Explore commonly used web design and web development terms.
- A/B Testing
- A method of comparing two versions of a webpage, email, or other digital content to determine which performs better based on specific metrics like conversion rate or engagement.
- API (Application Programming Interface)
- A set of rules and protocols for building and interacting with software applications.
- Back-End Development
- The server-side development focusing on databases, scripting, and website architecture.
- Bandwidth
- The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over a network within a specific period.
- Beta Staging Environment
- A pre-production testing version of a website that is available to a select number of users for testing, feedback and big-fixing before the official launch.
- Bounce Rate
- The percentage of visitors who navigate away from a site after viewing only one page.
- Browser Cache
- Temporary storage on a user’s computer that stores website data for faster load times on subsequent visits.
- Bugs
- An error, flaw, or unintended behaviour that causes a website to function incorrectly or unexpectedly.
- Cloudflare
- A service that provides website security, performance and content delivery through a global network, helping protect against DDoS attacks and improve load times.
- CMS (Content Management System)
- A software application that allows users to create, edit, and manage website content without needing specialised technical knowledge.
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- A style sheet language used for describing the look and formatting of a document written in HTML.
- CTA (Call to Action)
- A prompt on a website that encourages users to take a specific action, like "Sign Up" or "Buy Now".
- DigitalOcean
- A cloud infrastructure provider offering scalable virtual private servers (droplets), storage, and networking solutions designed for developers and small businesses.
- DNS (Domain Name System)
- A system that translates human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses, enabling browsers to locate and access websites.
- Domain Name
- The address where Internet users can access your website, like www.example.com.
- DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
- A cyberattack that overwhelms a website's servers with massive traffic to make it unavailable to users.
- E-commerce
- The buying and selling of goods or services using the internet.
- Firewall
- A security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic, acting as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external sources, to prevent unauthorised access and attacks.
- Front-End Development
- The practice of producing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for a website or web application so that a user can see and interact with them directly.
- FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
- A standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet.
- Hacking
- The unauthorised access or manipulation of computer systems, networks, or websites, often with the intent to steal data, disrupt operations, or exploit vulnerabilities.
- Hardware
- The physical components of a computer system or server, such as the processor, memory, storage devices, and network infrastructure, that support the running of websites, applications, and databases.
- Hosting
- The service that allows your website to be accessible on the Internet.
- HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
- The standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications.
- IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) Mailbox
- An email storage system that allows users to access and manage their emails on a mail server from multiple devices.
- JavaScript
- A programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers.
- Keyword
- A significant word or phrase, used in digital marketing to attract relevant audience traffic from search engines.
- Landing Page
- A standalone web page created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign.
- Load Balancer
- A server or software that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure no single server is overwhelmed - this improves the performance, reliability, and availability of a website or application.
- Malware (Malicious Software)
- Any harmful software, such as viruses, worms, or ransomware, designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access to computers, networks, or websites.
- Meta Tags
- Snippets of text that describe a page's content; meta tags don’t appear on the page itself but only in the page's source code.
- PHP
- A server-side scripting language commonly used for web development to create dynamic and interactive websites by processing data and interacting with databases.
- Plugins
- Software components or add-ons that extend the functionality of a website by enabling additional features or services without modifying the core code.
- PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
- An internet advertising model used to drive traffic to websites, where an advertiser pays a publisher when the ad is clicked.
- Responsive Design
- An approach to web design that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes.
- SaaS (Software as a Service)
- A cloud-based software delivery model where applications are hosted by a service provider and made available to users over the internet, typically on a subscription basis, without the need for local installation or maintenance.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
- The practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.
- SQL (Structured Query Language)
- A programming language used to manage and manipulate databases.
- SSD (Solid State Drive)
- A type of storage device that uses flash memory to store data, offering faster read and write speeds, greater durability, and lower power consumption compared to traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate
- A digital certificate that provides authentication for a website and enables an encrypted connection.
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
- A communication protocol in the internet protocol suite that ensures reliable, ordered, and error-free transmission of data between devices over a network by establishing a connection and managing data flow.
- UI (User Interface)
- The space where interactions between humans and machines occur, focusing on the look and feel of the website.
- UX (User Experience)
- How a user interacts with and experiences a product, system, or service, focusing on usability and ease of use.
- VMs (Virtual Machines)
- Software-based emulations of physical computers that run an operating system and applications just like a real computer, but they operate on a host system, allowing multiple VMs to run on the same physical hardware for better resource utilisation and isolation.
- WAF (Web Application Firewall)
- A security system that monitors and filters incoming traffic to a website, protecting it from malicious attacks and vulnerabilities.
- Wireframe
- A visual guide that represents the skeletal framework of a website, used in the planning stages of web design.
- WordPress
- An open-source content management system (CMS) used to create websites and blogs.
- XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
- A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
- XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
- A security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into webpages.