Understanding Your Web Developer – Common terms every website owner should know
by Carrie Hinkel on November 28th, 2007
In order to effectively communicate with your website developer, it’s helpful if you actually understood the technical terms he or she uses. Here’s a list of some of the most common terms your web developer might use when talking with you and, of course, their definitions.
Common Web Developer Terms
Browser – The computer software that users rely on to see pages on the World Wide Web. PC users typically browse with Internet Explorer, while Mac users rely on Safari. Both PC and Mac users can also use Firefox.
Cache – The storage file where your browser keeps temporary files and information from a website for a possible later use.
Content – Everything that is seen on a web page. It could be text, pictures, graphics, video, etc.
Cookies – Small files that websites use to keep information on your computer so that when you return, the site can “remember” you, i.e. a cookie stored on your computer by an online store you’ve purchased from will automatically log you in to your account the next time you visit.
Copy – The typed text on any web page.
Domain names – The actual name of a website. For example, goWholesale.com is a domain name.
Download – To copy a file from one computer to another.
FTP – This stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is the most commonly used form of uploading files from your computer to your web hosting server to then publish to your website.
Firewall – Security hardware or software that companies use to ensure that certain types of files don’t get into the network.
Flash – An animated graphic design program for websites.
GIF or JPG (aka JPEG) – these are both common file formats for images.
HTML – This stands for Hypertext Markup Language. Every website is written in this language.
Hyperlink – Either an image or piece of text on a web page that, when clicked on, will take you to another web page.
ISP – This stands for Internet Service Provider. It is a company that provides computers with access to the Internet.
JavaScript – This is another website scripting language, which is used in conjunction with HTML to provide additional functionalities on a website.
Link – A word, phrase or sentence on a website that, when clicked on, will take you to another web page.
Meta tags – Words and code embedded in a webpage. They provide information to search engines about a web page’s content. Search engines will then use this information to rank websites in their natural listings.
Pop-ups – Unsolicited ads that “pop up” on a computer screen, without being clicked on first.
Spiders – A search engine’s indexing program that allows it to share your website’s information on their natural listings.
Spyware – Software that is used by companies to unknowingly track information from a user’s computer.
URL – This stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It is the whole web address, such as http://www.gowholesale.com
Web Hosting – A company that allows computer users to store text, images, files, video and more on their online storage systems.
Many of these terms you may already be familiar with. So, next time you talk to your web developer, you can feel confident that you’ll actually know what he or she is talking about!