From aggregation to xhtml (not quite A to Z), here is a list of definitions to help you navigate the world of web development.
aggregation, aggregated: when content from pages on a website is excerpted on a higher level page, leading the reader to the full article.
authentication: the action of verifying the identity of a person or process, most commonly done through the use of a login identification and passwords, or through SSL Certificates like Verisign, or GeoTrust.
cascading style sheets (CSS): a way to describe the presentation of a document written in xHTML. CSS is used to define the colors, fonts, layout, and other aspects of a document’s presentation. It allows designers to separate presentation logic from business logic, improving content accessibility, and providing more flexibility and control in the layout and formatting of a document. CSS also allows the same content to be displayed in different styles for different devices such as on a monitor, a PDA or handheld device, and in print, vastly improving the effectiveness of our content on a wide range of devices.
content management system (CMS): these assist in the automation of various content publishing tasks. Some examples of this might include: managing an online publication such as a magazine or newsletter, managing a blog or personal website, managing a photo gallery, or managing a mailing list. One of the primary benefits to using such a system is that it does not require the operator to learn a complex programming language in order to perform updates to their website. A CMS can also help ensure that the look and feel of your site remain constant throughout.
database: a structured collection of information. Structure means that pieces of information have been set up in relation to each other so that they can be systematically located by a computer.
digital certificates (secure site certificates): these certificates are the digital equivilant of a positive identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. Issued by various authorities (Verisign, GeoTrust, and so on) certificates are used to prove that a website, or a visitor to that site, is the entity or person they claim to be.
Domain Names & DNS Servers: domain names provide memorable stand-ins for the numeric IP addresses used by computers to identify one another on a network. Some common examples of domain names are www.google.com or www.triangleparkcreative.com. In order for a user to be able to type www.triangleparkcreative.com into the address bar of their web browser and be taken to the Triangle Park Creative website, the domain name must first be translated into a numeric IP address by a Domain Name System server (DNS Server). The same holds true for other domain name-based services such as email (name@example.com) and FTP servers.
dynamic web pages: web pages that do not exist until a user accesses them; they are then generated from a template and filled with data (the content is generated on the fly). Contrast with static pages.
feedback, user feedback: graphical response that indicates an action has been taken by the user.
Hand-coding a way to generate HTML without using a WYSIWYG editor.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): a protocol that allows for the transfer of files from one computer to another. In web development, it is used as the primary means for transferring files from the local machine where they are created to the server where they are made available to the public. FTP is also a verb used to describe the act of transferring files from one computer to another.
GIF/JPEG/PNG (Common Image Formats): these stand, respectively, for Graphic Interchange Format, Joint Photographic Experts Group, and Portable Network Graphics, the three most common image formats in use on the web today. Each format has its benefits and pitfalls, making it important to choose the right format for the job. Both GIF and PNG are lossless compression formats, meaning that file size may be reduced without degrading visual quality. Both are a great choice for text headlines, navigation items, and line art. Because of their lossless compression, however, they are less than ideal for compressing photographs, which contain significantly more information. JPEG is a “lossy” format, specially designed to compress photographic images. It averages the information contained within an image and discards everything that is not necessary for reproduction, drastically reducing overall file size. Because of its compression method, however, JPEGs are not very well suited for line art and text images.
GUI (Graphical User Inteface): a software front-end made to provide an attractive and easy-to-use interface between a user and a computer. In the context of web design, GUI generally refers to what the user sees in the browser.
hypertext markup language (HTML): HTML is the primary language of websites. A more recent standard is XHTML (extensible HTML). Both identify the function of the various parts of content—a paragraph, a major head, a minor head, a numbered list, and so on. They provide structure to the content.
LAMP (Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP): an acronym referring to a set of free/open-source software programs commonly used in conjunction with one another to develop and maintain dynamic websites and servers. This particular combination has become increasingly popular because of its low cost and the ubiquity of its components.
MySQL: (My Structured Query Language): a multi-user relational database management system, similar to MS Access, or Oracle. However, unlike Access or Oracle, MySQL is free for use under the GNU General Public License. While not as robust as some of its more expensive siblings MySQL, because of its ease of use and small resource requirements, is an ideal platform for developing databases for use on the web. Initially many people where concerned about its scalability, and questioned whether or not it could keep up with the demands of a high-volume website. Today, some of the highest traffic sites in the world rely on MySQL to manage their information. (Slashdot, Wikipedia, Yahoo!, Cox Communications).
mystery meat or mine sweeping: slang terms for interface designs that make users hunt for important content — usually the site navigation.
open source code: code for a program that is put into the public domain so users can use and modify it freely and as needed, with the assumption that they will share improvements with others. Open Source Content Management Systems, such as Drupal and Mambo, have user communities around the world, working to improve them. Contrast with proprietary code.
optimization of graphics: the practice of making graphic files as small as possible. A balance is struck between image quality and download time.
PHP: (Hypertext Preprocessor): an open-source programming language, which although it continues to expand into other realms, has been developed primarily for use in development of server-side applications and dynamic web content. PHP serves as the middle-man between stored information and its presentation in your browser as a web page.
photo galleries: prestructured grids into which staff or users can upload photos. By extension, “gallery” can be used to describe any place on a website where users are able to upload static content to share with others.
proprietary code: code for programs that is not in the public domain; it is sold by a company to a user.
RSS (Real Simple Syndication): this technology allows a website to publish a syndication feed, which provides web content or summaries of web content combined with links to the full version of the content and other published data. These feeds can be accessed and subscribed to by a number of different applications, allowing users to subscribe and receive automated and timely updates regarding the content on your site.
server: a computer connected to the Internet that hosts websites so other computers can accessed them.
server-side: scripting languages that run on a server and give it instructions for generating web pages. Examples include PHP (open source), ASP (Microsoft/proprietary), and Cold Fusion (Macromedia/proprietary).
SSI (server side includes): a portion of a web page that can be stored on a server. It can be used for items that appear on multiple pages, such as navigation. SSIs make it easy to change common content throughout the site with a single instruction, thereby increasing site efficiency.
static pages: HTML pages that are retrieved by users exactly as they were written. Their content can only be changed by editing the HTML. Contrast with dynamic pages.
SurveyMonkey: an inexpensive web-based survey service that allows users to create surveys linked to their sites and to get reports on the responses.
template (templated items): a formatting model for websites meant to simplify filling with content, revision and expansion.
threaded discussion: the practice of users posting content so others may reply to it in sequence. Discussions may or may not be moderated by the site sponsor, depending on how they are set up.
web host, host, hosting: a company that allows individuals or other companies to use their servers in order to host a website or other Internet media such as e-mail and streaming audio/video content.
Wiki: a system that makes it possible for documents to be written collectively (co-authoring) in a simple mark-up language using a web browser.
WYSIWYG editor: a program used to create HTML that enables the user to see what a web page will look like as it is assembled (what you see is what you get). Examples include Dreamweaver, GoLive!, and FrontPage.
xHTML (Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language): maintained and developed by the WC3, xHTML is the mark-up language used to tell web browsers and other Internet-ready devices what kind of content is contained within a web page. xHTML is designed to be 100 percent accessible and both backward and forward compatible, meaning your content will be understood by the largest number of existing devices, and any developed in the future.