Web Terms for the Beginner

by: P Barnes, on: 2011-09-29

Some definitions of common web terminology

Many of the following definitions are VERY simplified. The intent here is to give the absolute beginner some basic context for the terms their web developer is likely to use during the course of building their site. If you need more detailed information regarding the following terms, please visit wikipedia.org.

Browserback to top

A browser is the software you run on your computer to view web pages on the internet. Some of the major browsers are: Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera. Each browser has its own unique way of displaying a web page and it is your web developer's (eg. Think Visual Communications) job to make your web site work well in as many browser versions as is reasonable.

Web Pageback to top

A web page is what you see when you click a link or type an address in your web browser. Each time you click a new link, you are taken to a new web page.

Web Siteback to top

Web sites are collections of related web pages, all found within the same domain. The simplest web sites consist of a single web page. There are also massive web sites with millions of pages of ... whatever.

Domainback to top

A domain is the "address" of a web site. You have seen them many times and they usually appear in the format "www.yourwebsite.com". Domains are purchased through agents known as registrars. Your web developer should be able to help you through the process of getting a domain. Some web hosts offer free domain name registration as part of the package.

Hostback to top

Web sites have to be stored somewhere, right? A host is a company/person who stores your web site on a computer called a server. This server and its software is specially designed to make your web pages available to anyone who visits your domain. Your web dev(eloper) can help you set up your hosting package too.

HTMLback to top

HTML stands for "HyperText Markup Language" (you don't need to know that, but it'll impress your friends). This is the basic language (code) that describes your web page. When you click a link you are essentially asking the host server associated with that domain to send your browser a text file written in HTML. The HTML is then interpreted by your browser and rendered onto your screen for you to read and interact with. Because your browser decides what the supplied code ultimately means you can get very different results depending on the browser you are using.

There is an organization responsible for setting HTML standards, but every browser still has its unique quirks and limitations. Your web dev should take this into consideration when writing your web site code.

CSSback to top

Here's another acronym for you: CSS = "Cascading Style Sheets". These style sheets allow a clever developer to keep the content of your web pages separate from the code that describes the final appearance of that content on a screen. In 'the old days' every page of a web site had the style code built right into it. Now, with CSS, a developer can define the appearance of the entire web site in one piece of code. This separation means that when it' is time to change the look of the web site your developer now makes the changes to the CSS and every web page linked to it will automatically change along with it.

Javascriptback to top

Javascript is another web language that allows web devs to add more interactive elements to websites. Javascript is run from within your browser and is thus subject to the limitations of each individual browser. Some computers may be running older versions of Java or have it turned off entirely. While most machines are Java friendly and the results of effectively applied Javascript code can add greatly to the web experience, it should always be used with the consideration that some browsers may not like it.

PHPback to top

PHP originally stood for "Personal Home Page", it is now said to stand for "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor". Tired of the acronyms yet? PHP is yet another coding language for the web. What makes PHP different is the fact that it is run server-side. What this means is that the PHP is executed on the server to generate HTML/CSS/etc NOT on the browser. End result; the code isn't browser dependent! PHP can't manipulate fancy dynamic elements on the page, but it can make the building and maintenance of large or complicated sites much simpler (especially in conjunction with a mySQL database).

mySQLback to top

I'm not going to tell you what mySQL stands for. Suffice it to say that mySQL is databasing language that allows you to store information to be retrieved on demand by a web page using (frequently) PHP. Done properly, the combination of PHP and mySQL can mean that a million page web site can be run from just a few simple template pages!

Search Engineback to top

Search engines are complex web sites that index billions of web sites so that you can find the information you are looking for. Think: Google, Yahoo, Bing. PS - You will want your web site to appear here in other people's searches too!

SEOback to top

OK, this is the last one. I swear. SEO means Search Engine Optimization and refers to the art (it is an art, not a science) of getting your web site noticed and ranked high so that you appear as close to the top of pertinent searches as possible. There are dedicated SEO companies out there who's job it is to keep your web site at the top of the listings, but your web dev should be conscious of the basics of good SEO practices in the building of your web site (Think Visual Communications does).