Technology Vocabulary*

Word Definition
Applications Applications software (also called end-user programs) include database programs, word
processors, spreadsheets, and multimedia programs.
AUP Acceptable Use Policy
A contract specifying what a subscriber can and cannot do while using an ISP’s service or
an organization’s network and equipment.
Auxiliary Various techniques and devices for storing large amounts of data. These include floppy
Storage disks, tape drives, zip drives, hard disks, CD’s, firewire drives, and optical disks.
Devices
Averkey Device used to connect the computer to a television to generate the image on the
computer screen onto the television
Backup Copy files to a second medium (a disk or tape) as a precaution in case the first medium
fails and the files are lost.
Binary logic The computer uses zeros and ones (0 and 1) to complete processes and interpret
key strokes/mouse selections.

Bit An individual piece of computerized information

Boolean A search for specific data. It implies that any condition can be searched for using the
Search operators AND, OR, and NOT.
Logic
Byte The main unit of memory in a computer. Eight bits that are combined and recognized by
the computer as numbers, letters, and symbols
CD Compact Disk – Read Only Memory
A round silver colored disk that comes with a large amount of information embedded
and ready to use.
(A CD-R is a one-time writable CD. A CD-RW allows you to write to the disk multiple
times. A CD-ROM is a read only CD.)
Cold boot Start-up a computer from a powered-down state (when the computer is not already on).

CPU Central Processing Unit= The “brains” of the computer. This unit directs the computer’s
activities. Every instruction given by the operator must first pass through the CPU before
it can be carried out.
Database A computerized store (collection) of related information.
Desktop A desktop is the metaphor to portray file systems on the computer’s home screen. Such
a desktop consists of pictures, called icons, which show files, folders, and various types
of documents. You can arrange the icons on the electronic desktop to suit your particular
needs.
Digital A camera that stores its pictures on digital media – disk, memory stick, or internal
Camera memory.
Digital A video camera that records on digital media – digital video tape or memory stick
Video
Camera
Disk A thin sheet of magnetic material on which a computer can store information
(Floppy)
Disk Drive A hardware device that accesses the data stored on a disk, a CD, or a Zip disk
Download The process of transferring software/information from the Internet to your computer.
E-mail Electronic Mail -- The transmission of messages over communications networks.

FAQs Frequently Asked Questions - A listing of questions typically asked along with the
answers to the questions. These lists are frequently prepared to help beginners to use
computer software.
Fax A machine that allows documents to be sent to another place over a phone line
machine
Field In a database record, a category that holds one type of information.
Firewall A mechanism to keep unauthorized users from accessing parts of a network or host
computer.
Folders A folder is an object that can contain multiple documents. Folders are used to organize
information/files.
Format a Prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and writing information.
disk
Graphics A two-dimensional or three-dimensional computer image such as pictures, objects, bar
graphs, or pie charts.
Hard drive An inflexible magnetic disk with greater storage capacity than a CD; can be internal to
the computer or external (i.e., Firewire drive)
Home Page The front or main web page when a browser is launched, which provides access to web
sites on the Internet.
HTML HyperText Markup Language -- The language in which World Wide Web documents are
written.
Internet A global network connecting millions of computers.
ISP Internet Service Provider
Keyboard The part of the computer containing the keys and sometimes the mouse. It allows you
to type and enter information on the computer.
LAN Local Area Network-A group of computers and other devices dispersed over a relatively
limited area and connected by a communications link that enables any device to interact
with any other device on the network.
LCD Liquid Crystal Display-A type of display used in digital watches, many portable
computers, and flat screen monitors.
Listserv An electronic mailing list used to deliver messages to the e-mail addresses of people
interested in a particular topic.
Modem A device that transmits digital data in tones over a phone line; an acronym for
modulatordemodulator. A device or program that enables a computer to transmit data
over telephone lines.
Monitor The screen that displays the images, files, documents, etc. that the user is using.
Mouse A handheld device that moves the computer screen cursor by rolling a plastic ball (or
laser light) along a flat surface, communicating with the computer by cable.
Multimedia Multiple forms of communication including sound, video, video-conferencing, graphics,
and text.
Newsgroup The Internet version of an electronic discussion group in which people can leave
messages or post questions.
Operating The most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer
 system must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic
tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen,
keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such
as disk drives and printers.
PDF File Portable Document Format- The page description language used in the Acrobat
document exchange system.
Peripheral Any device added to the computer.
device
Printer A device that outputs data on paper.
RAM This is a type of computer memory that allows data to be stored and retrieved as
(Random required. It is called random access because any part of the memory can be located
Access without having to go through everything that comes before it.
Memory)
ROM (Read This is the permanent memory. Its contents can only be read by the computer. Nothing
Only new can be stored in it.
Memory)
Scanner A device that can read text or illustrations printed on paper and translate the
information into a format that the computer can use.
Server A computer in a network that is used to provide services (such as access to files or
shared peripherals or the routing of E-mail) to other computers in the network
Spreadshee A software tool used to organize data in a row and column format and to perform
t multiple calculations.
Surf Move from place to place on the Internet searching for topics of interest.
Units Bits – Bytes – Kilobytes – Megabytes – Gigabytes
8 bits to 1 byte; 1000 bytes to 1 kilobyte; 1000 kilobytes to 1 megabyte; 1000
megabytes to 1 gigabyte; 1000 gigabytes (GB) to 1 Tera bite
URL Universal Resource Locator- The global address of documents and other resources on
the World Wide Web.
Virus A destructive computer program that invades by means of a normal program and
damages the computer system.
WAN Wide Area Network - A communications network that connects geographically
separated areas.
Warm boot Resetting (restarting) a computer that is already turned on. Resetting it returns the
computer to its initial state; any data or programs in the main memory are erased. A
warm boot is sometimes necessary when a computer has crashed, frozen, or “locked-
up.”
WWW World Wide Web - A hypertext-based collection of computers on the Internet that
allows you to travel from one linked document to another, even if those documents
reside on many different servers.
Monitor The noun monitor refers to the video screen used to display information on your
computer.
Connect The verb to connect is used to describe the action of establishing (making)
communication with the Internet or with another device (computer equipment) such as a
monitor, modem, etc.

Install The verb to install means to set up or make a computer or application (software
 program) ready for use.
Network Did you know that your computer at work is probably linked to the office network?
The noun network refers to a system of connected computers and other devices such as
printers that exchange data with each other. A private office network is known
as intranet.

Boot The verb to boot has a special meaning in IT. It’s often used in the phrasal verb to boot
up, which means to turn on a computer and have it ready for use. You could also say
“start up” or “power up.”
Access The verb to access, when used in IT, means entering and using a computer, website or
application.
Log in Some websites and applications need you to log in before you can enter and use
them. To log in refers to the process where you enter certain information before you’re
allowed to access a website or application.
Download To download is a verb you’ll often hear in IT to talk about transferring data or
information from a main computer source to another device.
Upgrade It’s not unusual to hear this word in a fast-changing field like IT. The verb to
upgrade means to bring your computer (or other device) up to date with the latest
hardware or software.
Analyze The verb to analyze is used quite often in IT when there’s a need to study data,
information or even a technical problem closely. For instance, you might analyze product
trends or a problem with your communications network.
Browse The verb to browse is used in IT to look over information casually without being too
detailed.
File The noun file in IT refers to a collection of data or information organized under a specific
name and stored in a computer’s folder.
Blog Do you have a blog? The noun blog refers to a website where you write about your
personal experiences, opinions and interests.
Back up The phrasal verb back up is often used in IT to mean making a copy of data and files to
protect them against accidental loss.
Perform In IT, we’re often concerned about how the computer system performs. The verb to
perform refers to how fast a computer can process information.
USB Universal Serial Bus) A hardware interface that supports up to 127 peripherals. USB is
used to attach keyboards, mice, printers, external storage and mobile devices to the
computer. It is also used for charging portable products
HDMI HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a specification that combines video and
audio into a single digital interface for use with digital versatile disc (DVD) players, digital
television (DTV) players, set-top boxes, and other audiovisual devices
Tech Terms 101: Social Media
1. CONTENT CURATION
Even if you’re new to tech, chances are you’re not new to social media. Content curation is the
process social media sites use to gather and present content (articles, links, videos, images,
etc.) that are relevant to a specific topic or a user’s area of interest. Content can be selected
manually by a person designated as a curator, or it can be gathered through automated
programs that track things like upvoting, likes, hashtags, or analysis of a user’s previous online
activity.
2. ENGAGEMENT
Engagement is the term used for likes, shares, comments, and other interactions with a
business’ social media presence. It’s one metric companies use to measure and evaluate their
social media performance. Liking posts on Facebook, tweeting on Twitter, and viewing pins on
Pinterest are all examples of social media engagement.
3. EMBEDDING
Embedding is the process of putting social media content on a web page. When you see a
YouTube video on a blog you’re reading, or a tweet posted on a business’ website you’re
checking out, that’s an example of embedding. Embedding is done through HTML code, and
most social media sites have an “Embed” option that gives you the exact code you’ll need.
4. IMPRESSIONS
Impressions are the number of times an online ad, article, video, or other piece of content has
been “fetched” (or requested) from it’s source. Whenever social media content shows up in
your web browser, it’s been fetched from its web server, and you’ve just helped make an
impression.
5. INFLUENCER
Influencers are individuals with a presence on social media who use their platform to affect
group opinions and behavior. Celebrities who use Twitter, YouTubers with legions of
subscribers, and activists organizing on Facebook are all examples of social media influencers.
6. MENTIONS
Mentions are ways of referring to a person or account on social media platforms
(@yourTwitterhandle on Twitter or +YourName on Google+). Mentions are another metric
companies can use to measure their social media footprint.
7. MICROBLOGGING
Microblogs are a subset of traditional blogs where instead of longform content, short messages
consisting of a few sentences, an image, a video, or a link are posted and shared. Twitter,
Google+, Tumblr, and Facebook are all considered microblogging platforms.
8. ORGANIC
Organic content describes social media content that ranks highly because individual users have
liked, reposted, or viewed it—not because companies have paid to promote the content.
Articles, memes, and videos that go viral through online community sharing (as opposed to paid
advertising) are considered organic.
9. REACH
Reach is a measure of your potential social media audience size—it’s the number of people who
have access to your content, though reach doesn’t measure whether or not the content was
actually viewed.
10. SOCIAL GRAPH
Social graph is a model of Internet users on a social network and how each one is related to all
the others. It’s the way sites like Facebook suggest other users you might know, or how online
games like Words With Friends connect you with your cousin who you didn’t even know had a
social media account.
11. USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC)
User generated is social media content (posts, photos, videos) created by users about a brand
or product and not by companies or organizations themselves. When a local restaurant
retweets a Twitter user’s positive shout out, or Coca-Cola reposts a picture of an Instagram user
drinking a Coke, that’s UGC.
Tech Terms 101: Digital Marketing
12. AFFILIATE MARKETING
Affiliate marketing is a strategy where businesses reward individual affiliates (people or
organizations outside the business) for bringing in new customers or visitors through ads or
content on the affiliate’s website. Affiliates receive payments or product discounts based on the
number of customers they generate. These are exceptionally common on personal or lifestyle
sites, where you might notice that the product recommended has a link with a bunch of
additional stuff tracked on. That means that if you buy the product, the blog or site that lead
you there will make some percentage of that sale.
13. BOUNCE RATE
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors to a website who leave the website quickly without
really looking at it—Google analytics calculates bounce rates based on website sessions where a
visitor only sticks round to look at one page before bouncing. Sites aim to keep this number low
—they want you spend time on their site—and so they’ll try to keep content as engaging and
relevant to you as possible.
14. CALL TO ACTION (CTA)
A call to action is the text, banner, form, or image on a web page (or email) asking a visitor to
literally take an action—read more content, join an email list, sign up for a webinar, buy a
product, etc. CTAs are a marketing tool that converts web users into leads for businesses.
15. CLICK THROUGH RATE (CTR)
The click through rate is the percentage of users who click on links in web pages or marketing
emails. CTR is significant because it measures how many users are actively engaging with linked
content on a site.
16. SALES FUNNEL
A sales funnel is an internet marketing method where potential customers are led through a
series of events or actions that can be mapped out in the shape of funnel. The broadest level at
the top of the funnel involves drawing users to your website, after which they move down the
funnel where they’re offered services or resources if they sign up for your email list, until
eventually they move to the bottom of the funnel and become a paying customer.
17. CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION (CRO)
CRO is a marketing system for raising the percentage of website visitors who convert to paying
customers. CRO methods usually involve encouraging users to take specific actions on the
website, such as filling out a web form, signing up for a trial, or joining an email list.
18. KEYWORDS
Keywords are words or phrases commonly used in search engines to look for online content.
Keyword research is a powerful internet marketing tool, since web advertising and website
search engine placement can be optimized to match high traffic keywords, making it more likely
that Googlers will end up on your site.
19. MARKETING AUTOMATION
Marketing automation describes the use of software or online services (like HubSpot,
MailChimp, and Act-on) to automate repetitive marketing tasks like emails, customer
relationship management, social media posts, and analytics. Marketing Automation programs
allow marketers to input specific criteria for the tasks in question and that data is interpreted
and executed by the program.
20. MULTICHANNEL MARKETING
Multichannel marketing uses a variety of communication platforms (website banner ads,
Facebook ads, marketing emails, a blog) to interact with potential customers. This approach
allows users to choose which channel they want to use to interact with your product and
increases options for converting impressions into customers.
21. SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM)
SEM describes the use of paid advertising (such as brief copy, product listings, and video clips)
on search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) in order to drive user traffic to your website.
22. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
SEO is the internet marketing practice of optimizing a website so that it’s more likely to show
up in unpaid search results (e.g. it’s one of the first sites to appear when you Google a related
topic). SEO is done through using algorithms based on specific search engine’s behaviors,
analyzing the specific keywords typed into search engines, and researching which search
engines are popular with particular demographics. Then, you align the format of your content
(including things like making sure headings have extra searchable terms) to give yourself the
best shot at moving up in search engines’ rankings. Be careful, though: going too far has
consequences. “Stuffing” your content with keywords will get you dinged on Google’s rankings,
so don’t let the goal of SEO overtake producing authentic, excellent content.
23. TRAFFIC
Traffic is the total amount of users who visit a website. Overall traffic is then broken down into
specific types of visits—like unique visitors and total clicks.
Tech Terms 101: Growth Hacking
24. GROWTH HACKING
Growth hacking is the creative use of technology (websites, marketing emails, apps) and
analytics (data mining, A/B testing) in combination with product development to increase a
company’s growth. Growth hacking focuses on lower cost marketing alternatives to traditional
television, newspaper, and radio ads and is often used by startup companies looking to grow
their business rapidly during their launch phase.
25. A/B TESTING
A/B testing is the practice of comparing two versions of online content—websites, apps,
marketing emails, etc.—in order to see which version performs better. The two versions (A and
B) are presented to users at random in order to gauge reactions.
26. CONTENT MARKETING
Content marketing uses online content—e-books, videos, blog posts, podcasts etc—in order to
attract an audience who might become customers. Content marketing doesn’t explicitly
advertise a brand, but is designed to indirectly stimulate interest in products and services.
27. CONVERSION
Conversion is the successful end result of marketing attempts like A/B Testing and Content
Marketing—it’s the point when a potential customer becomes a lead or an actual customer.
28. DATA MINING
Data mining is the practice of examining large amounts of data in user databases and websites
to find consumer patterns, behaviors, and relationships that can be useful in marketing goods
and services online.
29. EMAIL MARKETING
Email marketing is the use of direct emails (directly from a business to an individual) in order to
communicate with current and potential customers. Email marketing allows companies to strike
a more personal tone and establish a voice for their brand.
30. WEBSITE OPTIMIZATION
Site optimization is the process of using growth hacks to improve the site’s ability to convert
visitors to customers. Controlled experiments like A/B testing are carried out and the results are
used to make website changes that lead to more pageviews, product purchases, etc. This might
include making it easier to get from one article to another, making sure pop ups most
accurately match the interest of the user, or simply making the site as a whole easier to
navigate.
Tech Terms 101: Graphic Design
31. COLOR VALUE
Color value is a color’s shade. Value can be defined in HTML by name (black), hexadecimal color
code (#000000), or RGB code (0, 0, 0).
32. COLOR THEORY
Color theory is the study of color mixing and the visual effects of specific color combinations
(complimentary colors, color harmony, how to achieve specific tints and shades, etc).
33. GRID SYSTEM
Grids are a set of columns and rows that can be used as guidelines to arrange content on a web
page. Grid systems help provide a solid base of uniformity and consistency in your design,
making it more legible for the viewer.
34. PIXELS PER INCH (PPI)
PPI—also known as “density”—describes the amount of pixels (small dots of light that combine
to create an image) per inch on a device display. The higher the PPI count, the sharper images
and text will appear.
35. RASTER IMAGES
Raster images are computer graphics made of pixels that can be edited pixel-by-pixel with
programs like Painter and Photoshop. Raster image are stored in familiar image file types like
GIFs, JPEGs, and PNGs.
36. RESOLUTION
Resolution is the number of pixels that can be shown on a device’s display. As with PPI, the
higher the resolution on a display the more pixels can be shown, making images and texts
sharper.
37. RETINA DISPLAY
Retina display is a term trademarked by Apple for an electronic device display with density so
high (usually over 300 ppi) that people can’t see the individual pixels. Apple uses these high
density displays in Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs.
38. VECTOR IMAGES
Vector images are made up of lines that are calculated mathematically. Because of the images’
line composition (instead of being composed by individual pixels), they can’t be styled to the
same degree as raster images, but they don’t lose quality when they’re magnified (pixel-based
raster images start to look like a collection of squares when zoomed-in too closely), whereas
vector images can be infinitely scaled up. You can use programs like Adobe Photoshop to work
with vectors.
Tech Terms 101: User Experience
39. MOOD BOARD
Mood boards are collections of content (images, materials, pieces of text) used to represent the
visual style of a website—or any creative project— (color palette, images, icons, and fonts) in
pre-production. The style represented on a mood board is then translated into digital form
by visual designers.
40. SITEMAPS
Sitemaps are outlines or maps of the pages that make up a website. They show the relationship
between the pages and links, apps, videos, or other components, and can take the form of a
document or its own page on the website.
41. USER INTERFACE (UI)
User interface includes all the parts of a website, app, computer, smartphone, etc. that the user
can manipulate and interact with. Display and touch screens, website menus, keyboards, your
cursor—these are all part of a user interface.
42. USER EXPERIENCE (UX)
UX describes the emotions, attitudes, and ease-of-use a person has when using a product or
service. UX Design is the practice of using design to improve communication between a product
and its user in order to enhance the user’s overall experience.
43. USER FLOW
User flow is the path typical users take when starting on a website and moving toward an
action on the site. Creating a smooth path that is intuitive for users to follow is part of user
experience (UX) design.
44. USER PERSONA
Personas are theoretical user profiles created by UX and web designers to define what kind of
user a website is being built for and what their needs are. User personas are created using
demographic information, user research, and analysis of customer experience metrics.
45. USER RESEARCH
User research is the process of investigating how users behave on a website and examining how
that behavior can lead to a better website experience and design.
46. WIREFRAME
Wireframes are sketches of the key information that goes on each page of a website, essentially
showing the site or page’s “skeleton.” Designers can then use this sketch as a starting point for
laying out a website. These can be made in programs or written on a napkin—we’ve seen it all.
Tech Terms 101: Typography
47. FONT
Fonts or typefaces are what determine the look of your text—they are typically designed by
people who specialize in type design. Fonts are organized by style family’s (Arial) and then
grouped by weight with in that family (regular, italics, or bold).
48. KERNING
Kerning refers to the space between characters (letters, numbers, punctuation) and the process
of adjusting that space to avoid unsightly gaps and improve the legibility of text.
49. LEADING (PRONOUNCED “LED-ING”)
Leading is the vertical distance between lines of text on a website—in other words the space
between lines, a subtle (but important!) part of design appearance.
50. TRACKING
Tracking is the amount of space between words (as opposed to individual characters), and like
kerning and leading, is essential for legibility.
51. TYPE HIERARCHY
Hierarchy is a method of using different font sizes and styles on a website in order to organize
the site and make it more visually appealing. A web page with titles in a larger font than its
body text or bold text separating sections is using type hierarchy (like this very article!).
52. SERIF
Serifs are small lines attached to the end of letters or symbols in “serif” font family (Times New
Roman, Lucida Bright), distinguishing those fonts from “sans serif” font families (fonts without
serifs, like Arial, Helvetica).
Tech Terms 101: Front End development
53. FRONT END
Front end describes all the parts of a website that can be seen and interacted with by
users. Front end web development usually involves coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
54. HTML (HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE)
HTML is the standard language used to create web pages. It’s the most basic building block
you’ll need for developing websites. You might remember basic HTML tags from early personal
websites like Myspace, where you could customize your page with commands inside <>.
55. HTML5
HTML5 is (as of this writing) the latest version of HTML. HTML5 focuses on features that can be
used on low-powered devices (making it ideal for creating mobile applications), the native
ability to work with multimedia and graphic content, and new semantic web tag elements
(features you use to structure your pages and documents).
56. ELEMENTS
Elements are individual HTML components of an document or webpage. For example, a
paragraph in an HTML document is an element. Elements are made up of an opening tag (<p>),
a closing tag (</p>), and information between them:
<p>This is my paragraph!</p>
57. META ELEMENTS
Meta elements are HTML elements that don’t appear visibly for the user on a webpage, but
give the web browsers additional information about the page—keywords, author of the
document, last modified, etc.
58. SEMANTIC ELEMENTS
Semantic elements are HTML elements that provide information to the web browser processing
the page as well as the developer building it. While non-semantic elements
like <div> and <span> don’t describe their content, semantic elements like <header>, <section>,
and <article> define their content in their name.
59. STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
Structural elements are the HTML elements used to organize the content of a web page.
Structural elements like <div> and <span> are used to group block level and inline content
together, respectively, while <header> contains the header content of a page, <footer>
contains the footer content, etc.
60. ATTRIBUTES
Attributes are used to provide additional information about HTML elements. For example an
HTML element like a paragraph can have an attribute of being aligned (left, center, or right).
Attributes are included in the opening tag and made up of the attribute name, an equal sign,
and a value in double quotes.
Example: <p = align=”right”>This is my paragraph!</p>
61. OPENING TAG AND CLOSING TAGS
Opening and closing tags are sets of angle brackets with an HTML element character(s) that
contains a piece of content or part of the structure for a web page
Example of opening tag: <p>
Example of closing tag: </p>
62. SELF-CLOSING TAG
Self-closing tags are opening tags that don’t have a corresponding closing tag but instead close
themselves with a forward slash before the right angle bracket. If you look at this tag to insert
an image, you’ll see that it has the / which typically denotes closing a tag inside the opening
tag.
Example: <img src=”http://example.com/myimage.jpg” alt=”My image”/>
Tech Terms 101: CSS
63. CSS (CASCADING STYLE SHEETS)
CSS is the language used to add style to documents created with HTML. Where HTML comes
first and creates the foundation for a page, CSS comes along next and is used to create the
page’s layout, color, fonts, etc.
64. CSS3
CSS3 is the latest version of CSS, introducing features like rounded corners, shadows, gradients,
transitions or animations, and new layouts like multi-columns and flexible box or grid layouts.
65. SELECTOR
Selector is a part of CSS code that defines which HTML element the CSS styling effects. For
example if element “p” (say, a specific paragraph) is a selector, then:
<p style="font-size: 12px">
will change the font size of the selected element.
66. PROPERTY
A property in CSS is the part of a web page’s foundational HTML code (font size, color, margin)
whose appearance or style is changed by CSS.
67. VALUE
A value is the CSS code that defines the settings for for a CSS property. For example, if you’re
using CSS to change the font size and color of a certain block of text, the value describes what
those changes will be. The value 1.5em, red, 20px will cause the property (the block of text) to
have an indentation of 1.5 the font size, the text will appear red, and the font size will be 20pt.
68. DECLARATIONS
Declarations are parts of CSS code where a property and value for the selector are displayed
inside a pair of curly brackets.
{font-size: 1.5em;}
Tech Terms 101: Back End development
69. BACK END
Back end refers to the “under the hood” part of a website or web service that makes it run (this
includes applications, web servers, and databases), and is typically not visible to the user
interacting with the site or service.
70. APPLICATION
Applications are types of software (also called “apps” and often used to refer to mobile device
software) designed to provide a function for a user or another app. Apps include everything
from web browsers, to word processors, to photo and image editing tools, to chat programs like
Skype and Google Hangouts.
71. API (APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE)
An API is the interface used for building web applications. APIs provide building blocks for
coders to use, and then the coders put those blocks together to create the program they are
trying to build. Examples of APIs include Google Maps API (allows developers to embed Google
maps on web pages), Twitter APIs (Twitter has two APIs—REST, which allows developers to
access core Twitter data, and Search, which allows developers to interact with Twitter Search
and trends data), and Amazon Product Advertising API (allows developers to access Amazon’s
product database and advertise Amazon products on a website).
72. BUGS
Bugs are coding mistakes or unwanted pieces of code that keep a website or program from
working properly.
73. DEVOPS (DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS)
Devops is a software development process that focuses on helping development, operations,
and quality teams understand each other and collaborate better. By unifying these three
separate departments, Devops teams aim for shorter development cycles and more
dependable software releases.
74. FRAMEWORKS
Frameworks are collection of programs and components commonly used in software
development. Rather than spending time seeking out each of these components separately,
developers can take advantage of frameworks where they are collected in one place. Examples
of frameworks include Ruby on Rails, Bootstrap, AngularJS, and Joomla.
75. OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING (OOP)
Object-oriented programming is a type of computer programming/software design that focuses
on the creation of objects that have specific and unique attributes and abilities. In OOP,
computer programs are made up of these created objects that then interact with one another.
This is in contrast to earlier programming languages that focus more on the process of turning
input data into output data rather than the data (objects) itself. Examples of OOP languages
include Ruby, PHP, and Python.
76. SOFTWARE
Software is a program or set of instructions that tells a computer, phone, or tablet what to do.
Software includes individual applications (web browsers, word processors) as well as system
software like operating systems (Microsoft Windows), drivers (software that allows operating
systems to communicate with hardware like printers), and utilities (tools like anti-virus
programs or hard drive defragmenters).
77. TEXT EDITOR
A text editor is a type of software used to write plain text (without formatting), which is often
used for coding and programming. After code has been written, it’s formatted another program
called a compiler (specific to the programming language you’re using) to make it computer-
readable, but code normally starts it’s life on a plain text editor. Examples of text editors
include SublimeText, TextEdit, TextWrangler, and Notepad++.
78. VERSION CONTROL
Version control is a tool used to keep track of changes to code and files on a website or app and
allows the user to go back and restore earlier versions in case of bugs. Version control tools like
Git are often built in to source code editors (programs used to write and edit code) like Visual
Code Studio, or offered as part of a web hosting service.
79. WEB SERVERS
Web servers are computers used to store websites, online apps, documents, pictures, or other
data, and can be accessed through the internet by way of applications like web browsers or file
transfer protocol (FTP) clients. When you visit a website with the browser on your computer or
smartphone, you are requesting it from a web server.
Tech Terms 101: Systems
80. CACHING
Caching is what happens when a web browser stores recurring website assets—like images and
font styles—so that the website will load faster on repeat visits from the same user. By caching,
your browser won’t have to reinvent the wheel every time the site is requested.
81. CLOUD COMPUTING
Cloud computing is a practice where data is not stored locally on your own computer, but
instead is spread out among a number of remote servers accessible through the internet.
Service like Google Docs, Facebook, and Gmail are examples of cloud computing—you are
interacting with data on your home computer that is stored externally in “the cloud.”
82. FIREWALLS
Firewalls are systems designed to protect and secure a computer network—everything from a
commercial web service to your home WiFi network—from external security risks. Firewalls
monitor inbound and outbound network traffic and determine whether or not to allow the
traffic through based on a user-defined set of security standards.
83. ROUTERS
Routers are the devices used to connect personal computers to the internet via a service
provider like cable or DSL. The device that your computer is either directly connected to via an
ethernet cable or that you use to access your home WiFi network is a router.
84. UPTIME & DOWNTIME
Uptime and downtime describes how long a website, computer, or other system has been
working (uptime) or not working (downtime).
85. VIRTUAL MACHINE (VM)
Virtual machine is software that makes it possible to use one computer operating system (like
Windows 10) on a computer running another system (like a MacBook Pro). Examples include
Virtual Box, Parallels, and VM Ware.
86. VPN (VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK)
VPNs are networks that allow public internet connections to be used as private networks as a
means of improving security. When you use a public WiFi network, for instance, your device
and data are theoretically accessible by everyone else on the network. When using a VPN,
you’re still able to access the internet through the public network, but are shielded by the VPN.
VPN’s can be set up through some web browsers (like Opera), or can be accessed through paid
monthly services.
Tech Terms 101: Data
87. BIG DATA
Big data is a term for collections of data that are so large they can’t be processed through
traditional data processing systems. These collections come from sources like mobile devices,
emails, search keywords, user database information, applications, and servers. By finding ways
to comb through this data, companies can identify consumer patterns and use them to predict
and optimize their business.
88. DATA ARCHITECTURE
How data is collected, stored, accessed, and used in companies and organizations
89. DATABASE
Data architecture describes the way data is collected, stored, accessed, and used in companies
and organizations. It can be seen as the roadmap for how data flows across an organization’s IT
systems and applications.
90. DATA MODELING
Determining what kind of data is needed and how it will be structured and organized
91. DATA VISUALIZATION
Data visualization is the use of graphs, charts, tables, infographics, etc. in order to define and
communicate data being analyzed and the the findings that have come from it.
92. RELATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (RDMS)
Relational database management systems are used to organize data into tables—the data can
then be accessed or reassembled without having to reorganize the database tables. Examples
of RDMS include SAP and MySQL.
Tech Terms 101: Mobile
93. HYBRID APP
Hybrid apps are applications that will work on different platforms (computers, mobile devices,
tablets) and are a combination of a native app (one that is stored locally on your device) and a
web app (one that is accessed through a web browser on the Internet). Amazon and Apple App
Stores, Twitter, Yelp, and Gmail are all examples of hybrid apps.
94. IDE (INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT)
IDE is a software application that includes tools like source code editors (text editors specifically
designed for writing code), debuggers (tools for testing code), and build automation tools (tools
for compiling code into machine-readable format and running automated tests). Examples of
IDE’s include Eclipse, Visual Studio, and VIM.
95. NATIVE APPS
Native apps are made specifically for certain platforms. They only run on the platforms they
were built for, and are stored locally on those devices. Mail for iOS and Ingress for Android are
both examples of native apps.
96. NFC (NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION)
NFC is technology that lets mobile devices communicate using radio waves when they’re very
close to each other (about four inches or less) and is used for services like sharing files, pairing
accessories, or wireless payments. Companies can use NFC to make products interactive with
consumers’ mobile devices, such as including NFC-enabled tags on products that allow users to
register products, get discounts, or place new orders with their mobile device.
97. RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN
Responsive web design is the practice of designing websites so that they adapt gracefully to
different-sized devices like phones, tablets, wearable devices, etc. If you’re able to visit a
website on your phone and it looks just as proportional and seamless as it does on your
computer, it’s an example of responsive web design.
98. SDK (SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KIT)
SDK is a set of tools for creating specific types of software. SDK’s are released by companies
that control the platform the software is being developed for. For instance, apps developed for
iOS require the iOS SDK, Windows apps require the .NET Framework SDK, and Java apps require
the Java Development Kit.
99. WEB APPS
Web apps are websites that look and feel like an app (as opposed to a series of linked pages).
Facebook, Pandora, and Google Docs are all examples of web apps.