Whether you’re a seasoned web design professional, aspire to be one or simply appreciate a well-designed website, web design blogs are a great place to gather knowledge, information and inspiration.
Top web design blogs will provide you with the latest industry news, helpful tutorials and how-to’s, exclusive advice from seasoned pros and inspirational showcases of successful websites and applications. Having all this information at your fingertips will help you keep a pulse on the industry and may inspire you to try something new.
But here’s where it gets tricky—the internet is home to thousands of blogs of all varieties, and it’s not always easy determining which are worth keeping an eye on. To save you the trouble, we’ve identified a handful of the industry’s best blogs.
So what are you waiting for? The following web design blogs and publications are certainly worth checking out.
20 Top web design blogs worth following
Whether they’re focused on the nuts and bolts of front-end development or a broader collection of creative inspiration and tools, these bookmark-worthy publications should be on your radar.
1. A List Apart
Why follow? With roots that run back to its 1998 origin as a magazine focused on web design, A List Apart is likely one of the more recognizable names on our list. It covers the spectrum of web design topics but places a special emphasis on web standards, user experience and best practices. Writers and guest authors for A List Apart are known to provide the most cutting-edge techniques and technologies.
2. Co.Design
Why follow? A publication from the Fast Company® family, Co.Design covers a sweeping range of design-related news and topics. While not strictly focused on web design, there are plenty of examples of creative works in stories covering technology, architecture, fashion and branding that can serve as an inspirational jumping-off point.
3. Codrops
Why follow? Codrops is unique in its dedication to providing free resources to web designers of all experience levels. The site contains tutorials, a “playground” with experimental designs, blueprints to use and build off of, and a reference page with an extensive list of CSS properties and styles.
4. Creative Bloq
Why follow? Creative Bloq is chock-full of creative goodness. Whether you are a web designer, VFX artist, illustrator or 3D designer, this site has the resources and inspiration for you. Here you will find news, how-to guides, features, product reviews and more.
5. Creative Market®
Why follow? The Creative Market blog is a useful resource for any design-minded professional. It features a wealth of resources covering topics like mastering typography, logos and branding, industry trends and more. They also have a huge library of helpful tutorials full of tricks and tips for landing the right aesthetic. Additionally, their interview with established creative professionals can provide excellent food for thought.
6. CSS Tricks
Why follow? CSS Tricks began as a blog dedicated to CSS only but has now developed into an all-encompassing web design resource. Here you will find videos, a CSS almanac, a gallery for inspiration and interactive forums where users can discuss all things design related.
7. Designmodo
Why follow? The publication arm of Designmodo provides a steady stream of web design resources, how-to’s, examples and articles in a clean, easy-to-navigate layout. Tutorial focus areas include CSS, HTML, jQuery® and Adobe® design products. Looking to branch out a bit? Be sure to check out their email, UX and app design sections as well.
8. Design Shack
Why follow? Design Shack covers a lot of ground. This wide-ranging design publication seemingly has an article for everything—from blogs to business cards. While there’s a ton of content on the site, their navigation and categorization approach are intuitive and help you get to the point by grouping articles by applications, types of design projects or other broader subjects like typography. While not laser-focused on web design, there’s plenty of good to be found here.
9. Onextrapixel
Why follow? Onextrapixel, which refers to itself as a “digital playground for people who want to learn,” offers a plethora of resources, tips, tutorials and news for developers and designers. The clean design of the site allows users to find what they’re looking for easily; whether it’s free collections of icons or steep discounts on various design and development tools, you can find it all here.
10. SitePoint®
Why follow? SitePoint aims to introduce emerging concepts and teach web development skills to its readers. With pages devoted to all of the main facets of web design and development—HTML, CSS, JavaScript®, PHP, mobile and UX design—there’s something for everyone. In each section, you’ll find informational articles, practical tutorials and helpful advice to assist you in developing as a web design professional.
11. Smashing Magazine
Why follow? This is one of the most renowned publications for designers and web developers across the globe. Smashing Magazine is a must-follow that provides its readers with front-line resources on coding, design, mobile, graphics, UX design and WordPress®.
12. SpeckyBoy
Why follow? Originally started as a small blog for web designers, SpeckyBoy has taken off and become a full-fledged web design magazine for aspiring creatives. Articles are written by a team of writers from all over the world who cover topics such as mobile app design, graphic design, UX, marketing and much more. Posts are published regularly, so be sure to check back often to see what’s new.
13. UX Booth
Why follow? UX Booth is a publication created by and designed for the user experience (UX) community. UX Booth’s primary audience is individuals fairly new to this aspect of design. You’ll find articles focused on user experience, interaction design and usability. Their partnership of authors and contributors does an excellent job of covering all angles of this important niche in the field.
14. WebdesignerDepot
Why follow? The team at WebdesignerDepot says their love for the web makes them “passionate about standards, accessibility, clean code, and responsible design”—and they want to share that love. Their passion is reflected in the blog’s massive collection of tips and tricks, inspirational examples and up-to-date design news. This blog is a collaboration between professional designers from across the globe, making it a great platform to help you keep tabs on the entire industry.
15. 1stWebDesigner
Why follow? 1stWebDesigner is an excellent resource for current web designers, developers and freelancers. Articles range from topics such as UI and UX, mobile design, trends and WordPress. A fantastic resource this site offers is a page of collections; here, designers can find free icons, templates, software, apps and more. This is a must-have for designers looking for open-source material.
16. Layout
Why follow? Layout, the blog arm of the WordPress agency hosting platform Flywheel®, provides another excellent resource for web design professionals. While there’s certainly a good amount of WordPress-focused content, you’ll also find a wide variety of tutorials, tips, trends news and more.
17. Awwwards®
Why follow? Simply put, Awwwards is an awe-inspiring showcase for digital design. Creative agencies and web designers regularly submit their work for review, which provides readers with a host of interesting and inspiring examples of award-winning design. If nothing else, this is a fantastic bookmark for admiring some of the flashier “showcase” websites out there.
18. WPKube
Why follow? WPKube provides an excellent resource for web developers and designers who work in a WordPress environment. This publication features tons of technical fixes, reviews and roundups of top plugins. Additionally, their tutorials and beginner’s guides are helpful resources for anyone getting acquainted with WordPress.
19. UX Planet
Why follow? User experience is a huge consideration and area of expertise for web designers, and UX Planet is chock-full of informative UX and user interface (UI) content. Here, you’ll find guides and articles like “How to Design Better Ratings and Reviews,” “10 Simple Tips to Improve User Testing” and “How to Structure Your First UX Design Portfolio” among many others.
20. Hongkiat
Why follow? The Hongkiat Design / Dev blog offers an expansive mix of articles sharing web design, coding and graphics expertise. Here, you’ll find guides to creating more accessible websites, freebies, UI examples, career advice and so much more.
Build a better-looking digital world
Whether you’re a graphic designer looking to branch out into web development or an already well-established developer, these web design blogs can be a great source of inspiration and useful information.
If you’re just starting to explore the web development side of design, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed about the huge variety of tools and languages to potentially master. Our article "Which Programming Language Should I Learn? Decoding the Basics” offers some helpful direction based on potential career goals.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in January 2014. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2022.
Fast Company is a registered trademark of Fast Company, Inc.
Creative Market is a registered trademark of Creative Market Labs, Inc.
Adobe is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.
jQuery is a registered trademark of OpenJS Foundation.
Sitepoint is a registered trademark of Sitepoint Pty, Ltd.
JavaScript is a registered trademark of Oracle America, Inc.
WordPress is a registered trademark of WordPress Foundation Corporation.
Flywheel is a registered trademark of Fancy Chap, Inc.
Awwwards is a registered trademark of Tierra Virtual S. L LLC.
