Getting tech-savvy

As the world increasingly moves online, it becomes harder and harder to keep up with all of the terms that have seemingly entered our conversations and correspondence over night. RED-i Design’s Ben Cooling has put together a list of 20 web terms - and their definitions - to help you keep up. 

 

Term One: Back end 

The back end of a website is the part hidden from the view of regular website visitors. It generally includes the information structure, applications, and the CMS controlling content.

 

Term Two: Bandwidth

Bandwidth can refer to two different things. First of all, bandwidth refers to the rate at which data can be transferred, or the total amount of data allowed to be transferred, from a web host during a given hosting term. Secondly, bandwidth is referred to in terms of bits-per-second (bps), kilobits per second (kbs), or other metric measurements. Lower bandwidth Internet connections (such as dial-up) mean data loads slower than with higher bandwidth connections.

 

Term Three: Below the fold

Below the Fold refers to the content that is going to be below the point first viewable to the average website visitor in their browser (in other words, viewers would have to scroll down to see the content that is Below the Fold).

 

Term Four: Browser

Browser refers to the program a website visitor is using to view a web site. Examples include Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer.

 

Term Five: Cache

Cached files are those that are saved by a web browser so the next time that user visits the site, the page loads faster.

 

Term Six: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Cascading Style Sheets are used to define the look and feel of a web site outside of the actual HTML file(s) of the site. The benefits to using CSS are countless, but some of the most important are the simplification of a site’s HTML files (which can increase search engine rankings), and the ability to completely change the style of a site by changing just one file, without having to make changes to content.

 

Term Seven: Content Management System (CMS)

The Content Management System is a back end tool for managing a site’s content that separates the content from the design and functionality of the site. Using a CMS generally makes it easier to change the design or function of a site independent of it’s content. It also makes it easier for content to be added to the site by regular people. In other words, through an interface similar to MS Word, you can update your website with just an Internet connection.

 

Term Eight: CSS framework 

A CSS framework is a collection of CSS files used as the starting point to make XHTML and CSS web sites quickly and easily. They usually contain CSS styles for typography and layout.

 

Term Nine: Front end 

The Front End is all the components of a website that a visitor to the site can see. It’s the interface that visitors use to access the site’s content. Sometimes, it’s referred to as the User Interface.

 

Term Ten: HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

HTML is the main language used to write web pages. It is primarily intended as a way to provide content on websites, and it can also be used to determine how that content is displayed.

 

Term Eleven: HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol)

HTTP is a set of rules for transferring hypertext - which is text displayed on a computer with references (hyperlinks) to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence - between a web browser and a web server. 

 

Term Twelve: Hyperlink

A hyperlink is a link from one web page to another, either on the same site or another one. Generally hyperlinks are text or images, and are highlighted in some way. The inclusion of hyperlinks is the ‘hyper’ part of hypertext. 

 

Term Thirteen: Meta data

Meta data is the data contained in the header that offers information about the web page that a visitor is currently on. The information contained in the meta data isn’t viewable on the web page (except in the source code). Meta data is contained within meta tags.

 

Term Fourteen: Semantic markup 

In semantic markup, content is written within XHTML tags, which offers context to what the content contains. Basic semantic markup refers to using items like header and paragraph tags, though semantic markup is also being used to provide much more useful context to web pages in an effort to make the web as a whole more semantic.

 

Term Fifteen: Tag

A tag is a set of markup characters that are used around an element to indicate its start and end. Tags can also include HTML, or other code, to specify how that element should look or behave on the page. 

 

Term Sixteen: Template

A template is a file used to create a consistent design across a website. Templates are often used in conjunction with a CMS and contain both structural information about how a site should be set up, but also stylistic information about how the site should look.

 

Term Seventeen: URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

A site’s URL is its address, the item that specifies where on the Internet it can the found. For example www.red-idesign.com. 

 

Term Eighteen: Usability

Usability refers to how easy it is for a visitor to use your site in its intended manner. In other words, the navigation, content, images, and any interactive elements should be easy to use, functioning the way they were intended, and target visitors should not need any special training in order to use your site.

 

Term Nineteen: Web server

A web server is a computer that has software installed and networking capabilities that allow it to host web sites and pages, and make them available to Internet users located elsewhere. 

 

Term Twenty: Web standards

Standards are specifications recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium for standardising website design. The main purpose of web standards is to make it easier for both designers and those who create web browsers to make sites that will appear consistent across platforms.

 

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