Top Blogs About Web Design And Web Development
by Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — software documentation tool
For today’s post I searched the web for sites that had content that would make a difference to web designers and developers. I looked for sites with well-written, clear, and substantial articles and for content that discussed CMS’s such as WordPress, tools such as Photoshop, tutorials for code such as CSS and HTML, thoughts on user experience (UX) and user interfaces (UI), tips, tricks, resources, and freebies.
In today’s post we’ll have a look at the 55 best blogs and websites for web designers and developers.
Please note that blogs are in no particular order.
Enjoy!
1. Web Designer Depot
Web Designer Depot is a collaboration between designers worldwide who contribute features, articles, and tutorials to help grow the design community. Topics include HTML 5, CSS3, responsive design, typography, usability, jQuery, mobile apps, resources, business, freelancing, inspiration, and more.
2. InstantShift
InstandShift is a popular community for web designers and developers. There’s a lot of excellent posts about WordPress, Web Design, CSS, Tools, Tutorials, Fonts, Photography and so much more.
3. CSS-Tricks
Founded by Chris Coyier, this site originally covered CSS and now has a team of 11 that covers every aspect of web design and development. Their content includes articles, videos, code snippets, etc., and includes tutorials, news, general information, and more.
4. Hongkiat
Since 2007 this site has produced articles, tutorials, recommended tools, tips and tricks, and more for designers, developers, techies, and bloggers. They like to write about plugins, tools, desktop and mobile apps, gadgets, gift ideas, and anything else they find interesting.
5. Six Revisions
Launched in 2008 by Jacob Gube, this site covers web design and development for anyone who designs and builds websites and apps. They publish articles, news, tutorials, guides, and more. The site covers topics ranging from Photoshop to freelancing and everything in between.
6. Smashing Magazine
Founded by Vitaly Friedman and Sven Lennartz, this site produces articles, tutorials, and more for designers and developers. Topics include design, UX design, code, WordPress, mobile apps and design, graphics, etc. They cover software, concepts, news, etc., that includes CSS, Photoshop, eCommerce, plugins, themes, and lots more.
7. Vandelay Design
The focus of this site is to equip creatives, small business owners, and entrepreneurs with the tools to develop their business ideas. They have lots of articles on web design, writing, web development, and more. They also have links to free resources, a shop with premium resources, and they give back to the community by providing free WordPress themes.
8. TheNextWeb (Design & Dev)
This site has produced articles since 2006 that focus on international technology news, design, business, culture, and more. Content includes how-to, code, UX design, links and news about deals and courses, streaming videos of designing events, hardware, software, reviews, upcoming events, graphic design, and more.
9. SpeckyBoy
Paul Andrew launched this site in October 2007 as a personal freelance web design homepage. It’s now grown into a web design magazine. It has tons of tutorials, resources, time-saving techniques, and even inspirational art. Topics include web design and development, graphic design, mobile development, advertising, design styles and trends, tech news, and more.
10. A List Apart
This site launched way back in 1998 by Jeffrey Zeldman. Articles focus on web design and are geared toward designers, developers, architects, specialists, strategists, project managers, and writers. Topics include code, content, design, business and the industry, tools, techniques, UX, and more.
11. FastCo Design
This is a business technology magazine that focuses in the intersection between business and design. It covers a wide range of topics that include electronics, UX, graphic design, architecture, fashion, consumer products, and much more. Designers provide insights, opinions, tips, news, and much more.
12. DesignShack
This design website produces many articles that showcase inspiring web design. They also produce resources and tutorials. They focus on design and catalogue the greatest projects on the web. They produce regular articles that teach readers new techniques for creating their own designs and share daily news from the industry. Topics include websites, typography, business branding, shortcuts, and lots more.
13. Spoon Graphics
This is the design blog of Chris Spooner. He shares tips, resources, and inspiration to help designers of all education and skill levels. Content includes tutorials, articles, videos, news, and links to free resources. Topics focus on graphic design, graphic software, typography, templates, logos, and more. There’s also a members-only area that includes tons of downloads.
14. CoDrops
This design blog is from freelance web designers and developers Manoela Ilic and Pedro Botelho. It started as an experimental blog and became a place for sharing the passion for web design and web development. The team, as well as other contributors, publish articles and tutorials about the latest web trends, techniques, and more. It includes tutorials, freebies, a CSS reference, a playground for experiments, blueprints that discusses web design concepts, and a collective that includes design and news resources from the community. They also host giveaways.
15. TutorialZine
This site comes from a team of web developers and designers based in Varna, Bulgaria. Articles include tips, tutorials, freebies, compilations, UI, UX, news, and experiments. The articles cover a lot of code development and include HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, JavaScript, and PHP. They even have a free ebook on jQuery.
16. HackingUI
This one is an online magazine founded by Sagi Shrieber and David Tintner that covers interaction design and front end development. It covers design, code, freebies, inspiration, productivity, Sketch, and more. They have lots of tutorials and articles that include Photoshop, CSS, JavaScript, business, personal life, links to free icons, templates, giveaways, interesting sites, reviews, and lots more.
17. Web Design Weekly
This site is a weekly magazine and blog that was created and is maintained by Jake Bresnehan. The magazine includes headlines, articles, tools, resources, inspiration, jobs, and more. Both the magazine and the blog include articles about programming code (CSS, HTML, etc.), tutorials, and more. Most of the content is in the magazine and is delivered via email. There is a heavy focus on code.
18. David Walsh
This is the blog of JavaScript and HTML5 Consultant David Walsh. It contains lots of articles and tutorials that primarily focus on front-end technology. Topics include code (CSS, HTML, AJAX, JavaScript, etc.), using software, links to resources, themes, design concepts, demos, mobile, browsers, etc.
19. Naldz Graphics
This is a design blog that started in 2008 by Ronald Bien. It showcases tutorials, freebies, inspirations, resources, and more for the design community. Content includes articles, tutorials, freebies, and WordPress themes. It has lots of links to good design examples, free icons, PSD templates, brochure designs, logo designs, and lots more.
20. Design Beep
This blog covers lots of topics on design and development. It includes articles, tutorials, tools, resources, freebies, and inspiration. It covers graphics, logos, typography, web design, Photoshop, WordPress themes and plugins, CSS, Illustrator, jQuery, and more. It has plenty of tips, links to downloads, reviews, collections, etc. There are also tips for best practices and themes for specific professions as well as those for all around use.
21. PixelHint
Here’s is a web design Blog that produces web UI design tutorials. They also share free website templates and web resources for web designers and developers to download. They talk about the latest trends and techniques in web design, and the best tricks and techniques to create websites with the best UI’s. The blog contains lots of tutorials and links to freebies. Tutorials include development concepts and code. Freebies include icons and PSD templates.
22. PixelBuddha
This site is from Nick Frost and Greg Lapin. It contains free and premium resources for web developers. Most resources are graphics. Resources include animations, photos, fonts, effects, HTML, icons, templates, and more. The articles discuss the resources. Some of the premium resources also have a free edition.
23. GraphicBurger
This site’s from Raul Taciu of Cluj-Napoca, Romania and focuses on premium quality design resources that are free. Resources include exclusive PSD files. It also includes freebies from around the world. Resources include mock-ups, UI kits, icons, text effects, backgrounds, and more. The articles discuss the products in detail and provide links for download.
24. Queness
This is a blog that’s devoted to web design and development that contains lots of tutorials and code snippets. Categories include techniques, tutorials, web design, web development, WordPress, JavaScript, mobile development, typography, and more. Articles include news, giveaways, links to resources, theme roundups, and more.
25. Inspirationfeed
Managed by Igor Ovsyannykov, this site provides information about design, business, entrepreneurship, WordPress, graphics, deals, and self-development. Articles include tutorials, inspiration, blogging, giveaways, news, themes, textures, wallpapers, SEO, social media, logos, fonts, and lots more. There are also video tutorials and links to freebies.
26. DesignWoop
This blog provides lots of articles for designers and developers. Topics include tools, freebies, design concepts, inspiration, interviews, WordPress, themes, plugins, tips, tutorials, etc. Articles cover a wide range of tutorials, collections, and links. Links include CSS animation snippets, WordPress themes, icons, typography, examples of websites with good design, wire-framing tools, and lots more. Tutorials include Photoshop, CSS, Sketch, and lots more.
27. CSSReflex
This website, created and maintained by Naeem Noor of Bahrain, is dedicated to web developers, designers, and coders. It provides a lot of tools, resources, code snippets, and tips. It includes a blog, CSS generators, CSS filter effects, CSS demos, responsive calculator, and videos. It discusses blogging, servers, UI design, WYSIWYG builders, icons, architectures, templates, browser extensions for developers, links to resources, and lots more.
28. Viget Inspire
This blog comes from a larger project by Brian Williams, Andy Rankin, and Wynne “Pop” Williams that was established in 1999. The blog covers design and interaction of all kinds. Topics include UX, color, accessibility, news, events, challenges, experiments, branding, apps, games, illustration, tutorials, and lots more.
29. WinningWP
This blog, run by Brin Wilson of London, is an award-winning blog that focuses on WordPress-related techniques and resources, and providing useful tips to anyone with an interest in WordPress. The content is provided by web designers, coders, and professional creatives from around the world. Topics include themes, plugins, hosting, SEO, security, performance, tutorials, tips, blogging, widgets, design, marketing, social media, news, trivia, and much more. Even though the primary focus is WordPress other CMS’s are included as well.
30. Designrfix
This site is dedicated to all like-minded designers to exchange techniques and inspiration. It includes inspiration, tutorials, freebies, resources, graphic design, web design, and deals. Topics include mobile platforms, content management systems, CSS, jQuery, WordPress themes, tools, resources, icons, links to training videos, illustration, UI, UX, coding, Photoshop, and lots more.
31. Creative Overflow
This is an online design magazine from Jacques van Heerden. The purpose of the site is to inspire artists to become better through articles, advice, tutorials, resources, and inspiration. Content includes many topics and categories such as collections, freebies, news, interviews, WordPress, news, giveaways, and more. Articles include information about branding, WordPress themes, business development, eCommerce, logos, marketing, and even advice on choosing a printer for your creative business.
32. One Xtra Pixel
This is a Singapore-based online magazine for designers and web developers. It provides many resources, articles, tutorials, and links. Topics include design, graphics, WordPress, CSS, social media, development, giveaways, toolkits, events, and more. Tutorials include step-by-step instructions on writing code, modifying images in Photoshop, etc. There’s even a comic strip that’s focused on design and web development, and occasionally other topics.
33. Noupe
This is a blog from Commindo Media GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. It’s written specifically for web developers and designers. Topics include Web design, typography, graphics, CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, advertising, marketing, WordPress, eCommerce, freelancing, inspiration, and more. Articles include design tutorials, writing code, using graphics programs, SEO, freebies, cartoons, themes, plugins, tips, tricks, and lots more.
34. InstantShift
This is a design and inspiration blog for web designers and developers. It’s a daily resource with content that includes inspiration, articles, tutorials, freebies, web design, WordPress, fonts, CSS, icons, photography, Photoshop, JavaScript, Illustrator, graphic design, Infographics, showcases, logos, news, and lots more.
35. WPKUBE
This site was founded by Devesh Sharma. It primarily focuses on WordPress and includes tutorials, How-to’s, plugins, news, reviews, tips and tricks, plugins, themes, reviews, security, SEO, beginner’s guides, code, and more. It includes links to resources such as tools, hosting, and money-saving coupons. Articles are written by WordPress professionals and are substantial in length and aimed toward professionals at all levels.
36. Fresh Web Dev
This site covers web design and development with a focus on WordPress, Javascript, CSS, PHP, Design, HTML5, and others. It includes tutorials and articles for products such as WordPress, Photoshop, writing code, server-side Linux development and setup, fonts, graphics, and more. They also provide links to deals and free resources. The content is written by designers and developers for designers and developers.
37. DesignM.ag
This is a community-based website that includes a blog, a design gallery, a user-submitted news, and a job board. The blog includes resources such as tools, icons, themes, code snippets, fonts, graphics, etc. Tutorials include Photoshop, web design, and more. Topics also include interviews, inspiration, WordPress, designer showcases, freebies, typography, UI, and more. It covers the full spectrum of web design.
38. Creative Market Blog
This blog has lots of tutorials about web design and development. It includes lots of articles and tips such as font design and tips to improve typology, tips for using Photoshop, lists of books, solving common designer problems, using negative space, WordPress, PHP, HTML, CSS, inspiration, and more. The target audience is from beginning to advanced website developers and designers.
39. SitePoint
This blog was founded by Mark Harbottle and Matt Mickiewicz to deliver content such as new ideas, concepts, and new technology. Content includes articles, courses, tutorials, books, or anything else related to designing and building websites. They discuss code (HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, and Ruby), mobile, WordPress, design, UX, entrepreneur, and anything to do with web technologies.
40. Web Design Ledger
This is a blog that covers web design and development while providing lots of resources. Categories include webs design, inspiration, UI, graphics, interviews, web development, reviews, and content management systems. Articles include links to free resources, information about events, app tutorials, tools, fonts, icons, vectors, WordPress, Drupel, Ghost, coding, eCommerce, mobile, wearable, typography, and lots more.
41. envato tuts+
This is a tutorial site with lots of articles for web development and design. Categories include Photoshop, Illustrator, vector, illustration, tools and tips, inspiration, news, designing, text effects, CSS, HTML, UX, UI, workflow, design theory, and lots more. Articles are aimed at the student level and are very extensive. There are also courses that you can subscribe to.
42. HappyCog’s Cognition Blog
This blog is from Happy Cog founder Jeffrey Zeldman and primarily focuses on design, experience, and code. Topics include process, design, front-end development, team, project management, community, career, strategy, company, and client relations. Articles include case studies, tutorials, tips, business and customer relations, typography, coding, Photoshop, and much more. Most articles focus on concepts and are well-written and detailed.
43. WebAppers
This is a blog dedicated to sharing open source resources for web developers and designers. For designer it has free icons, fonts, tables, stock photos, brushes, and design inspirations. For developers, there are lots of JavaScript and Ajax components such as plugins, menus, tooltips, charts, galleries, calendars, modal windows, and more. It also covers hosting, eCommerce, social media, tools, security, stats, and lots more. Articles are detailed and advanced.
44. Web Field Manual
This blog provides a list of resources for designing UX and UI. It was curated and is maintained for web designers by web designers. It includes lots of articles and resources. Topics under design include staying current, inspiration, style guides with dos and don’ts, process, workflow, toolbox, grids and typography with dos and don’ts, animation with dos and don’ts, best practices with dos and don’ts, and accessibility with dos and don’ts. Each category has an extensive list of resources. Topics under code includes getting started, best practices, inspiration, reference, staying current, performance, CSS/SASS, SVG, JavaScript, Workflow, toolbox, and libraries.
45. UXPin Blog
UXPin is a product design platform used by web designers. Their blog focuses on all-things UX, regardless of the platform used. It contains tons of articles and tutorials on UX design, mobile, design trends, best practices, design tips, interaction design, UI design, web design, elements and patterns, process, UXPin, wire-framing, graphic design, collaboration, usability, prototyping, Sketch, mockups, Photoshop, and lots more. Articles are very substantial and extremely detailed.
46. Good UI
This is a website and blog that focuses on making the best possible website layouts to improve the user interface. The site talks about best practices, layouts, how to merge functions for a cleaner design, using social proof, how and where to repeat your call to action, how to make clickable and selected styles distinct, how to recommend a choice to help users in decision-making, allowing undos for decision mistakes, being specific about who your audience is, showing more contrast, using fewer fields, showing all of the options, and lots more. The information is short, simple, and easy to follow.
47. Spyre Studios
This is a web design and development magazine with lots of articles and tutorials. Categories include design, showcase, inspirational, tutorials, CSS, resources, tools, UX, mobile, giveaways, usability, business, typography, Illustrator, Photoshop, minimalism, tools, and more. There are also lots of free downloads of elements, icons, fonts, PSD templates, and more. Articles are substantial in size and contain and lot of step-by-step detail.
48. Skyje
This blog was founded in 2008 as a site for Web Designers and Web Developers. Topics include social networking, news, and everything related to Web 2.0. Topics include design, WordPress, social media, SEO, logos, inspiration, tutorials, freebies, fonts, icons, Photoshop, templates, etc. The tutorials cover mostly cover graphics with a heavy focus on Photoshop. Others include plugins, code (JavaScript and CSS), and Illustrator.
49. MonsterPost
This is the design blog of Template Monster. Topics include news, articles, tools, freebies, inspiration, Infographics, WordPress, and Joomla. Tutorials include articles and videos and have a heavy focus on WordPress, typography, CSS, HTML, jQuery, Photoshop, Illustrator, web technologies, web development methods, and designing websites and UI elements.
50. UX Matters
This web magazine was founded by Pabini Gabriel-Petit in 2005 to provide insights and inspiration to UX developers. It provides lots of articles on advice, best practices, topic over-views, and deeper thought pieces that explore the strategic aspects of UX design. Topics include web design, mobile, user research, visual design, web application design, design process, interviews, reviews, content creation, communication design, architecture, business, strategy, and lots more.
51. Usability Geek
This blog was started in 2011 by Justin Mifsud as a hobby-site to talk about the importance of website usability. Justin wanted to raise awareness to web designers and developers about the commercial and legal implications of poor usability. Topics include usability, guidelines, testing, User Experience (UX), business, conversion, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), terminology, reviews, resources, and Information Architecture (IA).
52. Boxes and Arrows
This is a peer-written journal started in 2001 that discusses all-things design. Topics include interaction design, information architecture, graphic design, and even the design of business.
Categories include design principles, discovery, research, and testing, process and methods, interfaces, deliverables and documentation, book reviews, conferences and events, software and tools, and workplace and career.
53. Web Design Dev
This site is devoted to all-things web design. Topics include freebies, website templates, WordPress themes, Photoshop, Dreamweaver tutorials, Illustrator, reviews, inspiration, web development, CSS, HTML, roundups, programming, make money online, interviews, and SEO. Every aspect of web design is covered from mobile interfaces to developing eCommerce sites and everything in between.
54. Impressive Webs
This is the personal blog of Louis Lazaris, a freelance web developer, a Managing Editor for SitePoint‘s HTML/CSS content, and author of two books on HTML/CSS. The content is mostly articles on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Louis discusses related concepts, principles, and bugs. It includes lots of articles, tutorials, CSS basics, screencasts, news, reviews, and more. There is a strong emphasis on both code and design.
55. Design Bombs
Originally started as a web design gallery, this site has now been reworked to be a place to share web design ideas, articles, tutorials, and resources to help web designers sharpen their craft. Content includes WordPress themes and plugins, roundups of website designs, freebies, exclusive deals, and more. Web designers will find lots of high quality resources here.
Have a nice day!
Bradley Nice,
Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — best online documentation tool for SaaS vendors
