Design · 5 min read
Logo Design Basics for Developers and Small Teams
A side project or a new business needs a logo long before it can afford a designer. You do not need to be an artist to make a solid one — you need a few principles and some restraint.
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Types of logo
A wordmark is the name set in a chosen typeface. A lettermark uses initials. A symbol or icon stands alone, and a combination mark pairs an icon with the name. Small projects usually do best with a wordmark or a combination mark — a name people can read beats an abstract symbol nobody recognises yet.
Simplicity scales
A logo has to work at 16 pixels in a browser tab and on a large banner. Fine detail, gradients, and thin lines disappear at small sizes. Test early: shrink the logo to favicon size and view it in one colour. If it still reads, it is strong.
Fonts and colour
Pick one typeface that fits the tone — a geometric sans for tech, a serif for tradition, a rounded face for friendliness — and adjust letter spacing by hand. Choose one main colour and a neutral. Make sure the logo also works in pure black and pure white.
Files you will need
Keep a master as SVG, the vector format that scales without loss. Export PNGs with transparent backgrounds for places that will not take SVG, a square version for social avatars, and a favicon set. Keep both horizontal and stacked layouts and light and dark variants together in one folder.