The world wide web is awash with acronyms and abbreviations that are enough to confuse even experienced techies. But as a website owner, you can no longer afford to remain blissfully ignorant of web jargon. To help you learn the ropes, we've compiled a glossary of eight key terms you'll want to learn as you enter the development process.
1. 404 (Page Not Found):
404 means that the user has requested a nonexistent page of your website. 404 pages can and should be customized to add personality and redirect users to potentially relevant content.
2. 301 Redirect:
A 301 redirect tells both the user and search engines that a page has been permanently relocated, redirecting them to the proper location on your website. While there are other redirect strategies, you'll typically want to use a 301 redirect because it maintains your search engine ranking.
3. HTTP/HTTPS:
Making up the first four or five letters of a standard URL, HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, with added S indicating "secure". HTTP or HTTPS refers to the technique used to transfer web information. What you really need to know is that only HTTPS ensures secure transfer of sensitive data and are most trusted by search engines, such as Google.
4. URL:
The URL, or Universal Resource Locator, is the address that points to your web content. The same URL will pull up the same content globally and from any device (barring exceptional circumstances like censorship).
5. SSL:
Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, is the security technology used to establish an link between a web server and a browser. The link is encrypted allowing information to be passed between the two entities while keeping it private.
6. CSS:
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and it represents the main way that content is stylized on the internet. CSS uses identifiers to add visual traits to specific elements of a website.
7. HTML:
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language and it is used to define the structure and content of virtually every page on the internet.
8. CMS:
Your CMS, or Content Management System, is the software that you use to interact with your website as an administrator. Your CMS lets you handle content, permissions, and stored data relating to your website.
Don't try to navigate the complex world of web development on your own. Let the experts at Neon Rain handle everything from the abbreviations to the technical wizardry. To find out what we can do for you, get in touch with us to start a conversation.