Q: Will strength training build muscle or is it only designed to strengthen the muscle? Is there even a difference?

A: The two of course go hand-in-hand, but there's some difference in program structure and in ultimate results. However it is very beneficial to use both approaches throughout your long-term training, whether your goal is to build muscle or to get stronger. If you care more about muscle size maybe only spend 2-4 months out of the year training for strength. If you care more about strength, spend 2-4 months out of the year training for size.