What Is Responsive Web Design? And How to Get Started

A well-designed website is an important tool businesses use to promote and sell products, connect with customers, and establish credibility. According to Mordor Intelligence, the value of the UK e-commerce market should grow to more than 750 billion USD by 2029, opening opportunities for web designers who can create sites that appeal to customers [1]. In light of this growth, creating websites with the user experience in mind is essential. Responsive web design is one approach to web development that can help you meet this goal.

What is responsive web design?

Responsive web design (RWD) refers to designing websites to adapt to a user's device. The goal is for a website to retain its optimal usability and appearance regardless of the device it's displayed on. Responsive web design responds to user needs by adapting to different screen sizes, orientations, layouts, and platforms. You accomplish this with the use of flexible grids and layouts, responsive images, and cascading style sheets (CSS) media queries.  

Explore responsive web design below, including some tools you can use to get started and discover the key differences between responsive and adaptive design. 

The origin of RWD

Responsive web design emerged as a concept and approach to building websites in 2010 with web designer Ethan Marcotte's article “Responsive Web Design," which appeared in the magazine A List Apart [1].

What is the purpose of responsive web design?

Responsive web design benefits users, web designers and developers, and businesses. For example, it allows web developers and designers to build a single site for a range of devices, including mobiles and desktops. At its core, RWD makes it possible to build one adaptive website, eliminating the need to create and maintain several versions of the same site. 

The mobile-friendliness of responsive web design also creates a better user experience for the many people who do their internet browsing, shopping, and banking on their phones. According to U Switch, 54.30 per cent of UK smartphone users engage in internet shopping [2]. Responsive web design can also boost your site’s SEO performance. Search engines like Google favour user-friendly sites that engage visitors with quick load times, responsive layouts, and otherwise seamless user experience (UX).

Responsive vs adaptive design: What’s the difference?

As you research responsive web design, you're likely to come across the term adaptive web design as well. You can use the table below to compare these similar terms.

How does responsive web design work? 

Programming languages, markup languages, and web technologies are among the key elements that make RWD possible. Below is an overview of the same.

Elements of responsive web design include:

• Media queries that alter web designs based on a user’s device

• Flexible images, also known as adaptive images, that scale without fixed display size limitations for neat resizing 

• Fluid grids/fluid layouts that automatically rearrange columns of content to fit different screens or browser windows

• Code for flexible layouts that resize page elements to fit different screens or browser windows

• Hypertext markup language (HTML), a programming language that determines the content and structure of a webpage

• Cascading style sheets (CSS), a programming language that determines the design and appearance of HTML elements

Responsive web design software

You’ll find several RWD software programs available for programmers and developers with a technical background, including Adobe Dreamweaver and Bootstrap. You can use the table below to compare the cost and features of various software with built-in RWD capabilities. When choosing a program to suit your needs best, be sure to review support documentation to get the most out of a tool’s features. 

Other tools for responsive web design and development

Additional tools to monitor and improve your website’s performance are often necessary. The following are a few resources you can consider: 

• Graphic design software: Ideal for creating graphics and editing images

• Stock photos: Useful for capturing your brand’s look and feel with visual elements

• FitVids plugin: Facilitates embedding videos with fluid width

• FitText plugin: Enables flexible font sizing.

• Wireframing software: Aids in planning the layout of your responsive site

• Google Chrome’s responsive website design tester plugin: Helps test site performance

• Google’s mobile-friendly test tool: Evaluates how easily a visitor can use your site on a mobile device

How to get started in responsive web design 

Whether you aim to learn responsive web design and build sites from scratch, start a career in responsive web design, retain responsive web design services, or use website builders with automated RWD, the following pointers can help you take the first step.

Define your RWD goals. 

Checking in with your goals can help you focus your attention and efforts on the most important tasks for reaching those goals. What would you like to accomplish and why? The sections below outline a few examples. Identify the section that most closely aligns with your goals and read on for the next steps.

If you want to start a career in responsive web design and work to improve website performance and user experience...

Responsive web design is a specialisation within the field of web design. Web design falls into the category of front-end development. If you want to become a responsive web designer, you can build your web design and development expertise and enhance your resume. A few career path recommendations for getting started include:

• You can learn essential skills from an industry leader in technology with online courses. For example, you can build your own mobile app, responsive website, and cross-platform experience while earning a Google Career Certificate for your CV with the online course.

• You can learn essential skills from an industry leader in technology with online courses. For example, you can build your own mobile app, responsive website, and cross-platform experience while earning a Google Career Certificate for your CV with the online course.

• You may be able to start work as a web designer without a degree if you have a level 5 qualification and some experience. However, some larger employers prefer a degree in a creative or technical subject such as graphic design, illustration, information technology, or computer science.

If you want to create a responsive website for your business with an easy-to-use software program...

If you want to create a website without learning how to code or retaining responsive web design services, review the comparison chart in the above section titled "Responsive Web Design Software." These types of tools are typically beginner-friendly, so you can utilise them with little to no technical background. Be sure to research and try a few responsive web design software programs before choosing one. Knowing your options and basic software functionality can help you choose the software that best suits your needs. 

If you want to find professionals offering responsive web design services to help bring your vision to life... 

The type of responsive web design services you'll need varies based on the scope of your project. You may hire a freelance web designer specialising in RWD or retain the help of an agency. Typically, a responsive web design company or agency will offer services ranging from design and development to marketing expertise and strategic recommendations. Be sure to research company reviews and examine their previous work before choosing one.

It’s also a good idea to search the internet for examples of responsive websites you like. Try to find sites that are intended for different types of users and that have different capabilities, such as sites selling digital products or sites that display artwork. That way, you can draw inspiration from the range of possibilities. 

Learning more about responsive web design with Coursera

Responsive web design makes it possible for your users to access your web content, no matter what device they use. You can get started with tools available online and you can consider an online course to help build skills. One way to build essential responsive design skills is by taking a course from with an industry leader in technology. Consider enroling in Google's online course to earn a UX Design Professional Certificate.