Can I Copy A Website?
Is copying bad? This seemingly easy question gets asked every day by novice designers and developers, unsure of how to get around building a new website. Where to begin, where to find inspiration? Maybe I can just… borrow everything I liked from that one website? They wouldn’t mind, would they? Let’s try and find out whether it’s okay to copy a website you like.
Can I copy a website?
First, you need to understand that by “copying” different people understand different things. So let’s not stall: in our opinion, if by “copying” you mean heavily borrowing the main design ideas, it’s fine. Really. Even if you basically imitate every single thing on a website, as long as you do it yourself without stealing custom HTML & CSS, not mentioning images, it’s fine. Copyright infringement, on the other hand, is never okay.
“Over the years, people have informed me of websites that they felt looked similar to mine. Some of these websites were actually direct copies of my code, while others had at least had their own unique touches added. Either way, I think the fine line between inspiration and plagiarism may have been crossed in some cases.
I’m not sure how you’d feel if you were in my shoes, but I know that many designers would feel offended. I myself find that I don’t really mind. In fact, I actually quite like it. I’m not saying that I condone plagiarism, but I think it’s nice to know that someone likes your website so much that they want one just like it for themselves.” — Adham Dannaway
Like Steve Jobs once famously said, “Good artists copy; great artists steal.” Don’t take this literally, but one thing is certain: borrowing ideas is part of the job.
If we were to give a piece of advice, it’s be smart about it. Instead of outright copying one certain website, find two or three you like and combine them into something if not unique, then at least different. If you’re a beginner, it’s a good way to find your footing and discover your style. Next thing you know, you’ll be the one who gets copied!