: Adds interactivity to a website (e.g., drop-down menus, animations, real-time updates).

Backend Languages

These languages handle the logic, databases, and server communication behind the scenes:

1. PHP: Used for creating dynamic content and managing server-side tasks (e.g., handling forms, connecting to databases).
2. Python: Popular for data-heavy websites and machine learning-based applications.
3. Ruby: Known for its simplicity and rapid development capabilities, often used with the Ruby on Rails framework.
4. Node.js (JavaScript): Allows JavaScript to be used for server-side development, providing a consistent language across the full stack.

Example: A developer might use HTML to create the structure of a page, CSS to style it, JavaScript to add interactive features, and PHP to connect it to a database.

What is a CMS?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a platform that allows users to create, manage, and modify website content without needing to write code. A CMS provides a user-friendly interface where non-technical users can update content, upload images, and manage pages.

How a CMS Works:

1. Backend Interface – The CMS provides a dashboard where users can create and edit content.
2. Templates and Themes – Most CMS platforms offer pre-designed templates that simplify page design.
3. Content Storage – The CMS stores text, images, videos, and other content in a database.
4. Publishing – Once content is created, the CMS generates the necessary HTML and CSS to display it on the frontend.

Advantages of Using a CMS:

• No coding knowledge required.
• Easily scalable and customisable.
• Supports user roles and permissions (e.g., admins, editors).

Example: A business owner might use WordPress to create a blog, Shopify for an online store, or Squarespace for a simple company website.

What is HTTPS and why is it important?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an internet communication protocol that secures the data transferred between a user’s browser and a website. HTTPS encrypts this data using SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) to prevent interception or tampering by hackers.

How HTTPS Works:

1. When a user visits a site using HTTPS, the browser and server establish a secure connection through an SSL certificate.
2. The SSL certificate encrypts all data transferred between the browser and the server (e.g., login credentials, payment information).
3. The encrypted data is unreadable to third parties, protecting user privacy and site integrity.

Why HTTPS Matters:

• Security – Prevents data breaches and protects user information.
• SEO Boost – Google gives ranking priority to HTTPS-secured sites.
• User Trust – Most modern browsers display a padlock icon for secure sites and warn users if a site is not secure.
• Compliance – Necessary for GDPR and other data protection regulations.

Example: An eCommerce store using HTTPS ensures that credit card information entered at checkout is protected from hackers.

How Can I Make My Website Faster?

Website speed directly impacts user experience, search engine rankings, and conversion rates. A slow website increases bounce rates and frustrates visitors, while a fast website improves engagement and SEO performance.

Best Practices to Improve Website Speed:

1. Optimise Images

• Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim.
• Use modern formats like WebP instead of JPEG or PNG.

2. Minify Code

• Remove unnecessary whitespace and comments from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
• Tools like UglifyJS and CSSNano can help automate this process.

3. Enable Browser Caching

• Store static files (like images and stylesheets) in the user’s browser to reduce load times on return visits.

4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

• A CDN distributes content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times by serving data from the closest location.

5. Reduce Server Response Time

• Upgrade to a faster hosting provider.
• Use a dedicated server instead of shared hosting for better performance.

6. Limit HTTP Requests

• Combine multiple CSS and JavaScript files into single files to reduce the number of requests.

7. Enable Lazy Loading

• Load images and videos only when they come into the user’s viewport.

Example: A slow-loading eCommerce site can lose customers — optimising image sizes and enabling caching could cut load times from 5 seconds to under 2 seconds, improving sales and user satisfaction.

Ready to Build a High-Performance Website?

At ZEAL, we specialise in developing fast, secure, and user-friendly websites tailored to your business goals. Whether you need a new site or want to improve your current one, our expert web developers can help.

Get in touch today to discover how ZEAL can help you elevate your web development strategy.