Website Glossary A–Z.
174 website, SEO and hosting terms in plain English. Tap any term for the full explanation.
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A recordDomains
An A record is a DNS record that points a domain or subdomain to the IPv4 address of the server hosting the website.
AAAA recordDomains
An AAAA record is a DNS record that points a domain to an IPv6 address, the newer and longer style of internet address.
Above the foldDesign
Above the fold is the part of a web page visitors see before they scroll, which shapes their first impression and decision to stay.
Accessibility (WCAG)Design
Website accessibility means designing a site so people with disabilities can use it, guided by the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Admin dashboardWordPress
The admin dashboard is the private, logged-in control area of a website, where you manage content, settings, users, plugins and updates.
Alt textDesign
Alt text is a short written description attached to an image on a website, read aloud by screen readers and used by search engines to understand the image.
APIBack End
An API (application programming interface) is a set of rules that lets one piece of software request information or actions from another in a predictable way.
Auth code (EPP code)Domains
An auth code, also called an EPP code, is a password-like code from your current registrar that proves you are allowed to transfer your domain elsewhere.
Back endBuilding the Website
The back end is the behind-the-scenes part of a website, the server, database and code that store information and make features like forms and logins work.
BacklinkSEO
A backlink is a link from another website to yours, which search engines treat as a sign that your page is useful or trustworthy.
BackupSecurity
A backup is a saved copy of your website’s files and database that you can use to restore the site if something breaks, gets hacked, or is deleted.
BandwidthHosting
In web hosting, bandwidth usually means how much data your site can send visitors each month, though technically it means how much data can move at once.
Billing portalHosting
A billing portal is a secure online account where you can view invoices, pay bills, update payment details and manage the services you buy from a provider.
Block editor (Gutenberg)WordPress
The block editor, nicknamed Gutenberg, is WordPress’s built-in editor where each paragraph, image, heading or button is a separate block you add and arrange.
BlogWordPress
A blog is a section of a website with regularly published, dated articles, used to share advice, news and expertise and attract visitors from search engines.
Booking systemBack End
A booking system is software that lets customers see your availability and reserve appointments, classes or services online, often with reminders and payment built in.
Bounce rateSEO
Bounce rate is the share of visits in which people leave without meaningfully engaging; in Google Analytics 4, it is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged.
Brand kitDesign
A brand kit is a collection of your logo files, colors, fonts and usage rules that keeps your business looking consistent everywhere it appears.
BreakpointBuilding the Website
A breakpoint is a screen width at which a responsive website changes its layout, such as switching from one column on phones to several on desktops.
BrowserBuilding the Website
A browser is the app people use to visit websites, such as Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox, which downloads a site’s code and displays it as a page.
Brute-force attackSecurity
A brute-force attack is an automated attempt to break into an account by guessing usernames and passwords over and over until one works.
Business emailBusiness Email
Business email is an email address that uses your own domain name, like hello@yourbusiness.com, instead of a free address from Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook.
Cache (browser)Building the Website
A browser cache is a temporary store of website files, like images and styles, saved on a visitor’s device so pages load faster on later visits.
Call to action (CTA)Design
A call to action, or CTA, is a button or link that tells visitors the next step to take, such as "Book an appointment" or "Get a quote."
CAPTCHABuilding the Website
A CAPTCHA is a quick test on a website, like a checkbox, puzzle or invisible check, that tries to tell real people apart from automated spam bots.
Category and tagWordPress
Categories and tags are WordPress tools for grouping blog posts: categories are broad sections, while tags are optional, specific labels describing a post’s details.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)Hosting
A CDN is a worldwide network of servers that stores copies of your website’s files and delivers them from the location nearest each visitor for faster loading.
Certificate authority (CA)Security
A certificate authority is a trusted organization that checks who controls a domain and then issues the SSL/TLS certificates browsers rely on to trust websites.
CheckoutBack End
Checkout is the final series of steps in an online purchase, where the customer enters shipping and payment details and confirms the order.
Child themeBuilding the Website
A child theme is a WordPress theme that inherits a parent theme’s design while keeping your customizations separate, so parent theme updates do not erase them.
Cloud hostingHosting
Cloud hosting runs your website on a network of connected servers instead of one machine, so resources can grow quickly and one hardware failure rarely takes you offline.
CNAME recordDomains
A CNAME record is a DNS record that makes one domain name an alias of another, so it follows wherever the other name points.
Code editorBuilding the Website
A code editor is a program developers use to write and edit website code, with helpful features like color-coding, error hints and file organization.
Color paletteDesign
A color palette is the small set of colors chosen for a website or brand and used consistently for backgrounds, text, buttons and accents.
Contact formBuilding the Website
A contact form is a short web form that lets visitors send you a message directly from your website without opening their own email program.
Content management system (CMS)WordPress
A content management system (CMS) is software that lets you create, edit and organize website pages, posts and images without writing code.
Control panelHosting
A hosting control panel is a web-based dashboard for managing your hosting account, such as email addresses, files, databases, domains and backups, without typing server commands.
Conversion rateDesign
Conversion rate is the percentage of website visitors who complete a goal you care about, such as booking, calling or filling out a contact form.
CookieBuilding the Website
A cookie is a small piece of data a website saves in a visitor’s browser to remember things like logins, shopping carts, preferences or analytics information.
CopywritingWordPress
Copywriting is writing the words on your website, ads and marketing so they clearly explain what you offer and persuade the right customers to act.
Core Web VitalsSEO
Core Web Vitals are Google’s three measures of real-world page experience: loading speed (LCP), responsiveness (INP) and visual stability (CLS).
Country-code TLD (ccTLD)Domains
A country-code TLD is a two-letter domain ending tied to a country or territory, such as .us for the United States or .ca for Canada.
cPanelHosting
cPanel is a widely used hosting control panel that lets you manage websites, email accounts, files, databases and backups through a simple web dashboard.
CPU and RAMHosting
CPU is a server’s processing power and RAM is its short-term working memory, and together they determine how many visitors and tasks your website can handle at once.
CrawlingSEO
Crawling is the process in which search engines send automated programs, called crawlers or bots, to visit web pages and follow links to discover content.
CRMBack End
A CRM (customer relationship management) system is software that keeps track of your customers and leads, including contact details, conversations, deals and follow-ups, in one place.
CSSBuilding the Website
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the code that controls how a web page looks, including colors, fonts, spacing, layout and how the design adapts to different screens.
Data centerHosting
A data center is a secure building filled with servers, backup power, cooling and high-speed internet connections, where websites and online services are physically housed.
DatabaseBack End
A database is an organized store of information, such as pages, products, customers or orders, that a website can quickly search, read and update.
Database tableBack End
A database table is a set of related records arranged in rows and columns, like one sheet in a spreadsheet, inside a website’s database.
DDoS attackSecurity
A DDoS attack floods a website or server with fake traffic from many computers at once, overwhelming it so real visitors cannot get through.
Dedicated IPHosting
A dedicated IP is an internet address assigned to your website or server alone, rather than shared with other sites on the same server.
Dedicated serverHosting
A dedicated server is an entire physical server rented to one customer, so all of its power, memory and storage serve only that customer’s websites or applications.
DKIMBusiness Email
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a hidden digital signature to your outgoing email so receiving servers can confirm it truly came from your domain and was not altered.
DMARCBusiness Email
DMARC is a DNS record telling mail servers what to do with email that fails SPF or DKIM checks, and sending you reports about who uses your domain.
DNS (Domain Name System)Domains
DNS, the Domain Name System, is the internet’s directory that translates domain names into the numeric addresses computers use to find websites and email servers.
DNS propagationDomains
DNS propagation is the delay between changing a DNS record and that change being seen everywhere, as saved copies across the internet expire and refresh.
DNS recordDomains
A DNS record is a single instruction in your domain’s settings that tells the internet where to send website visitors, email or other services.
Domain nameDomains
A domain name is the address people type to reach your website, like yourbusiness.com, and it can also power your professional email addresses.
Domain privacyDomains
Domain privacy is a registrar service that hides your personal contact details from public domain lookups, replacing them with the registrar’s or a proxy’s information.
Domain registrarDomains
A domain registrar is a company accredited to sell and manage domain names, where you register, renew and control the settings for your web address.
Domain renewalDomains
Domain renewal is paying to keep your domain name registered for another term, usually yearly, so it does not expire and become available to others.
Domain transferDomains
A domain transfer moves your domain name from one registrar to another while you keep ownership, usually requiring an auth code and an unlocked domain.
Email aliasBusiness Email
An email alias is an extra address that delivers into an existing mailbox, letting one person receive mail sent to several addresses without separate accounts.
Email deliverabilityBusiness Email
Email deliverability is how reliably your messages reach recipients’ inboxes rather than bouncing or landing in spam folders.
Email forwarderBusiness Email
An email forwarder automatically sends messages that arrive at one address on to another address, without storing a copy in a separate mailbox.
FaviconDesign
A favicon is the small icon that represents your website in browser tabs, bookmarks and some search results, usually a simplified version of your logo.
FirewallSecurity
A firewall is a security system that watches incoming and outgoing network traffic and blocks connections that break a set of safety rules.
FrameworkBuilding the Website
A framework is a ready-made set of code, tools and rules that developers build on, so they do not have to write common features from scratch.
Front endBuilding the Website
The front end is the part of a website visitors see and use in their browser: the layout, text, images, buttons and menus.
Full stackBuilding the Website
Full stack describes a developer or project that covers both the front end visitors see and the back end server, database and code behind it.
Google AnalyticsSEO
Google Analytics is Google’s free tool for measuring website visitors, showing where they come from, which pages they view and what actions they take.
Google Business ProfileSEO
Google Business Profile is Google’s free business listing tool, formerly Google My Business, that controls how your business appears in Google Search and Maps.
Google Search ConsoleSEO
Google Search Console is a free Google tool that shows how your site performs in Google Search and alerts you to indexing, speed and security problems.
Header tags (H1, H2)SEO
Header tags (H1 through H6) are HTML labels for a page’s headings that organize content into a clear outline for readers and search engines.
Headless CMSWordPress
A headless CMS stores and manages content but does not control how it is displayed, instead sending it to separately built websites, apps or other screens.
Hero sectionDesign
A hero section is the large banner area at the top of a web page, usually with a main headline, an image and a primary button.
HomepageDesign
A homepage is the main page of a website, usually reached at the bare domain, that introduces the business and directs visitors to key sections.
HTMLBuilding the Website
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the basic code that gives every web page its structure, marking which parts are headings, paragraphs, links, images and buttons.
HTTPSSecurity
HTTPS is the secure way browsers load websites, encrypting everything sent between a visitor and your site so no one else can read or alter it.
ICANNDomains
ICANN is the nonprofit organization that coordinates the global system of domain names and sets the rules registrars must follow.
IMAPBusiness Email
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a way of reading email that keeps messages on the server, so your inbox stays in sync across phone, laptop and webmail.
IndexingSEO
Indexing is when a search engine stores and organizes a page it has crawled so the page can appear in search results.
Information architectureDesign
Information architecture is how a website’s content is organized, grouped and labeled so visitors can find what they need without effort.
IntegrationBack End
An integration is a connection that lets your website share data automatically with another tool, such as a CRM, booking system, email list or accounting software.
IP addressHosting
An IP address is a unique number that identifies a device or server on the internet, much like a street address tells mail carriers where to deliver.
KeywordSEO
A keyword is a word or phrase people type or speak into a search engine, and the phrase you want a page to show up for.
Keyword researchSEO
Keyword research is the process of finding out which words and phrases your potential customers search for, so you can plan pages that match them.
Landing pageDesign
A landing page is a focused web page built for one purpose, such as a promotion or ad campaign, that guides visitors toward a single action.
Live chat widgetBack End
A live chat widget is a small chat window on a website where visitors can send messages and get real-time answers from staff or an automated assistant.
Load timeHosting
Load time is how many seconds it takes for a web page to fully appear and work after a visitor clicks a link or types in your address.
Local SEOSEO
Local SEO is the practice of helping a business appear in search results and maps when people nearby search for its products or services.
MailboxBusiness Email
A mailbox is an email account with its own storage and login, where messages sent to an address are kept so you can read, reply and organize them.
MalwareSecurity
Malware is any software designed to harm, spy on, or take control of a computer or website, including viruses, spam injectors, and hidden redirect scripts.
Managed hostingHosting
Managed hosting is a hosting service where the provider handles technical upkeep, such as security, updates, backups and monitoring, so you do not have to.
Managed WordPress hostingHosting
Managed WordPress hosting is hosting built specifically for WordPress sites, where the provider handles speed tuning, security, updates and backups for you.
Media libraryWordPress
The media library is the area of a WordPress site that stores and organizes every uploaded image, video, PDF and other file used on your pages.
Merchant accountBack End
A merchant account is a special business account that lets you accept card payments, holding sale funds before they move to your regular bank account.
Meta descriptionSEO
A meta description is a short summary of a page, added in its HTML, that search engines may show under the title in search results.
Mobile-first designBuilding the Website
Mobile-first design is the practice of planning and building a website for small phone screens first, then expanding the layout for tablets and desktops.
MockupDesign
A mockup is a detailed, static picture of how a web page will look when finished, showing real colors, fonts, images and layout.
MX recordDomains
An MX record is a DNS record that tells the internet which mail servers receive email for your domain.
MySQLBack End
MySQL is a widely used open-source database system that stores website content and data, and it is the standard database behind most WordPress sites.
NameserverDomains
A nameserver is a server that holds your domain’s DNS records and answers the internet’s questions about where your website and email are located.
NAP consistencySEO
NAP consistency means your business Name, Address and Phone number appear the same way everywhere online, from your website to directories and maps.
Navigation menuDesign
A navigation menu is the set of links, usually at the top of a website, that lets visitors move between the main pages and sections.
Off-page SEOSEO
Off-page SEO is the work done outside your own website, such as earning links, reviews, mentions and listings, that builds your site’s reputation with search engines.
On-page SEOSEO
On-page SEO is everything you improve within your own web pages, including content, titles, headings, images and internal links, to help them rank for relevant searches.
Operating system (Linux)Hosting
An operating system is the core software that runs a computer or server, and most web servers, including those hosting WordPress sites, use a version of Linux.
Organic trafficSEO
Organic traffic is the visitors who arrive at your website by clicking unpaid search engine results, as opposed to ads, social media or links from other sites.
Page builderWordPress
A page builder is a visual tool, often a WordPress plugin, that lets you design page layouts by dragging and dropping elements like text, images and buttons.
Page speedHosting
Page speed is how quickly a web page loads and becomes usable, and it affects both how visitors feel about your site and how it ranks on Google.
Payment gatewayBack End
A payment gateway is the service that securely sends a customer’s card or wallet details from your website to the banks for approval and returns the result.
PCI DSSBack End
PCI DSS is the card industry’s security standard that any business accepting card payments must follow to protect cardholder data.
PermalinkWordPress
A permalink is the permanent web address of a specific page or post, such as yoursite.com/kitchen-remodeling, meant to stay the same over time.
PHPBack End
PHP is a server-side programming language that powers WordPress and many other websites, building each page on the server before sending it to the browser.
PluginWordPress
A plugin is an add-on you install in WordPress (or similar software) to add a feature, such as forms, SEO tools, booking calendars, backups or an online store.
POP3Business Email
POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) is an older way of reading email that downloads messages to one device and usually removes them from the server.
Post vs pageWordPress
In WordPress, pages hold timeless content like Home, Services and Contact, while posts are dated entries such as blog articles and news, shown newest first.
PrototypeDesign
A prototype is a clickable model of a website that lets you test how pages and buttons work before the real site is built.
Responsive designBuilding the Website
Responsive design is an approach where a website automatically adjusts its layout to fit any screen size, from a phone to a wide desktop monitor.
Restore pointSecurity
A restore point is a saved snapshot of your website at a specific moment, letting you roll the site back to exactly how it was at that time.
robots.txtSEO
robots.txt is a small text file at the root of a website that tells search engine crawlers which parts of the site they should or should not visit.
Root accessHosting
Root access is the highest level of control on a server, allowing someone to change any setting, install any software and read or delete any file.
Schema markupSEO
Schema markup is structured code added to a web page that describes its content, such as your business, hours, reviews or events, in a format search engines understand.
Search engine optimization (SEO)SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the work of improving a website so it appears higher in unpaid search results for the searches your customers make.
Search intentSEO
Search intent is the reason behind a search, what the person actually wants to do or find, such as learn something, compare options, visit a site or buy.
Server cacheHosting
A server cache stores ready-made copies of your web pages on the server, so it can send them to visitors instantly instead of rebuilding each page every time.
Server-side languageBack End
A programming language that runs on the web server, not in the visitor’s browser, to build pages, process forms and work with stored data.
Shared hostingHosting
Shared hosting is a low-cost hosting plan where many websites live on the same server and share its processing power, memory and storage.
Shopping cartBack End
A shopping cart is the part of an online store that holds a shopper’s chosen items, quantities and running total until they are ready to check out.
ShortcodeWordPress
A shortcode is a small code in square brackets, like , that you place in WordPress content to insert a feature such as a form, gallery or button.
Sitemap (planning)Design
A planning sitemap is a diagram or list of every page a website will have and how they connect, used to organize the site before building.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)Hosting
An SLA is a written promise from a hosting or service provider spelling out the service level you can expect, such as uptime and support response times.
SMTPBusiness Email
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the standard set of rules email programs and servers use to send messages and pass them along to the recipient’s server.
Software updatesSecurity
Software updates are new versions of your website’s core software, themes and plugins that fix security holes and bugs and sometimes add features.
SPF recordBusiness Email
An SPF record is a DNS entry that lists which mail servers are allowed to send email for your domain, helping receivers spot forged messages.
SSL/TLS certificateSecurity
A small digital file installed on your web server that proves your site’s identity and encrypts the data traveling between your site and each visitor.
Staging siteBuilding the Website
A staging site is a private copy of your website where changes, updates and new designs can be tested safely before they go live to the public.
Storage (SSD/NVMe)Hosting
Storage is the server disk space holding your website’s files, database and email. SSD and NVMe drives read that data far faster than older hard drives.
SubdomainDomains
A subdomain is an extra section added in front of your main domain, like shop.yourbusiness.com, used to run a separate part of your website.
Support ticketHosting
A support ticket is a written help request to a service provider, given a tracking number so the issue and every reply are recorded in one place.
Technical SEOSEO
Technical SEO is making sure a website’s structure, speed, security and code let search engines crawl, understand and index its pages without problems.
TemplateBuilding the Website
A template is a prebuilt page layout that sets where content like headings, images and text go, so pages can be created quickly with a consistent look.
ThemeBuilding the Website
A theme is a package of design files that controls the overall look and layout of a WordPress or similar site, without changing its content.
Title tagSEO
A title tag is the page title set in a page’s HTML code, often shown as the clickable headline in search results and on the browser tab.
Top-level domain (TLD)Domains
A top-level domain is the ending of a web address, such as .com, .org or .net, that comes after the last dot in a domain name.
TTL (Time to Live)Domains
TTL, or Time to Live, is a setting on each DNS record that tells other computers how long to remember that record before checking for updates.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)Security
Two-factor authentication adds a second check, usually a code from your phone, on top of your password before you can log in to an account.
TXT recordDomains
A TXT record is a DNS record that holds text notes about your domain, commonly used to prove ownership and to protect your email from spoofing.
TypographyDesign
Typography is the choice and arrangement of fonts, sizes, spacing and line lengths that makes text on a website readable and on brand.
UptimeSecurity
Uptime is the share of time your website is online and reachable, usually shown as a percentage measured over a month or a year.
URLDomains
A URL is the full web address of a specific page or file, including the protocol, domain name and path, such as https://yourbusiness.com/services.
User experience (UX)Design
User experience, or UX, is how easy, clear and pleasant it feels for someone to use your website and accomplish what they came to do.
User interface (UI)Design
The user interface, or UI, is the visible part of a website people interact with, such as buttons, menus, forms, icons and text.
User rolesWordPress
User roles are permission levels on a website that control what each logged-in person can do, from full control as an administrator to simply reading content.
Version control (Git)Building the Website
Version control is a system, most commonly Git, that records every change to a website’s code so developers can collaborate, review history and undo mistakes.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)Hosting
A VPS is a hosting plan that gives you a private, walled-off portion of a physical server, with resources reserved for your website alone.
Web application firewall (WAF)Security
A web application firewall filters requests sent to your website and blocks ones that look like attacks, such as attempts to inject code or exploit plugin flaws.
Web designDesign
Web design is the planning and creation of how a website looks, feels and works, from layout and colors to how easily visitors find what they need.
Web formBuilding the Website
A web form is any set of fields on a website where visitors type or select information and submit it, such as signups, quote requests, bookings or checkouts.
Web hostingHosting
Web hosting is a service that stores your website’s files on a server connected to the internet, so anyone can visit your site at any time.
WebhookBack End
A webhook is an automatic message one app sends to another the moment a specific event happens, such as a new order, payment or form submission.
WebmailBusiness Email
Webmail is a way to read and send your email through a web browser, without installing an email program, by logging in to a website your provider runs.
Website builder (DIY)WordPress
A website builder is an all-in-one, do-it-yourself service where you design and host a site using drag-and-drop tools, without installing software or managing hosting yourself.
Website migrationHosting
Website migration is the process of moving a website from one host, server, domain or platform to another while keeping its content, rankings and email working.
White spaceDesign
White space is the empty space around text, images and other elements on a page that makes content easier to read and focus on.
WHOISDomains
WHOIS is a public lookup service that shows registration details for a domain name, such as its registrar, key dates and, unless hidden, the owner’s contact information.
WidgetWordPress
A widget is a small, self-contained content block, such as a search bar, recent posts list, map or hours box, placed in areas like a sidebar or footer.
WireframeDesign
A wireframe is a simple black-and-white sketch of a web page’s layout that shows where content and buttons will go, without final colors or images.
WooCommerceWordPress
WooCommerce is a free, widely used WordPress plugin that turns a WordPress site into an online store with products, a shopping cart, checkout and order management.
WordPressWordPress
WordPress is free, open-source software for building and managing websites, used for everything from simple business sites and blogs to full online stores.