Do you know your CSP from your CSS? What about your SSO from your SEO? And what on earth is a WebSocket?
In digital projects, establishing a common language is crucial for a successful project.
To help with your next digital project, we've compiled a list of terms we find commonly appearing (and confusing!) in projects here at Valve. From this glossary, the meanings of these terms can be easily verified whenever necessary, even multiple times.
.htaccess – A file located on the server where redirects and password protection can be configured, among other things.
404 Page – An HTTP status code returned by the server to indicate that a page or file could not be found. Other codes are less frequently encountered. A code 200 indicates a successful request, and 301 indicates a permanent page redirection. It is common to implement a redirect that guides the user or search engine to a new page.
a11y – Short for accessibility, ensuring that services are accessible to everyone regardless of visual or other impairments. This abbreviation is derived from the English word "accessibility," with the first and last letters of the word and the number 11 in between, indicating the number of removed letters. Similar abbreviations include i18n and l10n.
Administrator – Often referred to as admin, this user has full rights to edit the website and its functionalities.
Amazon – In the realm of development, "Amazon” typically refers to Amazon Web Services (AWS), a suite of cloud services provided by Amazon.
Angular.js – Google's JavaScript framework used as a platform for single-page applications.
API – An abbreviation for Application Programming Interface, a service running on the server that returns or receives data when called.
Augmented Reality (AR) – Refers to computer-generated elements added to real-world views, such as those seen through a phone's camera.
Cache – Pronounced like "cash," this refers to your browser's temporary storage of webpage elements on your computer's hard drive. This allows the browser to avoid reloading items such as a website's style sheets and images each time the page is visited. If changes made to a website are not visible, it may be because the old version is being retrieved from the cache. In such cases, clearing your browser's cache is necessary. This can be done through the History section of your browser's menu bar. Alternatively, you can try loading the page from the server using the following commands:
For Windows: Ctrl + F5 For Mac (Firefox): Cmd (Apple) + Shift + R
CDN – Abbreviation for Content Delivery Network, a system that delivers a website's images and videos from a server close to the visitor, thereby ensuring fast loading times.
CMS – Abbreviation for Content Management System, such as WordPress.
CodeIgniter – A PHP framework on which a custom website or service can be built.
Cookie – A small text file that a website saves on your computer. For example, it can help keep you logged in to sites you use, such as Facebook.
CSP - Abbreviation for Content Security Policy, a way to restrict which content can be inserted in your website, allowing you to prevent Cross Site Scripting attacks from third party sites (see XSS)
CSS – Abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheets, which tells your browser how to display a webpage, including elements like font size and background colors.
Dedicated Server – A server exclusively allocated to one customer. See also web hosting.
Development Server – A server used for building websites before they are transferred to the production server. See also production server.
DNS – Abbreviation for Domain Name System, which translates easily memorable website addresses, like valve.fi, to server IP addresses, e.g., 80.69.161.44.
Domain – Refers to a web address, such as valve.fi. See also subdomain.
Drupal – A complex platform and content management system for large websites.
Favicon – A small icon displayed in your browser's address bar next to the web address.
Footer – The bottom bar of a website, often containing links to important pages such as product categories, privacy policies, social media accounts, and contact information for the company.
FTP / sFTP – Abbreviations for File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is a protocol used for transferring files to servers, with sFTP being the more secure option.
GDPR – Abbreviation for General Data Protection Regulation, the EU's data protection regulation, which took effect in May 2018. The GDPR adds new obligations to data controllers and increases the rights of data subjects. The measures required to meet these obligations vary, including an assessment of the quality of personal data and any associated risks.
Git – Version control system that allows multiple programmers to work on the same project.
Gutenberg – The development name for WordPress’ block editor, which has largely replaced the Classic Editor.
Header – The top part of a website containing the company's logo and navigation.
HTML5 – Refers to the latest version of the basic code structure of websites. HTML5 often encompasses new CSS3 styles and JavaScript functionalities.
HTTP – Abbreviation for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the protocol used by browsers and servers for data transfer. It is advisable for websites to use HTTPS, as data transferred over HTTP is not encrypted or secure.
HTTPS – A secure HTTP connection where data between the server and the user is encrypted. These days, browsers such as Google’s Chrome only support HTTPS, and sites not using HTTPS may be penalized in search result rankings by Google.
Internationalization (i18n) – The process of enabling localization, making it easy to translate a service or product into another language. This abbreviation is derived from the English word "internationalization," with the first and last letters of the word and the number 18 in between, indicating the number of removed letters. Similar abbreviations include a11y and l10n.
iframe – A webpage embedded within another webpage, such as a feedback form or banner.
IP – Abbreviation for IP address (e.g., 80.69.161.44), which indicates the device's location, similar to a phone number or postal address.
JavaScript – A lightweight programming language run in the browser, used for many website functionalities today.
JSON – Abbreviation for JavaScript Object Notation, a lightweight data format for data transfer.
Localization (l10n) – The process of making a service and its content suitable for different locations and cultures. This abbreviation is derived from the English word "localization," with the first and last letters of the word and the number 10 in between, indicating the number of removed letters. Similar abbreviations include a11y and i18n.
Load Balancer – A system that distributes website traffic evenly across multiple servers, which may be required for sites with high traffic volumes.
Localhost – Refers to your own computer, where you can build a website without an internet connection. It is often used for testing purposes.
Machine Learning (ML) – A subset of artificial intelligence (AI) focused on training machines to learn from data and improve over time without being explicitly programmed.
MariaDB - An open-source relational database management system commonly used for storing and managing data in web applications.
MySQL – A database system used for storing information, for example, for WordPress websites.
Nginx – A web server often used as a reverse proxy server and load balancer, capable of handling thousands of concurrent connections.
NIS2 – The EU NIS2 directive specifies security requirements and processes that must be followed by organisations to which it applies.
Node.js – A runtime environment that allows JavaScript to run on the server.
NPM – Abbreviation for Node.js Package Manager, a tool for managing JavaScript libraries and dependencies.
Next.js - A framework based on React.js for building server-side rendered web applications, similar to Nuxt.js.
Nuxt.js – A framework based on Vue.js for building server-side rendered web applications, similar to Next.js.
Open Source – Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and distribute.
PHP – A server-side scripting language used for creating dynamic web pages.
Plugin – Extensions for WordPress that add various functionalities, such as forms, multilingualism, and office search with a map.
React – A JavaScript library for building user interfaces, developed by Facebook. It comes in browser-based React.js or device-based React Native, where the same code base can be used for native apps across different platforms, such as Android and iOS.
Responsive Design – Website design that adjusts its layout and content based on the device screen size.
REST API – Abbreviation for Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface, an architectural style for designing networked applications.
SEO – Abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization, the process of increasing a website's visibility in search engine results.
Server – A computer that provides services such as displaying websites. See also web hosting.
Serverless – A cloud computing execution model where the cloud provider dynamically manages the allocation and provisioning of servers.
Shell – A text-based interface for entering commands, used for managing files on the server and installing programs, among other tasks.
Shopify – A service that allows easy creation of online stores.
Single Sign-On (SSO) – The process of logging in to multiple services using the same username and password.
SSL – Abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol that ensures secure data transfer between the server and the user.
Tailwind CSS – A utility-first CSS framework for creating custom designs without leaving your HTML.
TypeScript – A typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript.
URL – Abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator, also known as a web address.
UX – Abbreviation for User Experience, referring to how users perceive and interact with a service.
Web Hosting – A service where a website can be stored and accessed. See also server.
Website – A collection of web pages accessible via the internet.
Websocket – A communication protocol that enables two-way communication between a server and a client.
WordPress – A user-friendly platform for creating websites, offering tools for managing content and design.
XSS – Abbreviation for Cross-site scripting attack, a type of computer security vulnerability typically found in web applications.
Yarn – A fast and reliable package manager for JavaScript.
