Glossary Of Terms
Confused about the words we speak of? Don’t know your SSL from your XML?
The below glossary should clear things up for you.
Web Browser
You’re using one right now to read this. It’s the program used (usually Internet Explorer) to browse websites.
Web Server
A physical computer system where a website is stored and downloaded from when a visitor accesses the website.
Domain Name
A major component of a website’s URL. A website can have many domain names, but a domain name can only go to one website.
The main method of communication on the internet. E-mails are composed around the same concept as a letter, but written and sent electronically across the internet to your recipient.
HTTP
The method in which information from a website written in HTML is carried to your browser. Commonly seen before an internet address: E.g: http://www.google.com
HTML
The standard language of a website. This is the language in which a website is written in and which your web browser is fluent in reading.
XHTML
A stricter version of HTML. Basically the same language as HTML but with stricter rules and regulations on how it’s written. Designed to help keep the internet more uniform and raise the standards of websites on the internet. XHTML has been ear-marked as the future precedent in how website's should be written, however it may be several years before XHTML is used universally.
XML
A general purpose language designed to allow the sharing of data across different information systems. Data written in XML is very versatile and can be used in a variety of systems, such as sitemaps and RSS feeds.
RSS
A method of feeding information directly to a user's computer with frequently updated content, such as news headlines, job vacancies and article submissions.
CSS
The file that contains all the styling information for your website. It controls everything aesthetically related, and ultimately controls how your website looks.
SSL
This is an secure communication protocol on the internet. It’s designed to prevent unauthorised access to potentially private and sensitive information. For example, whenever you purchase goods online and enter your credit/debit card details, you’re doing it over SSL.
PHP
PHP is a programming language designed for producing highly dynamic web pages and features. It integrates with a web server to organise and display dynamic content on a website.
SQL
SQL is a robust computer language designed for the management and retrieval of information from a website’s database. Most of the information viewable on a website is stored in an SQL database.
Firewall
A firewall is a software or hardware solution designed to protect the machine or network it is used with, from attacks from hackers and other malicious activity.
Submit Form
A form the user can fill out on the website with details specifically requested by the website’s owner. Designed for gathering direct useful information, and cutting out the need for the user to compose an email.