A
Accessibility
Everyone uses websites and we shouldn’t discriminate those with disabilities. Website accessibility is a vital part to allowing maximum reach to everyone regardless of disabilities and under the DDA act 1995 (amended in 2005) it is law.
ALT Tag (alternative tag)
Labelling an image, this will add text describing the image that will help accessibility for the visually impaired and may improve your search engine results.
AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML)
AJAX combines existing technologies to make the web a better experience for us all. Using these technologies to load data only when necessary so it speeds up the interactivity of websites and increases usability.
B
Browser
Your application to view the World Wide Web. Technology in the web world moves quickly so it’s best to keep your favourite browsers updated. Some of the popular browser includes Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.
Browser Compatibility
Ever wondered why some websites look different from one browser to the next? This is because of how a browser renders the code that web developer’s produce. Good web designers (like us) make sure that the website views the same across all platforms.
Bug
A programming error which leads to the incorrect running of the website. During the testing phase of website development these are ironed out to make sure the website is running smoothly as it should.
C
Cache (pronounced cash)
The first time you go to a website your browser will automatically "cache" some of the website's data. This means the browser is saving some of the content from the website making the next visit quicker and easier to load.
Cloud Computing
Now that the internet is getting faster and technology is moving forward, the usefulness of desktop applications are becoming outdated. Cloud computing allows uses to interface with applications live, online, without ever having to install software on your local computer. There's still a way to go but with technologies like HTML5 coming through, web applications will become more dynamic and usable.
CMS
Content management systems (cms) does what it says on the tin. it allows site administrators to edit / add / remove content from the website. As websites are growing in size and content, cms systems allow users to dynamically update a website without the need to know a single line of coding.
Cookies
Cookies are small files which are stored on your computer once you've visited a website. These files contain information about you and your previous visit to the website which are loaded upon your return, saving you from re-entering similar information. should have been called crumbs in my opinion.
D
Description Tag
An html tag that allows you to describe your website and let your audience know what it is about. The text you write here is what will appear in the search engine description of your listing.
DNS
Trying to remember an IP Address is too difficult, to make life easier the domain name server (dns) allows users to enter a domain name instead of having to remember a long string of numbers.
DPI (dots per inch)
Your screen resolution is made up of thousands of dots, the more dots per inch (dpi) you have the more information or detail is stored giving you a bigger picture but also a bigger file size. Standard screen resolution is 72pdi whilst print is generally 300dpi.
E
E-Commerce
Electronic commerce gives your website the ability to conduct business online. Trading your goods via the internet has never been simpler or safer, with good e-commerce solutions you’ll be receiving transactions and making money the dot com way.
End User
The end user is your target market, the viewers of your website.
EPS
An Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file is primarily used for print artwork, usually containing high quality artwork. As EPS files are based on Vector points rather then raster graphics, the artwork is usually scalable without lost of quality.
F
Flash
Adobe’s Flash enables designers to create interactive, Vector animated websites and applications. End Users get a slicker experience that is bandwidth friendly though is dependant on End Users having the appropriate Plug-in (Apple iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad users will feel the effects since Apple refuses to support the Flash Plug-in for their devices).
FTP (file transfer protocol)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a method for transferring files to and from a Server. All you generally need is the domain you're connecting to, a user name and password. Applications like FileZilla can be downloaded for free to use on Mac or PC.
Functionality
This is literally the 'function' of something online. In other words the way something works or operates. Different websites will have different functionalities, for example a website selling a product will have a more evident functionality. This being, they way you go about purchasing the product.
G
GIF
A graphics file format that is commonly used on the internet. The images you see on the internet are usually in graphics interchange format (GIF) format because of the small file size, enabling a quicker loading time and download speed.
GUI
Graphical User Interface (GUI) is the front end of a piece of software or website that will appear on your computer screen. Usually this offers an easy-to-use system including icons and navigation.
H
Hosting
This is the general business of providing services and accompaniments you need to display a live website. If you run a website or do business on the web you will have a host. Hosting also includes providing maintenance of files and fast internet connections to clients.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is in a sense its own language or code. It is used in the development of a website to add structure to the content. It tells the web browser how text and images will be displayed to the user.
Hyperlink (aka Link)
Hyperlinks are essentially links from one website to another website or to a different part of the same website. These can be made up from text, which usually appears to stand out more than generic text and sometimes images.
I
IP Address (internet protocal address)
If you have an internet connection you will have an IP address. This is a numerical address which allows you access to the internet by communicating with a server. Most IP address are now static, which means it will stay the same each time you go online. This can be traced back to the user, which is good in prevention of online crime, such as fraud.
J
Javascript
A form of scripting language that enables web designers and developers to create interactive websites for its users. Javascript can enhance the users experience with a website offering slick functionality and enticing design.
JPG
The most commonly used method of compressing digital images. A Joint Photographic Experts Group (aka JPG) is an adaptable file and can make up a high-resolution image or it can also be compressed (using suitable software) to a smaller file size for ease of sharing and using on the web. The name originates from the committee the created the standard.
K
L
M
Meta Tag
Is a unique HTML tag that is used to accumulate information about a web page but is not visible in a web browser. Meta tags provide information relevant to a web page, for example which program was used to create the page, keywords that relate to the page and descriptions of the page. Search engines use this information from the Meta Tag when they index web pages.
MP3 (MPEG third layer)
A popular compressed audio file format used throughout the digital age. Most commonly used on portable music devices such iPods and the like. The files are one-tenth the size of an uncompressed WAVE file but hold the same quality.
MP4 (aka MPEG4 – moving picture experts group-4)
Essentially an MP4 is a compressed video file that uses the unique MPEG-4 compression technique. It makes a video file much smaller allowing the files to be shared over the internet easily. The quality is preserved as it uses separate compression for audio and video tracks.
MX Record (mail exchange record)
Is an entry in a DNS database that redirects e-mail to any users machine, to an allocated mail host. For example, in a small company the MX record would direct all e-mail to the same domain.
N
Navigation Bar
Typically found at the top of a website you will see a list of directional tools. These commonly consist of, for example ‘home’ or ‘about us’. When you click on these links they will direct you to different sections of the website. Some navigation bars offer secondary navigation, which can be displayed in a variety of ways, such as a drop down lists or pop up boxes offering more links to parts of the website.
.NET (pronounced dot net – .network)
A domain (.com, .co.uk, .org etc) that is fundamentally used by American companies that work with computer networks.
Not Found 404
Sometimes when you try to access a website an error message will be displayed saying ‘Not Found 404’. This means that the URL that was typed into the browser was not found on a particular server. It could simply be that the address was typed incorrectly or perhaps that the website has changed its name or is no longer being maintained online.
O
Open Source
When a software program is open source, this means that the source code is freely available for anybody to customise. For example Javascript is an open source programme allowing developers to customise coding to unique specifications. Open source programmes are often developed in communities rather than a single organisation.
P
Payment Gateway
A Payment Gateway is an e-commerce application service that authorises payments for online retailers. This allows payments to be processed successfully online. Essential for an e-commerce website.
PPC (pay per click)
A method of online advertising whereby a payment is generated from the number of click-throughs from a specific link. PPC adverts work like so: Firstly you would bid for specific keywords that relate to your website, be that certain products or services offered. Then when a user searches for these words in a search engine your website would be listed. Payments are only generated when the user clicks on your link to your website.
File formats created by Adobe Systems for document exchange allowing them to be transmitted and reproduced accurately. The Portable Document Format's (PDF) allow a number of documents to be combined together creating an almost digital version of a book. Offering a great way of sharing numerous documents or images over email in one file.
Pharming (pronounced farming)
A form of online scam that targets large numbers of victims by redirecting them to fake websites. Here criminals can capture key information such as passwords and other data. It is similar to ‘Phishing’ although this method focuses on a much larger scale of victims.
Phishing (pronounced fishing)
A form of online scam in which a perpetrator sends fake e-mails that look like they are from legitimate companies. Their goal is to con the user into responding to these emails with personal information. It is similar to ‘Pharming’ although this method targets individuals rather than a large scale of victims.
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)
A scripting language that is freely available and used in web development to create dynamic web pages. PHP script is embedded within the HTML code of a webpage. It is a popular way to code web pages down to the fact it is also database driven.
Plug-In
A software plug-in is an add on to a programme and in terms of the web, this would be your browser. The add on will enhance the browsers capabilities for example, the ability to play audio samples or view movies on your screen. There are many plug-ins available that allow the browser to do a variety of things online.
Pop Up
A pop up refers to a window that appears whilst browsing the internet without the user selecting ‘new window’. These pop up windows are often generated by websites as a form of advertising and typically appear when a user visits a page or closes a window.
PNG (portable network graphics)
A graphics file format suitable for displaying on the web. The PNG file is intended as a replacement to the GIF file format as they typically compress 5% to 25% better.
Q
R
Resolution
Refers to how many pixels a monitor can display or how fine a printer is able to print. In terms of the monitor display, the pixel resolution is usually written as, for example: 800 x 600. This would mean that there 800 pixels horizontally across the screen and 600 vertically. The amount of pixels a monitor can display would depend on the quality and size of the monitor itself. When it comes to print the resolution is measured as dots per inch or "dpi". The more dpi, the clearer the image, although 300dpi is typical for most print work.
RSS (really simple syndication)
A web format used to publish frequently updated work, such as news feeds or blog entries into one place. These benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from their favourite websites. Most internet browsers support the RSS feed format and offer a drop down menu of constantly updated feeds linking to articles from those particular sites.
S
SEO (search engine optimisation)
The use of different techniques to improve a particular website’s ranking in search engines. (such as google.) This will help generate more visitors to the site increasing its popularity.
Sponsored Links
These are paid listings on search engines that appear on the results page of a search. The ads are typically for products and services that are specifically related to the keywords used in the search.
SQL (structured query language)
A worldwide standard language, relatively simple to learn, that is used to manage data in relational databases.
SSL (secured sockets layer)
The most common security protocol on the internet, mostly used for online shopping and money transfers. The SSL creates a secure connection in which data can be exchanged safely.
T
U
URL (uniform resource locator)
The address of a specific website or file on the internet that is typed into the main bar in the browser window. The URL cannot have spaces and uses forward slashes to designate different directories.
Sorry but this is still a ‘work in progress’ and we don’t want to rush it just to get it done – it’s here to help you so please do keep checking back.