If last week we brought up the subject of frontend frameworks and how they help developers do their job efficiently, this time we’re talking about the tools of the trade for a 2021 designer: the best website design softwares of the moment.
Being a developer AND a designer definitely helps decide on which design softwares to use. You get to be on both sides of the field and understand what’s important in both the handover as well as the development process of a digital product such as a web or mobile application.
Adobe XD
Adobe XD developed and published by Adobe Inc. XD, released on 18 October 2017, is a vector-based user experience design tool for web apps, mobile apps, and voice apps available for macOS and Windows. There are versions for iOS and Android that help to preview the result of work directly on mobile devices. XD also supports website wireframing and creating simple interactive click-through prototypes. With the character and layout tools of Adobe XD, you can easily create elements and export individual objects.
Figma
Figma came to the stage in 2016 with initial funding of $14M.
With its seamless interface and sleek features, the tool quickly became a notorious competitor to similar solutions in the field. Moreover, in 2021, thanks to its focus on product purpose, Figma looks like being the most popular tool for prototyping.
Designers from brands like Twitter, Microsoft, GitHub, and Dropbox swear by Figma as the ultimate UI design tool.
InVision Studio
InVision Studio is a new piece of software, that allowed designers to build more advanced animation and micro-interactions. However, with macOS Mojave, every app can look like this quite easily.
My thoughts on them
In terms of deciding which tool is the best, there is no right answer – it all depends on the needs and expectations of the designer. Some offer a better price, others have greater prototyping capabilities, others work only online or on a specific OS.
In my case, I had to give them all a try in order to pick a favourite – Adobe XD. I was really surprised by how much it offers in terms of prototyping, transitions and animations while also making the entire process of designing a really easy and enjoyable one. The interface is minimalist and it allows for a great flow between elements and tools.
That being said, I still have to give credit to the other tools I mentioned here, as they are the best website design softwares of the moment. Most importantly, both Figma and Invision offer free plans with very small limitations, which is perfect if you’re starting out on this journey and want to give it a few tries before committing to actually investing in a software.