Glossary
Web basics: terms A–Z
The core vocabulary everyone building or managing a website needs to know, explained in plain English.
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Whether you're editing your site, working with our team, or just trying to understand an email we sent — this glossary has the basics covered.
Quick summary
This page defines 50+ foundational web terms from A to Z. Every definition is written in plain English. Use your browser's search (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) to jump straight to a term.
A–C
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Above the fold | The part of a web page you can see without scrolling. It's prime real estate — put your most important message here. |
| Accessibility | Designing and building websites so people with disabilities (vision, hearing, motor, cognitive) can use them. Also called a11y. |
| Alt text | A short description of an image that screen readers read aloud. Also helps search engines understand images. See Image SEO & alt text. |
| Analytics | Data about who visits your site, what they do, and where they came from. Google Analytics (GA4) is the most common tool. |
| API | Application Programming Interface. A way for two pieces of software to talk to each other. You rarely interact with this directly. |
| Back end | The part of a website that visitors don't see: the server, database, and code that powers everything behind the scenes. |
| Bandwidth | The amount of data transferred between your website and visitors. A site with lots of images and video uses more bandwidth. |
| Browser | The app you use to visit websites — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge. See Browsers & devices reference. |
| Browser cache | Files your browser saves locally so pages load faster on your next visit. Sometimes needs clearing when changes don't appear. |
| CMS | Content Management System. Software that lets non-technical people edit website content. WordPress, Webflow, and Squarespace are all CMSs. |
| Code | Instructions written in a programming language (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP) that tell browsers how to display a page. |
| Cookie | A small file a website saves in your browser. Used to remember logins, preferences, and track visits. |
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheets. The code that controls how a page looks: colors, fonts, spacing, layout. |
| CTA | Call to Action. A button or link that asks a visitor to do something: "Book now," "Get a quote," "Sign up." |
D–F
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Database | An organized collection of data. WordPress stores your pages, posts, and settings in a database. |
| DNS | Domain Name System. The internet's address book — it translates domain names into IP addresses. See What is DNS?. |
| Domain | Your website's address, like yourcompany.com. See What is a domain name?. |
| Favicon | The tiny icon shown in browser tabs next to your page title. Usually your logo mark. |
| Font | The typeface used for text on your website. Web fonts are loaded from services like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts. |
| Footer | The bottom section of a web page, usually containing contact info, links, and copyright notices. |
| Form | An interactive area on a page where visitors can enter and submit information — contact forms, sign-ups, checkouts. |
| Front end | The part of a website visitors see and interact with: layout, text, images, buttons. |
| FTP / SFTP | File Transfer Protocol. A method for transferring files between your computer and a web server. SFTP is the secure version. |
G–I
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Header | The top section of a web page, usually containing your logo and navigation menu. |
| Hosting | The service that stores your website's files on a server and makes them accessible on the internet. See What is web hosting?. |
| HTML | HyperText Markup Language. The code that structures a web page — headings, paragraphs, links, images. |
| HTTP / HTTPS | The protocol (set of rules) used to transfer data between browsers and servers. HTTPS is the secure, encrypted version. See What is SSL & HTTPS?. |
| Hyperlink | A clickable link that takes you from one page to another — on the same site or a different one. |
| Image compression | Reducing an image file's size without (noticeably) reducing its quality. Smaller images = faster pages. |
| IP address | A unique numerical address assigned to every device on the internet (e.g. 192.168.1.1 or a longer IPv6 string). |
J–M
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| JavaScript | A programming language that makes web pages interactive — slideshows, forms that validate, pop-ups, etc. |
| Landing page | A page designed with one specific goal — usually to get a visitor to sign up, buy, or contact you. |
| Lazy loading | A technique where images and videos only load when the visitor is about to see them. Speeds up initial page load. |
| Link | A connection from one page to another. An internal link stays on your site; an external link goes to another site. |
| Localhost | Your own computer, acting as a temporary web server for development and testing. Not visible to the public. |
| Markdown | A simple text-formatting syntax. Type **bold** and it renders as bold. Used in many CMSs and editors. |
| Meta description | A short summary of a page shown under the title in search results. Doesn't directly affect rankings but affects click-through. |
| Mobile-first | Designing and building a website with small screens as the priority, then adapting up to larger screens. |
N–P
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Navigation | The menus and links that help visitors move around your website. |
| Page speed | How quickly a web page fully loads. Faster is better for both visitors and search rankings. |
| PHP | A server-side programming language. WordPress is built on PHP. You don't need to touch it, but it powers your site. |
| Plugin | An add-on that extends what a CMS like WordPress can do — add a contact form, improve SEO, add e-commerce. |
| Popup | A window that appears on top of a page, often used for sign-ups, offers, or cookie consent. |
| Protocol | A set of rules computers use to communicate. HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, and FTP are all protocols. |
R–S
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Redirect | Sending a visitor automatically from one URL to another. Used when pages move or are deleted. |
| Responsive design | A website that automatically adjusts its layout to look good on any screen size — phone, tablet, or desktop. |
| Screenshot | An image captured from your screen. Useful for reporting problems or showing what you're seeing. |
| Script | A piece of code — often JavaScript — that runs in your browser or on the server to add functionality. |
| Section | A distinct block of content on a page — a hero area, a services block, a testimonials row. |
| Server | A computer connected to the internet that stores and "serves" your website's files to visitors. |
| Sitemap | A list of all the pages on your website. Helps search engines find and index your content. |
| Slug | The URL-friendly part of a page address. For yoursite.com/about-us, the slug is about-us. |
| SSL | Secure Sockets Layer — the technology that encrypts data between your site and visitors. Makes the URL say HTTPS. |
| Staging site | A private copy of your website used for testing changes before they go live. |
T–Z
| Term | Plain-English definition |
|---|---|
| Template | A pre-designed page layout you can fill with your own content instead of starting from scratch. |
| Theme | In WordPress: the design "skin" for your site — controls layout, fonts, colors, and style. |
| Traffic | The number of visitors coming to your website. Often divided by source (organic, paid, social, direct). |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator — the full address of a web page, e.g. https://yoursite.com/about-us. |
| User experience (UX) | How easy and enjoyable it is to use a website. Good UX means visitors can find what they need quickly. |
| Widget | A small, self-contained block of content — a button, a search bar, a recent-posts list, a map. |
| Web server | Software running on a server that receives requests from browsers and sends back web pages. |
| Widget area | A region of a WordPress theme — like the sidebar or footer — where you can add and arrange widgets. |
| XML | A file format for structured data. Used for sitemaps and RSS feeds. You rarely need to touch XML directly. |
Common questions
Related guides
- How the web works, in 5 minutes
- The web acronyms cheat sheet
- Domains & DNS: terms A–Z
- Hosting: terms A–Z
- File formats reference
Need a hand?
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