Glossary of Web Development Terms
For your convenience we provide here a basic list of terms used within this website, in a way as clear as possible. We will be adding to this list of definitions as we go.
Should it leave you with questions on terms we have listed or ones you have encountered, please contact us with your suggestions of terms you wish to add to the list. Also please refer to our Common Questions page.
For more comprehensive definitions, we recommend www.whatis.com as an exceptional online source for computer- and Internet-related terms.
 A
alt text - alternate text or alt tags - used in webpages to describe an image or its purpose on the page. The alt text may appear before the image appears on the page or would appear as a tooltip in most web browsers if one holds the mouse over the image. Alt tags or text also help those who have images turned off.
anti virus program - a program that runs silently (in the background) watching for virus-like activity and checking things that enter your computer via CDs, websites, floppies, email, or attachments. An anti-virus program is vital to the protection of your computer. Any brand will do a pretty good job, but if you don't know how to update your anti-virus definitions (your protection files) you are defenseless. Learn to use your program, or invest a small amount in one that automatically updates itself.
B
background - an image used on a webpage for "wallpaper," a decorative look behind the content of the page, other than a solid color.
broadband - a high-speed Internet connection via cable or DSL phone line services. Speeds vary but are many times faster than a phone line dial-up connection.
C
CGI feedback forms - CGI or Common Gateway Interface, Perl, ASP or PHP, methods of scripting or writing pages that interact with behind-the-scenes programs to exchange information with the site owner about the website visitor, frequently via email responses.
CSS - Cascading Style Sheets - a pattern for webpages to utilize in order to simplify and separate style from content in webpage designs.
cache - or temporary Internet files - a browser directory that holds copies of webpages for fast retrieval when you return to the same site. You can view these pages offline or online. Too many pages can slow your system performance. View and empty your Internet Explorer cache by the browser menu options: Tools > Internet Options > General > Temporary Internet Files > Delete Files
For Firefox view and empty your cache: Tools > Options > Privacy > Cache > Clear.
clipart - term used for graphic art components on a page. Buttons, backgrounds, icons, lines, and horizontal rules are clipart.
cookies - small text files that websites "set" in your browser's cache. They don't return information to the origin, but can be used by the source to record and review your preferences, user names and shopping cart selections. Cookies are controlled by the level of security you opt for, and may be deleted without harm. Deleting them may inconvenience you to retype saved information, but also may improve your browser's performance and protect your anonymity.
D
description tags - part of the meta information (special information for search engines) to display a concise description of a webpage's content.
domain name - a constant web address that a company or individual can carry with them to any web host server. A domain name is reserved with InterNIC, and no one else can use that exact name.
E
e-commerce - online shopping or doing business on the WWW.
email - electronic mail, e-mail, or email, all of these terms are used for messages you send from one location to another over the Internet. There are several types, the most common being POP email. A POP email account can be accessed with an email program on your computer or through a web interface. Software usually downloads and saves your mail locally.
F
FTP - File Transfer Protocol, defining the way in which files are exchanged over the Internet. Commonly used to refer to the server space for the storage of files and/or the applications that use the protocol.
Firefox - a popular open-source web browser by Mozilla that supports multi-tab surfing and many security and convenience features such as an easy-to-configure pop-up blocker. See www.mozilla.com/firefox/
Flash - a popular browser plug-in that renders two-dimensional graphics, images and text created using a Macromedia Flash authoring tool. See our Flash Animation page for more information.
font - a text style on the computer that is used to give variation to the look, feel, and readability of text. In order for one to view a font, one must have it installed on the computer, or encounter it embedded into a webpage or PDF file, or view an image of the words. Fonts vary from one operating system to another and from one computer model to another. For example, there is only a handful of fonts found on all Windows machines.
footer - most commonly the bottom of a webpage, separated from the page content. A footer often includes the date, contact info, location, copyright notice or disclaimers.
form - a webpage that allows a visitor to interact with the site owner, add data or request information, enter or create his password or user name, or even navigate a site. Basic elements include round "radio buttons," check boxes, drop lists, small and large text fields, submit and reset buttons. Form data is often posted publicly online, or returned to the site owner via email. Some but not all forms are secure.
frames - a navigation tool created by Netscape that breaks the browser window into two or more windows that interact with the server for faster site use. While frames can simplify a large site, they can also consume a lot of screen space. Frames can cause issues for links to off-site pages when the links are not properly coded, and bookmarking a framed page can be problematical.
G
GIF - Graphic Interchange Format, developed by CompuServe. GIF is the most widely used image type on the Web.
Google - one of the largest and easiest-to-use search engines and web directories online. At www.google.com, Google is the basis for many online services' search tools.
Google Toolbar - a free plug-in to the Internet Explorer browser that allows you to block unwanted webpage pop-ups as well as search the web from within your Internet Explorer browser, or submit saved form field info at the touch of a button.
graphics - a term generally used to differentiate photographic representations from computer-generated renderings.
H
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language - a computer language for publishing webpages - HTML 2.0, 3.0, 3.2, and HTML 4.01 Transitional and HTML 4 are levels of the language commonly referred to. XHTML 1.0 is the newest version available.
history - list of sites recently visited by your web browser. Many of these addresses are available from the drop list on the browser's navigation bar at the top of the screen.
hyperlink - or link - the text or images, usually underlined in pages that if clicked load a new page, image, or window.
I
image editing - touch-ups to images to correct flaws and/or sharpen them, as well as special treatments such as drop shadows or faded edges. For more information, see Graphic Design.
image map - a graphic that has been divided into sections and assigned navigation links. Clicking on one part of the image would take you to a page represented by the image section, another part of the graphic would carry you to another page.
index page - the gateway page to a site, the main page or entrance page, from which all other pages can be found. Sometimes it is referred to as the Home page.
indexing - action of a search engine to catalog topics, keywords, and descriptions about webpages and store them for public reference in a database.
Internet Explorer - web browser created by Microsoft to view webpages. Also known as IE and frequently followed by the version number. The current version is IE6.
J
JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group created a standard image file format commonly used on the web to display photographic details in images. The file type is usually listed as .jpg .
Java - a computer program language, created to be used "independently" of any specific type of machine. Its uses vary tremendously, from programs to image enhancements.
JavaScript - a computer scripting language developed by Netscape that always runs within a web browser. Its purpose is to enhance webpages and make them interactive and hopefully more useful and enjoyable. Java and JavaScript are different things.
K
keywords - special descriptive words that are used in the construction of websites and listed in meta-information about a webpage, used primarily for indexing the site in search engines.
keyword phrase - a group of two or more words that describe the content of a webpage as efficiently as possible. Example: "new" and "homes" may both be used to describe a house you wish to purchase. At the time of this writing, searching for "new" would provide 5,700,000,000 listings at www.google.com. A more specific search for "new homes Virginia" would provide about 9,460 listings. Keyword phrases are meta-information about a webpage, used primarily for indexing the site in search engines.
L
link - or Hyperlink - the text or images, usually underlined in pages that if clicked load a new page, image, or window.
link farming - the process of exchanging as many reciprocal links with other sites in order to increase search engine rank. Many people believe search engines such as Google rank sites according to, among other things, the quantity of sites that link to them. The theory is that the more sites that link to yours, the higher your ranking in the search engine results, indicating a higher level of link popularity. However, link farming is an exploitive method of trading reciprocal links and is now considered a form of spam. Link farming has garnered negative connotations across the Internet. See reciprocal links.
M
MS Internet Explorer - a web browser, or software program used for viewing webpages, created by Microsoft and often referred to as IE.
meta-information - or metadata - used behind the scenes in the HTML source code of a webpage to provide information about the content of webpages. Such information can be read by search engines and web browsers to identify, index, catalog pages, or redirect visitors to other pages.
meta tags - HTML codes created for web browsers and search engines to provide information about the content of webpages.
modem - phone line connection device usually located within the central processing unit housing or tower of a desktop computer. Cable connections also use a modem, which is usually a small device that connects the cable line to the computer.
Mozilla - a robust web browser that supports multi-tabbed browsing, excellent email, a pop-up blocker, and email Spam blocker. See www.mozilla.org
mouseover - an reaction that occurs when the mouse is passed over an element on a page. A JavaScript mouseover may consist of an image that swaps when the mouse passes over a link or an image that is linked to the code instructing it to change. This function is also commonly called image rollovers.
N
navigation bar - a series of links (text or images) that help visitors maneuver through a website.
Netscape - a company whose vast influence on the Internet frequently set standards. Also the common name for the previous web browser Netscape Navigator. This browser company was purchased by AOL and stopped its development. However, a development team has continued work on the browser separate from them. Its name is Mozilla. Other offspring are Gecko and Firefox.
O
OS - operating system on a computer; examples include Windows '98, ME, XP, Macintosh, and Linux.
Opera - a Norwegian-created web browser, or software program for viewing webpages, a competitor to Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Opera is gaining in popularity.
P
PDF - Portable Document Format was created by Adobe to transcend all operating systems. The fonts and images are embedded in the file for consistency over the web. Most users have some version of the free software on their computers.
POP3 - a type of email account that utilizes an email reader program such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Firefox, Thunderbird, or Mozilla.
phishing - an email scam whose purpose is to steal sensitive information regarding secure accounts and passwords by appearing to be from a trusted source, such as a credit card company, a bank, eBay.com, or PayPal.com. None of these sources would ever ask for your password or account number via email. If you suspect phishing visit the site in your browser, not by using the email link, and check with their security or phone them using a number you find for yourself.
Q
queue - a printer's list of jobs to be completed, or a holding area for work not yet finished. A grouping of like objects.
R
reciprocal links - links traded by sites of similar theme. For instance, a site owner might wish to share with his visitors the information of similar interest on another site. If the site owners trade links, it helps them both only when the sites are of similar theme or pertain to each other in some way. Search engines and visitors will find your site and may also leave via these links.
refresh - reload a browser window with new content. Pages viewed online are actually downloaded to your computer for quick review without having to be downloaded again. When pages change, your computer usually checks to see if you have them on your computer first and whether there are changes in the content. The user can force the page to refresh or reload by holding the keyboard keys Shift, Ctrl, Alt and clicking the Enter key.
S
SEO - search engine optimization. Making your site search engine friendly and providing the information in a manner that gets the best rank in their listings. For more information, see our page on Search Engine Optimization.
scanning - electronically copying images from photos or real life objects for conversion to web images or print.
search engines - online cataloging sites, tools, or portals of information that store details in databases for public use in finding specific content on the web.
search engine spiders - software robots that spider or traverse the web gathering information from websites and returning it to be cataloged in the search engine's database.
site map - table of contents in a website. See our Site Map for an example.
spyware - tracking software or ad server software that installs itself on your computer via downloads of free games and slows your system performance. Spyware monitors your activity and sends information about you and how you use your computer back to the software creator.
submitting to search engines - adding webpages to online reference and look-up database indexes.
T
thumbnail - a mini representative view of an image frequently used as a link to a larger detailed view.
transparent GIF - a GIF image format that utilizes a masked or apparently invisible background and is most commonly used for logos and for animations.
trojan - a program that enters your computer like a virus that may be capable of recording your keystrokes and sending sensitive information back to the software writer. Since it isn't a virus, your anti-virus program may see it as just another program.
U
URL - Uniform Resource Locator, or simply put, a web address.
V
virus - A malicious code that your computer picks up from CDs, floppies, webpages, but more commonly from email. Learn more at www.symantec.com
W
web browsers - software programs used to view pages on the Internet. Commonly known versions are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mozilla, America Online (AOL), and Opera browsers.
X
XHTML - a blending of XML and HTML languages. XHTML 1.0 is the current version of the web coding language recommended by the W3C (WoldWideWeb Consortium).
Y
Yahoo! - one of the largest and oldest web directories online. www.yahoo.com
Z
Zip drive - aka zip disc. A Zip drive is a small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up, transporting, and archiving personal computer files.
zip file - a file "container" to make files smaller, more compact, or more organized. The purpose of compressing a file is to make it faster to email, easier to download, taking less hard drive space. There are several popular file zipping programs, such as WinZip or PKunzip. Windows XP automatically opens zipped or compressed folders with no additional software. With such a program, or the Windows XP file option, a user can create a new "archive" or collection of files, or unpackage files that he downloads.
We invite you to explore the services we provide, to view our portfolio of sites we have designed, and to review our common questions page. We have provided a Site Map to aid in finding particular details and a page with contact information as well. |
