Website Builder Glossary: 100+ Terms Explained

A

Above the Fold: The content visible on a webpage without scrolling.
Accessibility: Designing websites to be usable by people with disabilities.
Active Server Pages (ASP): Microsoft's server-side scripting engine.
Adaptive Design: Web design that changes layout based on screen size.
Ad Server: A server for delivering ads.
Agile Development: An iterative approach to software development.
Affiliate Marketing: Marketing where you earn commission by promoting other companies' products.
Ajax: Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a method of creating dynamic web pages.
Algorithm: A set of rules to be followed in calculations.
Alt Text: Alternative text for images, used by screen readers.
API (Application Programming Interface): A set of definitions and protocols for building and integrating application software.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Computer science focused on intelligent systems.
Attribute: A modifier of an HTML element, providing more information about the element.
Authentication: Verifying user identity.
Autoresponder: A software that automatically responds to inquiries.
A/B Testing: A method of comparing two versions of something to see which one performs better.

B

Back End: The server-side of a website, including databases and server logic.
Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection in a given time.
Base URL: The root address of a website.
Breakpoint: The point at which a responsive design changes.
Bot: An automated program.
Bounce Rate: Percentage of visitors who leave a website after only visiting one page.
Breadcrumbs: Navigation links showing the user's path on the website.
Backlink: A link from one website to another.
Binary: A system of representing information using only 0s and 1s.

C

Cache: Storage for frequently accessed data.
Call To Action (CTA): A button, link, or text designed to prompt an immediate response.
Canonical URL: The preferred URL for a page with multiple versions.
Character Encoding: How characters are represented in a computer system.
Chatbot: AI program that simulates human conversation.
Cipher: An algorithm for encryption or decryption.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Percentage of users who click on a link.
Cloud Computing: Providing computing services over the internet.
CMS (Content Management System): Software that manages the creation and modification of digital content (e.g., WordPress, Drupal).
CDN (Content Delivery Network): A distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users based on their location.
Code: The instructions written in a programming language that tell a computer what to do.
Code Splitting: Dividing code into smaller chunks for faster loading.
Compiler: A program that translates code from one language to another.
Cookie: A small file stored on a user's computer, often used to track browsing behavior.
Conversion Funnel: The path a user takes on a website to achieve a goal.
Cross-Browser Compatibility: Ensuring that a website works correctly on different browsers.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): A security vulnerability.
CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery): A type of web security attack.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): A language that describes the presentation of HTML elements.
CSS Framework: A collection of CSS styles that can be used to create a responsive website.
Custom Domain: A unique web address that you own (e.g., yoursite.com).
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Software to manage customer interactions.
Cybersecurity: Practice of protecting computer systems and networks from threats.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment): Practices for automating software builds and deployments.

D

Dashboard: The central management area of a website builder or CMS.
Database: An organized collection of structured information or data, typically stored electronically in a computer system.
Debugging: The process of finding and fixing errors.
Declaration: CSS rule that specifies properties and their values.
Deployment: The process of putting a website online.
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service): A type of cyber attack.
Digital Asset Management (DAM): Managing digital files.
DNS (Domain Name System): The system that translates domain names into IP addresses.
Docker: A platform for containerization.
Domain Authority (DA): A metric that predicts how well a domain will rank in search results.
Dynamic Content: Website content that changes based on certain conditions.

E

eCommerce: The buying and selling of goods or services over the internet.
Encryption: The process of converting data into unreadable code.
Event: An action or occurrence that can trigger a response.

F

Favicon: A small icon displayed in the browser tab next to a website's title.
Fitts's Law: A model that predicts the time it takes to reach a target.
Flexbox: A layout module for arranging HTML elements.
Floating Element: An element that moves to the left or right of the other content.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A network protocol used to transfer files between computers.

G

Gateway: A network node that connects different networks.
Gestalt Principles: Theories on how users perceive visual information.
Git: A distributed version control system.
GraphQL: A query language for APIs, and a runtime for fulfilling those queries with your existing data.
Google Analytics: A web analytics service.
Google Search Console: A Google service that helps you monitor your site's performance.

H

Hashing: A cryptographic technique for converting data to an irreversible string.
Hex Code: A hexadecimal way to represent a color.
Hosting: The service that stores website files and makes them available online.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): A communications protocol for exchanging data on the web.
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): A secure version of HTTP that uses encryption to protect data.

I

ID: A unique identifier for an HTML element.
Information Architecture (IA): The structural design of a website or application, e.g., how content is grouped and structured.
Internal Link: A link to a page on the same website.
IP Address: A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network.
Issue Tracker: A system for managing and resolving issues.

J

JavaScript: A programming language used to create dynamic and interactive elements on websites.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): A lightweight data-interchange format.
JQuery: A JavaScript library.

K

Keyword Density: The percentage of times a keyword appears on a page.
Keyword Stuffing: An SEO practice that involves overloading a webpage with keywords (usually a bad idea).
Knowledge Base: A repository of information.

L

Latency: The delay before a data transfer begins.
Lazy Loading: Deferring the loading of certain content.
Library: A collection of code used for development.
Load Testing: Simulating a high volume of traffic to see how the system behaves.
Local Storage: Data that is stored locally in a browser.
Long-Tail Keyword: A more specific search query.

M

Machine Learning (ML): A subset of AI focused on algorithms that learn from data.
Malware: Malicious software.
Media Queries: CSS rule that changes the style of a web page based on screen size.
Microinteractions: Small moments that users experience when interacting with a digital product.
Minification: Removing unnecessary code to make files smaller.
Meta Description: A brief description of a web page, shown in search results.
Meta Tags: Information about a page used by search engines.
Morphism: A design style that uses shadows and gradients for a 3D effect.
MySQL: A relational database management system.

N

Node.js: A JavaScript runtime environment.
Null: The absence of a value.

O

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): A programming paradigm.
Off-Page SEO: SEO practices done outside your website.
On-Page SEO: SEO practices done directly on your website.
Open Source: Software with source code that is freely available for use, modification, and distribution.
Operating System: Software that manages computer hardware and software.
Outbound Link: A link from your website to an external page.

P

Page Authority: A metric for predicting the rank of a single web page.
Pagination: Dividing content into multiple pages.
Parallax: A visual effect where the background of a website scrolls slower than the foreground.
Progressive Web App (PWA): A web app that uses modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience to users.
Public Key: A key used in encryption and is available to everyone.
Pull Request: A way to propose changes to a code base in a version control system.
Pure CSS: CSS code without relying on other libraries.

Q

Queue: A data structure that represents a list of items in a particular order.

R

Raster Graphics: Image made of pixels.
Raw Data: Data that has not been processed.
Readme: A file that explains how to install or use software.
Redirect: Send a user from one URL to another.
Regular Expression (Regex): A sequence of characters that define a search pattern.
Relational Database: A database structure that is relational.
Rendering: The process of displaying web page content.
Repository: Location where data is stored and managed.
Responsive: A design approach that makes websites adjust to different screen sizes.
REST API: A type of architectural style for building web APIs.
Robot: A program that accesses web pages automatically.
Router: Device that forwards data packets between computer networks.
RSS Feed: A web feed that allows users to subscribe to website updates.

S

SaaS (Software as a Service): Software provided over the internet.
Sanitize: Cleaning data to prevent security risks.
Schema Markup: Code that helps search engines understand your content.
Screen Resolution: Number of pixels displayed on a screen.
Search Engine Results Page (SERP): The page returned by a search engine.
Server Side Rendering (SSR): Rendering a webpage on a server.
Session: A period of time a user interacts with a website.
Sitemap: A file that lists all the pages of a website, used to help search engines crawl it.
Solid State Drive (SSD): A type of computer storage device.
Source Code: Human readable text code that is transformed into a computer program.
SQL Injection: A common security vulnerability where malicious SQL code can be inserted into a database.
SQL (Structured Query Language): Language used to manage and manipulate relational databases.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): A security protocol that encrypts communication between a user and a server.
Subdomain: A domain that is part of a larger domain, like blog.example.com.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics): A vector graphics format that can be scaled without losing quality.
Syntax: Rules of a programming language.

T

Time to First Byte (TTFB): The time it takes for a browser to receive the first byte of data from a server.
Title Tag: The title of a web page that appears in search results and browser tabs.
Token: A unique identifier used for security.
Tooltip: A small popup that appears on a hover.
Tree Shaking: Removing unused code.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): An extra layer of security.

U

UI (User Interface): The means by which a user interacts with a website or application.
Unit Testing: Testing individual components or functions.
User Persona: A fictional representation of your ideal user.
User-Friendly: Easy to use and navigate, typically of a website or software.
UX (User Experience): The overall experience a user has when interacting with a website or application.

V

Validation: Checking if data is correct.
Variable: A symbol that represents a value.
Vector Graphics: Graphics based on mathematical equations, which can be scaled without losing quality (e.g., SVG).
Version Control: Managing changes to a project over time.
Virtual Machine (VM): A software implementation of a computer.
Viewport: The visible area of a web page.
Visual Hierarchy: Ordering content in a way that guides the user's eye.

W

WebAssembly: A binary instruction format for stack-based virtual machine.
Web Components: A suite of technologies allowing you to create custom, reusable HTML elements.
WebSockets: A communication protocol that provides full-duplex communication channels over a single TCP connection.
WebP: A modern image format providing superior compression and quality.

X

XML (Extensible Markup Language): A markup language designed for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.