UI is a term that is used almost inseparably alongside UX. Therefore, it's difficult to talk about UI without touching on UX. Although they are often discussed together, they are certainly not synonyms.
How do UX and UI differ?
UI's inseparable counterpart is UX (user experience). The goal of UX design is to determine what elements exist (for example, on a website or in an app), where they are placed, and why. In other words, how to make the visitor's experience on the website pleasant, navigation simple and purposeful. It also covers how to reduce the number of clicks, among other things.
UI (user interface), put simply, refers to what the elements defined by UX look like. Therefore, the UI designer's job is to give visual form to everything the user will interact with, including button sizes, text sizes, colors, and more - for example, what a button looks like when you hover over it or click it.
Why is UI important?
Good UI ensures that navigation is clear for the user, important information is highlighted, elements have a perceivable hierarchy, and the end result is reasonably familiar to the user visually. Additionally, UI supports the brand, conveys its visual identity, and builds trust.
For example, in the illustration below, the example on the right clearly shows that the three links have different functions and levels of importance. There is a clear hierarchy. This is how we are accustomed to seeing login screens, and we intuitively know which button we're looking for.
