Glossary

Architecture

Backend

The server-side part of an application that handles data, logic, and security away from the user's device.

CRUD

Create, Read, Update, Delete: the four basic operations on stored records.

Frontend

The part of an application users see and interact with in their browser or device.

Monolith

An application built as a single deployable unit; often simpler to run and reason about than distributed systems.

Server Component

A component rendered on the server, which reduces the code sent to the browser and can access data directly.

SSR

Server-side rendering: generating a page's HTML on the server before sending it to the browser.

Business

Workflow

A defined sequence of steps that moves work from start to completion.

Data

Database

An organized store of data that an application can query, update, and protect.

Migration

Moving existing data from an old system into a new one, usually with cleaning and validation.

Schema

The defined structure of a database: its tables, fields, and the relationships between them.

Delivery

CI/CD

Continuous integration and continuous delivery: automatically building, testing, and releasing changes.

Deployment

The process of making an application available in a live environment.

Design

Responsive design

Layouts that adapt to different screen sizes, from phones to large displays.

UI/UX

User interface and user experience: what a system looks like and how it feels to use.

Engineering

Type safety

Using a type system to catch mismatches in data and code before the software runs.

Integration

API

An interface that lets one piece of software request data or actions from another in a defined, structured way.

Integration

Connecting two or more systems so they can exchange data automatically.

Third-party service

An external system, such as a payment provider, that your software relies on or connects to.

Webhook

A message one system sends to another automatically when a specific event occurs.

Security

Authentication

Verifying who a user is, typically through a password, a link, or a third-party sign-in.

Authorization

Deciding what an authenticated user is allowed to see or do.

Web

Slug

The human-readable part of a web address that identifies a page, such as 'web-development'.