Familiarise yourself with website development jargon to help your understanding of website development. The following explains website development jargon.

Website Development Jargon Explained 
Accesskeys

• Accesskeys is an attribute of HTML. 
• It provides keyboard shortcuts to parts of a web page or links. 
• As an advantage, users are offered assistive technology. 
• Conflict can be created with user agents

AJAX

• AJAX refers to Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. 
• This is a method that is used to create interactivity on the web through the use of JavaScript, XML and Document Object Model.

Alt Text

• Alt text allows the display of text, as an alternative to an embedded object or image on a web page.
• When an embedded object or image is not usable by the user agent, alt text is read. 

Apache

• Apache is a web server program. 
• The server program is widely used on the internet. 
• An apache server is Open Source Software. 

Assistive Technology 

• Assistive technology helps a specific or general task to be performed. 
• Assistive technology includes audio browsers, Braille keyboards and alternative entry devices. 

Bookmarklet

• Bookmarklet is a piece of JavaScript. 
• A bookmarklet is embedded in a browser bookmark. 
• It can be used as a shortcut to perform a number of tasks. 

C

• C is advanced programming language. 
• It is used for advanced computer applications. 

C++ (C Plus Plus)

• C++ is advanced programming language. 
• It is used for advanced computer applications. 
• It also has object-orientated functions. 

C# (C Sharp)

• C# is a Microsoft version of C++. 
• It has functions similar to Java that have been added. 

Canonicalization 

• Canonicalization is the process of applying a URL as a web document location. 
• No matter how you arrive at a web page there is one address determined by the server. 

Client Side 

• Client Side refers to the action taken by the web browser or user on the computer used to access a web page. 

CMS (Content Management System)

• CMS refers to Content Management System. 
• CMS is software that is used to format, manage or store web information. 
• Examples of CMS applications include Wordpress, Drupal and PhpBB. 

Cookie

• A cookie is a small text file, which is sent by a website to a user's computer. 
• A cookie allows the website to identify the user when they next visit the website. 
• User preferences, favourite lists and login data are amongst the uses of a cookie. 

CSS

• CSS refers to Cascading Style Sheet. 
• CSS is a document format that has style rules, which can be incorporated in an HTML or XHTML document. 

Database 

• Database refers to data that is stored on a computer. 
• The data is stored in a way that allows it to be retrieved and manipulated. 

DOM 

• DOM refers to Document Object Model. 
• DOM represents the structure of a web document. 
• It provides a way for scripts to manipulate the layout and content of a web page. 

Document Type Definition 

• Document type definition is a statement at the beginning of a ZHTML or HTML page. 
• It informs the user agent about the set of rules that should be applied on a page. 

Focus 

• Focus refers to the state that an object receives attention from the user agent or user. 
• Usually, focus applies to anchor elements or form fields. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Frequently asked questions (FAQ) is a common way of offering "help" information on a website. 
• FAQ allows additional information to be given about the website. 

Graphical User Interface 

• A graphical user interface refers to a website or program's visual aspect. 
• It makes it possible for visual user agents to have interaction with a website. 

HTML 

• HTML refers to Hypertext Markup Language. 
• HTML is a language, which is used to structure a website's content. 
• It should be used for the website's structure, although it can be used for the page's appearance. 

Information Architecture 

• Information navigation refers to the labelling of information, navigation structure and organisation. 

Java 

• Java is programming language. 
• Java was developed by SUN. 
• It is used for programming web applets and web servers. 

JavaScript

• JavaScript is scripting language that is used on the web. 
• It can be used by most user agents and is a client side programming language. 

JAWS 

• JAWS refers to Job Access With Speech.
• JAWS is a screen reader that is commonly available. 

MySQL 

• MySQL is based on SQL vocabulary. 
• It is an open source database that can be used in a variety of server side languages. 

Open Source 

• Open source software is a licensing model. 
• It allows people to have free access to a source code. 
• The source code of the software allows people to contribute to or modify the software. 

Perl 

• Perl is an early server side scripting language.
• It is a widely applied and supported language, although new projects do not always make use of perl. 

PHP 

• PHP refers to Hypertext Preprocessor. 
• PHP is a general purpose server side scripting language. 
• It can be embedded into HTML and used for different applications. 

Rich Media 

• Rich media relates to technology that involves special effects, animation or interactivity. 

RSS

• RSS is referred to as Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary, Site Summary or Resource Description Framework (RDF). 
• RSS is an XML format that is used to share web content with other websites or programs. 

Search Engine Friendly 

• Search engine friendly websites ensure that there are no barriers to prevent web crawlers from indexing web content. 

SEO 

• SEO refers to Search Engine Optimisation. 
• It relates to the optimisation of a website, which aims at increasing its ranking in search engine results. 

Scent 

• Scent is a term that is used to refer to a document's ability to indicate its purpose. 
• It also refers to the document's ability to guide the user towards an outcome that is desired by both parties. 

Server Side 

• Server side refers to scripting that is done on the server. 
• The scripting occurs before the page is delivered to the user agent. 
• The user agent does not have to support the scripting language that is used. 

SQL 

• SQL refers to Structured Query Language. 
• It is an ANSI computer language that is used for manipulating and accessing databases. 

Tabindex 

• Tabindex is a characteristic of HTML that defines the anchor links that are to be followed when the "tab" key is used to navigate a page. 

URI or URL 

• URI refers to Uniform Resource Indicator, while URL refers to Uniform Resource Locator. 
• URI or URL is a web address. 

Usability 

• Usability refers to the fact that applications and information on a website should be possible to access, while being easy to understand. 

User Agent 

• User agent is used to refer to a device that is used to access the web, such as a mobile phone. 
• Web browsers are also referred to as user agents. 

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 

• User agent accessibility guidelines are a set of guidelines that indicate how user agents should be developed. This will ensure that the accessibility needs are met. 

Web Accessibility 

• Web accessibility indicates that users on the web should be able to have access to web information. 

Web Accessibility Initiative 

• Web Accessibility Initiative is part of the World Wide Web Consortium. 
• It is there to discuss and set web accessibility standards. 

World Wide Web Consortium 

• The World Wide Web Consortium is a non-profit organisation. 
• Tim Berners-Lee founded the organisation. 
• The World Wide Web Consortium sets web creation and access standards. 

XHTML 

• XHTML refers to Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. 
• XHTML is a combination of HTML and XML. 
• A language is provided by XHTML, which makes use of HTML specifications under XML format constraints. 

XML 

• XML refers to Extensible Markup Language. 
• XML is a generic format that allows for flexibility. 
• It allows information to be provided in different structural formats. 
• Different XML specifications can be used for different applications. 

XSL 

• XSL refers to Extensible Stylesheet Language. 
• It is a language that is used to describe the presentation and formatting of XML content. 

WYSIWYG 

• WYSIWYG means What You See Is What You Get. 
• It is a word processor that allows images, text and graphic layout to be converted into HTML. 

Web Development and Your Website 
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Conclusion 
Take the time to familiarise yourself with website development jargon. This will help you to understand the web and web development.