UCertify Site Development Associate Glossary Terms
Image Maps
A Webpage image with clickable regions that are defined as "hot spot" hyperlinks to other pages or page sections.
Hexadecimal
A base-16 number system that allows large numbers to be displayed by fewer characters than if the number were displayed in the regular base-10 system. In hexadecimal, the regular base-10 number is represented as the letter A, 15 is represented as F, and 16 is represented as 10.
Site Map
A brief, hierarchical representation of a Website that enables visitors to quickly identify areas of the site and navigate them.
Brand
A concept or collection of symbols associated with a product, service, or person.
Web 2.0
A concept referring to the changing trends in the use of WWW technology and Web design that have led to the development of information-sharing and collaboration abilities.
Web Feed
A data format for delivering Web content that is updated frequently.
Document Type Declaration (<!DOCTYPE>)
A declaration of document or code type embedded within an HTML, XHTML, XML, or SGML document; identifies the version and markup language used. Denoted by the <!DOCTYPE> declaration at the beginning of the document.
Application Cache
A directory on a computer where applications, such as internet apps, can be stored and run without access to the original application.
Request for Comments (RFC)
A document published by the IETF that details information about standardized Internet protocols and those in various development stages.
Fixed-width Font
A font in which every character, including the space character, has equal width. In proportional-width font, letters such as "I" and "J" have less width than "M" or "B".
Sans-Serif
A font style that does not use decorative strokes at the tips of characters. It includes the Arial Font family.
Serif
A font style that uses characters with small decorative additions at the outermost points of the characters, called strokes. It includes the Times and Times New Roman fonts.
Stock Photography
A group of images that are often licensed for specific uses such as for use in printed material or on a website.
Metalanguage
A language used for defining other languages.
Structured Query Language (SQL)
A language used to create and maintain professional, high performance corporate databases.
Block-level element
A markup element that affects at least an entire paragraph.
Text-Level Element
A markup element that affects single characters or words.
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
A markup language that describes document content instead of adding structure or formatting to document content. A simplified version of SGML.
Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)
A metalanguage used to create other languages, including HTML and XHTML.
Animation
A method in which several pictures are combined in a sequence that is rendered in rapid succession to simulate motion.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
A program that processes data submitted by the user. Allows a Web server to pass control to a software application, based on the user request. The application receives and organizes data, then returns it in a consistent format.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A program that provides visual navigation with menus and screen icons and performs automated functions when users click command buttons.
Smalltalk
A programming language that pioneered object-oriented programming. Not popularly used in Web devvelopment.
Ajax
A programming methodology that uses a number of existing technologies together and enables Web applications to make a incremental updates to the user interface without the need to reload the browser page.
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
A protocol based on SSL 3.0 that provides authentication and encryption, used by most servers for secure exchanges over the internet.
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)
A protocol that enables operating systems to map file name extensions to correspond applications. Also used by application to automatically process files downloaded from the internet.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
A protocol that provides authentication and encryption, used by most servers for secure exchanges over the internet. Superseded by Transport Layer Security (TLS).
Trouble Ticket
A record of a problem related to a service provided by a ISP or cloud service provider. Used to record receipt of a complaint and track resolution of the problem.
Markup Language
A series of commands used to format, organize, and describe information on a Webpage.
Document Type Definition (DTD)
A set of rules contained in a simple text file that defines the structure, syntax, and vocabulary as it relate to tags and attributes for a corresponding document.
Web Application Framework
A set of software tools or code that is commonly used in the creation and management of online applications.
Application Programming Interface (API)
A set of universal commands, calls, and functions that allows developers to communicate with an application or operating system.
Uniform Name Resource (URN)
A subset of URI that has a unique name and does not include a protocol; examples include ISBN number which is used to uniquely identify a book.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
A subset of URI that includes location as well as the protocol to retrieve the resource on the internet.
Interlacing
A technique that allows users with slow internet connection to see a degraded copy of images on a Webpage. The image is gradually filled in until the full-resolution image is displayed.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
A technology that allows greater style definition and formatting control of HTML elements. Formatting can be placed within the HTML or called remotely from an external style sheet.
Cookie
A text file that contains information sent between a server and a client to help maintain state and track user activities. Cookies can reside in memory or on a hard drive.
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)
A text that is used to identify any resource or name on the internet.
Emulator
A type of software that imitates a computer and then allows non-native software to run in a foreign environment. Sometimes also a hardware device.
Unicode
A universal character set designed to support all written languages, as well as scholarly disciplines (e.g., mathematics).
What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)
A user-friendly editing format in which the file being edited is displayed as it will appear in the browser.
Troll
A web user who publishes negative comments or submits feedback simply to annoy or express anger.
XMLHttpRequest
An Application Programming Interface (API) that is used to transfer XML and other text data between a Web server and browser.
Canvas
An HTML5 Application Programming Interface (API) used for rendering visual images on the fly by providing scripts with a bitmap canvas.
3-D Secure
An XML-based protocol used by credit card companies to add security to online credit and debit card transactions.
Drop Zone
An area of a Webpage that has bee defined as a place where dragged items can be placed.
Colspan
An attribute that is used with the <th> or <td> element to horizontally span two or more columns.
Rowspan
An attribute that is used with the <th> or <td> element to vertically span two or more rows.
Captcha
An automatically generated image that contains a distorted text and requires users to enter this text and submit it along with the Web form; used to distinguish human from machine input.
Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
An e-commerce model in which a Web-based business sells products and/or services to consumers or end users.
Business-to-Business (B2B)
An e-commerce model in which a Web-based business sells products and/or services to other businesses.
Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)
An e-commerce model in which individual consumers sell products or services to other consumers.
Mailing List Server
An email server that regularly sends email messages to a specified list of users.
Image Transparency
An image feature that provides the visual effect of blending in to the background of the Webpage.
Client
An individual computer connected to a network. Also, a system or application (such as a Web browser or user agent) that requests a service from another computer (the serve) and is used to access files or documents.
Rule
An instruction format, in a style sheet, that consist of a specified selector and the properties and values applied to it.
Pay Per Click (PPC)
An internet advertising model that is used to drive traffic to Websites; an advertiser pays a publisher when the user clicks on the add.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
An internet protocol used to transfer files between computers; allows file transfer without corruption or alteration.
Bootstrap
An open-source and front-end framework that contains HTML and CSS design templates.
Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
An umbrella term that describes the combination of HTML, script, styles, and the Document Object Model (DOM) to provide Webpage interactivity.
User Agent
Any application, such as a Web browser, mobile phone, smartphone, or help engine that renders HTML for display to users.
Selector
Any element, in a style sheet, to which designated styles are applied.
Client-Side Script
Code embedded into an HTML page and downloaded by a user; resides on the client and helps process Web form input. Common client-side scripting language include Javascript.
Server-Side Script
Code that resides on a server to help process Web form input. Server-side CGI scripts are commonly written in Perl.
On the Fly
Dynamically created Webpage content, as opposed to pre-defined, static content.
Hyperlinks
Embedded instructions within a text file that links it to another point in the file or to a separate file.
Drag-and-Drop
Functionality that allows a user to grab an object and move it to a different location on a computer screen.
Inline Images
Image rendered in a Webpage.
Customs
National departments responsible for controlling items and entering and leaving the country.
Object-Based
Similar to object-oriented programming language, but does not allow for inheritance from one class to another.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software that is hosted centrally on the internet and is accessed by users with a Web browser.
Cloud Computing
Software, infrastructure, and platform services that are hosted by a remote data center and provided by organizations or individuals over the internet.
Dithering
The ability of a computer to approximate a color by combing the RGB values.
Geolocation
The ability to determine a user's location. Websites can use this information to enhance the user experience and provide location-based services.
Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce)
The activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the internet.
Bandwidth
The amount of information, sometimes called traffic, that can be carried on a network at one time. The total capacity of a line. Also, the rate of data transfer over a network connection; measured in bits per second.
Character Set
The group of symbols used to render text on a page.
Link Rot
The phenomenon in which hyperlinks on a Website gradually become invalid as referenced Webpage content, links, and page locations change.
Web Analytics
The practice of collecting data and studying user behavior in an attempt to increase market sales and shares.
Wireframing
The process of developing an outline for a Web presence.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a Website by structuring content to improve search engine ranking. A specific activity of Internet marketing.
Demographics
The study of groups of people. Specifically, the practice of gathering statistical data by studying populations based on characteristics such as age, income, and education.
Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML)
The traditional authoring language used to develop Webpages for many applications.
Podcast
The use of audio or digital media files that are distributed through Web feeds to subscribed users.
Spam
Unsolicited and unwanted email messages; the online equivalent of junk mail.
