Glossary
What the hard words mean, in plain words. Look a word up, or tap one that is underlined inside a guide.
148 words
A
- AccessibilityAccessibility means your site can be used by everyone, including people who cannot see well, hear well or use a mouse.
- Access tokenAn access token is a secret code that lets a program act as you on a service, for a limited time or a limited job.
- AgentAn agent is an AI that does not only talk: it picks steps, uses tools and works until a job is done.
- AI coding toolAn AI coding tool is a program where you describe what you want in words and it writes the code for you.
- Alt textAlt text is a short sentence that describes a picture, for people who cannot see it.
- AnalyticsAnalytics are numbers that show how many people visit your site and what they do there.
- Animated versionThe animated version of a website design is the one that includes the moving touches, next to the standard version without them.
- APIAn API is a way for one program to ask another program for something, using clear rules.
- API keyAn API key is a long secret password that proves to a service that a request comes from you.
B
- BackendThe backend is the part of an app that runs out of sight on a server: it saves data, checks who you are and keeps secrets.
- BleedBleed is the extra edge of colour you add past the cut line, so the printed colour reaches the paper edge.
- BranchA branch is a separate copy of your project where you can try changes without touching the main version.
- Brand guidelinesBrand guidelines are a short page of rules for how to use your logo, colours and fonts.
- Brand identityBrand identity is how your business looks and sounds everywhere: logo, colours, fonts and the way you write.
- BrowserA browser is the app you use to open websites, like Safari or Chrome.
- BugA bug is a mistake in a program that makes it do something wrong.
- BuildA build is the step that turns your project files into the final, ready to publish files.
C
- Call to actionA call to action is the button or line that tells the visitor exactly what to do next.
- Card paymentA card payment is when a customer pays online by typing their bank card details.
- Cash on deliveryCash on delivery means the customer pays in cash when the order arrives, not online.
- CDNA CDN keeps copies of your site in many cities, so each visitor gets it from a computer that is close to them.
- ChargebackA chargeback is when a customer asks their bank to take the money back from you, instead of asking you.
- ChatbotA chatbot is a program you talk to in a chat window, and it writes back.
- CheckoutCheckout is the last part of buying, where the customer enters their details and pays.
- CMSA CMS is a screen where you change the words and pictures of your site without touching any code.
- CMYKCMYK is the set of four inks used in printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
- CommitA commit is one saved version of your project, with a short note about what you changed.
- ContextContext is everything the AI can see at the moment it answers: your message, earlier messages and any files you gave it.
- ContrastContrast is how strongly the colour of the text stands out from the colour behind it.
- CookieA cookie is a tiny note that a website saves in your browser so it can remember you.
- CORSCORS is a browser rule that decides whether a page from one website may ask for data from a different website.
- Cron jobA cron job is a task that a computer runs by itself on a schedule, like every night at two.
- CSSCSS is the language that sets how a page looks: colours, sizes, spacing and fonts.
D
- DatabaseA database is an organised place where an app stores its information, like customers, orders and bookings.
- DependencyA dependency is a ready-made piece of code that your project needs in order to work.
- DeployTo deploy is to put the newest version of your site online, where visitors can see it.
- DepositA deposit is a part of the price paid in advance to confirm an order.
- DNSDNS is the phone book of the internet: it turns a name like yourshop.com into the place where your site lives.
- DomainA domain is the name of your website, the part people type in the browser, like yourshop.com.
E
F
- FaviconA favicon is the tiny picture shown on the browser tab next to your page name.
- Fine-tuningFine-tuning means training an existing AI a little more on your own examples, so it learns your style.
- FontA font is one style of letters, like a plain round style or a classic style with small feet.
- FrameworkA framework is a ready-made base for building sites or apps, with the common parts already done.
- FrontendThe frontend is the part of an app that people see and touch: the screens, buttons and words.
G
H
- HallucinationA hallucination is when an AI states something wrong or invented, and says it as if it were true.
- HeroThe hero is the big first area at the top of a page: one headline, one short line and one button.
- Hex codeA hex code is a short code, like #8a5a2b, that names one exact colour for a screen.
- HostingHosting is a computer that stays on all day and shows your website to anyone who visits.
- HTMLHTML is the language that says what is on a web page: headings, paragraphs, pictures and buttons.
I
J
K
L
- Landing pageA landing page is a single page made for one goal, like booking a table or joining a list.
- Large language modelA large language model is an AI trained on huge amounts of text, so it can read and write like a person.
- Launch priceA launch price is a lower price offered for a short time when something is new.
- Lazy loadingLazy loading means a picture or part of a page loads only when the visitor scrolls near it.
- LettermarkA lettermark is a logo made from the first letter or letters of the name.
- LicenceA licence is the permission that says how you may use something that someone else made.
- Live previewA live preview shows your page changing right away as you edit, before anything is saved or published.
- LocalhostLocalhost is the address of your own computer, used to look at your site privately while you build it.
- LogA log is a written record of what a program did and what went wrong, with the time of each event.
- LogoA logo is the small picture or word mark that stands for your business.
M
- MadaMada is the national debit card network of Saudi Arabia.
- Merchant accountA merchant account is the business account that receives the money from your customers' card payments.
- MergeTo merge is to join the changes from one branch into another.
- Meta descriptionA meta description is the one or two lines of grey text under your page title in search results.
- Mini adminThe mini admin is a small control page inside your website files, where you change words, prices and colours without opening the code.
- Mobile firstMobile first means you design for the phone screen first, then make it bigger for computers.
- MockupA mockup is a picture that shows your design placed on a real-looking item, before you make it.
- ModelA model is the trained AI brain that does the work inside an AI tool.
- MoodboardA moodboard is a page of pictures, colours and words that shows the feeling you want your brand to have.
- Motion packThe Motion pack is a set of gentle moving touches for a page, like text that fades in as you scroll.
N
O
P
- PaletteA palette is the small set of colours you choose for your brand and use everywhere.
- Payment gatewayA payment gateway is the service that safely takes a customer's payment on your site and passes it to the bank.
- Payment linkA payment link is a web address that opens a payment page for one amount, so you can collect money without a full shop.
- PNGPNG is a picture file that keeps sharp edges and can have a see-through background.
- Privacy policyA privacy policy is a page that tells visitors what personal information you collect and what you do with it.
- PromptA prompt is the message you give an AI tool to tell it what you want.
- Prompt generatorThe prompt generator is a page that asks a few simple questions and writes a ready prompt for your AI tool.
- PromptingPrompting is the skill of writing clear messages so an AI gives you what you need.
- Prompt injectionPrompt injection is a trick where text from outside tells an AI to ignore your rules and do something else.
- PublishTo publish is to make your finished site visible to everyone on the internet.
- Pull requestA pull request is a request to add the changes from one branch into the main version, so others can check them first.
Q
R
- RasterA raster picture is made of tiny coloured dots, called pixels, so it blurs if you enlarge it too much.
- Rate limitA rate limit is a cap on how many requests you can send to a service in a short time.
- ReceiptA receipt is proof that a payment was received.
- RedirectA redirect sends a visitor automatically from one address to another.
- RefundA refund is giving a customer their money back after they paid.
- RegistrarA registrar is a company where you buy and renew a domain name.
- Rent or buyRenting means paying again and again to use something, while buying means paying once and keeping it.
- RepositoryA repository is a project folder that remembers all its past versions.
- ResolutionResolution is how many tiny dots make up a picture, which decides how sharp it looks.
- ResponsiveA responsive page changes its layout to fit any screen, from a small phone to a wide computer.
- RGBRGB is the mix of red, green and blue light that screens use to show every colour.
- RowA row is one item in a table, like one customer or one booking.
- Row level securityRow level security is a rule inside the database that decides which rows each person is allowed to see or change.
S
- Sans-serifA sans-serif font has clean letters with no little feet at the ends.
- SecretA secret is any code or password that must stay private, like an API key or a database password.
- SEOSEO means making your site easy for search engines to understand, so it shows up when people search.
- SerifA serif font has tiny feet or strokes at the ends of its letters.
- ServerA server is a computer that stays on and answers requests from other computers.
- ServerlessServerless means your code runs only when needed, on machines you never see or manage.
- SitemapA sitemap is a list of all the pages of your site, written for search engines.
- Social previewA social preview is the picture and title that appear when someone shares your link in a chat or on social media.
- Source codeSource code is the text that people write to tell a computer what to do.
- Spend limitA spend limit is the most money a service may charge you in a month, set by you.
- SSL and HTTPSHTTPS means the connection between a visitor and your site is locked, so nobody on the way can read or change it.
- Static siteA static site is made of ready files that are sent as they are, with nothing built when a visitor arrives.
- SubdomainA subdomain is an extra name placed in front of your domain, like shop.yourshop.com.
- SubscriptionA subscription is a payment that repeats on its own, every month or year, until the customer stops it.
- SupabaseSupabase is a service that gives your app a database, user sign in and file storage, without you running a server.
- SVGSVG is a file type for vector pictures, such as logos and icons.
- System promptA system prompt is a hidden message that tells an AI how to behave, before the user says anything.
T
- TableA table is one list inside a database, with columns for the kinds of facts and a row for each item.
- TaglineA tagline is a short line next to your name that says what you stand for.
- TemplateA template is a ready-made design that you fill with your own words, pictures and colours.
- TerminalThe terminal is a window where you type commands to your computer instead of clicking.
- Terms of serviceTerms of service are the rules a customer agrees to when they use your site or buy from you.
- TokenA token is a small piece of text, about three quarters of a word, that an AI counts when it reads and writes.
- Tone of voiceTone of voice is the personality of the words you write: warm, playful, serious or simple.
- Tool callA tool call is when an AI asks another program to do something, like search the web or read a file.
- Transparent backgroundA transparent background means the picture has no coloured box behind it, so what is under it shows through.
- TypographyTypography is the choice and arrangement of letters: which fonts, what size and how much space.
U
V
- VATVAT is a tax added to the price of goods and services in countries that have it.
- VectorA vector picture is drawn with lines and shapes, so it stays sharp at any size.
- VercelVercel is a service that puts your website online for you and updates it whenever your code changes.
- Vibe codingVibe coding means building software by describing what you want to an AI and accepting what it makes, without reading the code.