The tech world is full of terms people not working in tech may not understand. At Cultrix, we promise to always speak your language, but to help things along, and if you’re in business, here are some of the basic terms it could be useful to understand.
301 Redirect
Usually this is to direct an organisation’s traffic from their old website to their new website – it’s a permanent redirect.
404
Browsers see 404 error messages when they try to get to a web page that no longer exists. For whatever reason, the link typed in by the browser doesn’t work or the page has been deleted.
Alt Text
The filename, or text, associated with an online image on a website page, blog or email. This text is how Google understands the image, and helps make images accessible to blind readers via screenreaders.
API
Application Programming Interface – it’s an interface that allows different applications to talk to each other. They are used to provide data solutions to problems between interfaces.
Beta Site
Not the finished website, but a limited, unfinished release, usually to a selection of users for testing before the final version is released.
Browser Cache
When your browser saves data from a website you’ve visited, so the next time you visit it, it will be quicker to load.
Blockchain
An open, decentralised ledger that keeps a track of transactions, for instance of cryptocurrencies.
Cart Abandonment
The term for when online shoppers add products to their baskets, or carts, but didn’t check out and buy them.
CMS
Content Management System – platforms that enable non-techy people to build their websites using professional templates in the CMS. A good example of a CMS is WordPress.
Disaster Recovery Plan
A plan that helps a business prepare should a disaster occur, for example if the website goes down or they suffer a cyberattack.
DNS
Domain name server – a server that translates and stores web addresses into different addresses that browsers may type in, to help them get to the website they’re looking for.
Hosting Servers
These are the web servers where a website’s files are housed, served and maintained.
HTML
Hyper-Text Markup Language - the language used to build the structure of your website, from title to header to bulleted lists and footers.
Interface/GUI
Graphical User Interface – or just ‘interface’, which is the software the end user interacts with when using a website.
IPaaS
Integrated Platform as a Service - a cloud-based platform that connects applications, systems and technologies within the cloud.
IP Address
Internet Protocol Address – a label comprising of numbers for each device in a computer network that communicates via the internet.
ISP
Internet Service Provider - an organisation that provides internet services.
Pixel
Pixels work like tracking devices and detect visits to a website, which are then used to target ads specific to users, audiences and visitors.
Plugin/Plug-In
Software extensions that enable you to add a feature to software, for example, Adobe Flash Player.
Responsive Design
A way of designing web pages that means they automatically appear in the right format on all devices. It means users can interact with the same site whether on a table, phone or laptop, or any other device.
SaaS
Service as a Software – platforms that help people and businesses with their work, or support them in aspects of their work, for example, project managing tools or social media scheduling software.
SEO
Search Engine Optimisation - the strategy for optimising a website and its content to make it more easily found by internet search engines.
Site Map
A ‘map’ or hierarchical view of a website's pages and content to help developers and designers work out what’s needed. They are also used as web pages to present links on a website to all the other pages.
UI
User Interface – where users control the applications and devices they use, hopefully providing a user-friendly experience and usually incorporating a menu bar, toolbar, windows and buttons.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator – or web address, which is the string of characters that refer to a web resource and can be found inside the address bar of the web browser.
UX
User eXperience – a customer or user’s experience of an organisation from brand, to website to purchase to communication.
Web Accessibility
The ability for a website to be accessed by people with different physical and mental abilities, age or location. Access to the internet is officially recognised as a basic human right.
< Read more articles on our IT Academy
Business services like IT support, when they work properly, are a true partner to business. Here’s what it’s like when your IT support is a true partner.
If it can happen to McAfee, UNICEF and eBay…
It’s a wake-up call for brands – the SubdoMailing attack sees 8000 household names’ domains hijacked and exploited. Here’s why and how to protect your brand.