First of all I wanted to write this blog post about different Web Design Terms to help my clients better understand the language or acronyms that web designers and developers use during a website project.
Website and Web Design Terms
Above the fold
Referring to the part of the web page that is visible on-screen before the user scrolls down.
In web design, the part of the site that is above the fold has the same function. There must be enough content of interest above the fold to engage the user to diver deeper into the site.
Accessibility
Refers to the structuring of web content in such a way that it is easily accessible to all users, in particular users with disabilities. It’s becoming a must have for websites.
Backend
The backend of a web site refers to the HTML markup, code, files and server processes that make the web site work.
The backend is what the web designer builds, the frontend (aka UX User Experience) is what the web site visitor sees.
Blog
Short for web log, a blog is a web page that functions as a news source, recent articles, press releases that should be posted with frequently.
It’s important for websites to use a blog as a marketing tool alongside the main orginazations web site.
- From HubSpot: How to Start a Blog: A Step-by-Step Guide
Breadcrumbs
In web design the term refers to a navigational element at or near the top of the page showing the path within the site from the homepage to the current page.
- For example: Home > Services > Web Design > Order Page.
Broken link
A link that points to a page or resource that does not exist. A broken link produces a “404” error (not found).
Browser
A browser is software used to access web pages. Examples include Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Not all browsers display web pages in exactly the same way, so web developers routinely test their work in various browsers before delivering to the client.
Bug
A bug, in web design terms, is an error or a problem where the site does not behave as it should. For example if a form validation script incorrectly identifies completed fields as blank fields.
CAPTCHA
A CAPTCHA is field in a web form, designed to differentiate between users and bots.
Typically a CAPTCHA consist of an image containing letters that are difficult to read. The user must then enter those letters into a text box on the form.
As a result, the goal is to reduce form spam by making the letters unreadable to bots, but readable to humans.
WordPress has the best Content Management System
Content Management System (CMS)
A content management system (CMS) offers a way for a user to edit the content of a web site from within a browser-based interface, without any HTML skills required.
- Why I design and develop sites using WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS). WordPress Content Management Tools helps my clients, edit their own websites, post blogs, create pages, etc…
Cookies
In web design, a cookie is a small text file that a web site saves on a user’s computer. The cookie stores information about that user.
On the user’s next visit to the same web site, the web site retrieves the cookie to access the information.
Finally Cookies are useful for saving bits of information like user preferences.
- NEW: EU Cookie Law
The Cookie Law is a piece of privacy legislation that requires websites to get consent from visitors to store or retrieve any information on a computer, smartphone or tablet. - From Wired: How Europe’s New Privacy Law Will Change the Web, and More
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language that determines the look of elements on a web page.
Web sites can be built without CSS (it came many years after HTML), but CSS gives the web designer more power to control how the content is displayed.
The main benefit of CSS is that it splits the content from the presentation. Site-wide style changes can be performed by editing the style sheet rather than every page individually.
Database
A database is a collection of data, organized into tables and records.
In web design, a web site that writes to a database and/or displays information from a database is referred to as a dynamic web site.
Databases are typically used to store information like user account information, product information, etc…
It’s important to find the perfect domain for your business
Domain Name
A domain name is a name by which a web site or web server is identified, for example gasmandesign.com. Domains can include letters, numbers and hyphens only.
Domain Registration
The registrar will check if the domain name is available and create a WHOIS record with the domain name registrant’s information.
It is also possible to register domain names through a registrar’s resellers.
- Popular Domain Registration comapines:
https://www.networksolutions.com
https://www.godaddy.com
https://www.hostgator.comTool to see Who Owns a Domain Name: Look Up
Warning: Watch Out for Domain Name Scams
A lot of my clients have questions about their domain names and renewing them.
My advice on how to avoid a Domain Name Scam: https://www.gasmandesign.com/domain-name-scams
DNS
Domain Name System (DNS) is a system that points a domain name to physical IP address.
For example, when a user types in www.example.com in their browser and hits enter, the DNS servers resolve it to the IP address where the website is hosted.
e-Commerce
Web sites that sell products or services online, requiring a payment gateway and (usually) a shopping cart are considered e-Commerce. WooCommece is the popular pick for WordPress sites.
Favicon
A favicon is a small icon image that is associated with a specific site, usually containing the site logo or a variation thereof.
The favicon is saved as “favicon.ico” and uploaded to the server along with the rest of the files that make up the web site.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)is one way of transferring files across the Net. FTP is often used in web development as a fast and easy way to upload a large number of files to a web server.
GUI
Graphical User Interface (GUI). It’s that part of an application (or web site) that’s intended for the user. Also called the “front end”.
Homepage (Website Homepage)
Referring to the very first page that loads on a web site when only the domain is entered. For example, the homepage on this web site is http://www.gasmandesign.com
I can help guide you through picking a website hosting company
Host (Hosting Company)
In order for your web site to be visible to the world, it must be “hosted” on a web server. The host is the company that provides the web server.
You could set up your own hosting server, but that is costly and time-consuming compared to hosting your web site with a third-party host.
HTML
The language used to construct web pages. HTML is often used in conjunction with languages that allow the web developer to add functionality, such as PHP, CSS and JavaScript.
Internet
Originally designed by the US Military and called ARPANet, the Internet has grown to a global network of interconnected, smaller networks.
The Internet facilitates data transfer and digital communication through, for example, email and the WWW.
JavaScript
Website code: JavaScript is (as implied by the name) a scripting language that allows designers to create interactions on a web page.
Lorem ipsum (aka Greek copy)
Commonly used as a synonym for dummy text or placeholder text. It is used to mimic body text in a layout design, which helps the designer visualize the final product.
Malware
Short for malicious software, it is a collective term for all software designer to infect system in order to steal or destroy data.
58% of malware attack victims are categorized as small businesses. In 2017 cyber attacks cost small and medium-sized businesses an average of $2,235. Cybercrime will cost the world $6 trillion annually.
Meta tag
A meta tag is an HTML tag that contains meta data specific to the web page. The most common meta tags are the meta description and meta keywords tag.
Nav bar (aka Nav Menu)
Short for navigation bar, it is the area of the site that contains the site menu. It consists of links to the most important pages and sections of the site.
Nav bar design is an important consideration in web design as a well-structured, well-designed nav bar will considerably increase site usability.
Privacy policy
A page on a web site where the company states its policy regarding the use of visitor information. It discloses what information about users are collected on the site and how the company will use that information.
Redirect
A redirect occurs when a web page automatically sends users to another web page. There are several ways to redirect visitors and several reasons why you would want to redirect visitors. The redirect method most commonly used is a “301 redirect”.
Google Ranks Website that are Responsive higher than non-responsive site.
Responsive Web Design (RWD)
RWD – Responsive design or responsive website are very important in 2018. For the past several years this has been a real buzz word around the web, and it shows no signs of letting up.
My clients have even started demanding responsive websites because 50% of website users now use their mobile device to look at their websites. Hence, the demand for a mobile friendly site.
- More on that: WordPress Responsive Web Design in Minneapolis
RSS
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a variation of XML that allows web site owners to syndicate their content for publication on other web sites.
Search Engine (aka Google, Yahoo, Bing)
A search engine operates like a directory for the World Wide Web. A search engine is a web site that attempts to index (store) all or most of the Web in a database.
When a user visits the search engine and conducts a search, the search engine returns results from its database, together with links to the actual sites where the information was collected from.
Search engines use proprietary algorithms (formulas) to determine which web pages are most relevant to a user’s search and displays the most relevant results first.
Sitemap
A sitemap is a page within a web site that offers links to all the pages within that web site – or, at least, to the important pages within the web site.
It is a great tool to offer your web site visitors and it helps search engine spiders to quickly find all of the internal pages on your web site, including pages that they might otherwise miss.
SSL or SSL Certificate
Secure Sockets Layers (SSL), which are encryption protocols used on the internet to secure information exchange and provide certificate information.
These certificates provide an assurance to the user about the identity of the website they are communicating with. SSL may also be called TLS or Transport Layer Security protocol.
In most modern web browsers users can click on the SSL icon displayed in the address bar to view certification, identification and other information about a website.
Google is now forcing websites to have an SSL Certificate. Read my blog post on “Why do I need an SSL Certificates for my website?”
Use Social Networks like Facebook to Build Your Audience
Social networks
A social networking service is an online platform which people use to build social networks or social relations with other people who share similar personal or career interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections. For example: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a fancy name for a web site address, for example http://www.gasmandesign.com
Usability (User Friendly)
Refers to how easily web site visitors can find what they are looking for or accomplish a task such as contacting the company.
The study of usability is critical to e-commerce, where the aim is to make the customer’s path to the order page or sign-up page as clear as possible.
Web site (website)
A collection of files, grouped under a specific domain name and published on the Internet.
This web site (www.webdesigndictionary.com), for example, is a collection of HTML documents and images grouped under the www.webdesigndictionary.com domain name.
Web sites can be interactive in the sense that users are allowed to contribute to the content on the site, for example YouTube.com where users may upload videos.
Web form
A function of HTML where the user enters data into form fields and usually sends the form using a “Submit” or “Send” button.
The search box at the top of this page is an example of a form. It contains one text box where the user types the search term(s) and a search button which sends the search parameters to a PHP script.
- I like using Gravity Forms for my WordPress sites which is the most trusted WordPress form plugin.
Learn more about the features: https://www.gravityforms.com
Web hosting
A service that allows organizations and individuals to post a website or web page onto the Internet. A web host or web hosting service provider.
Web Design
The process of creating websites. It encompasses several different aspects, including webpage layout, content production, and graphic design.
While the terms web design and web development are often used interchangeably, web design is technically a subset of the broader category of web development.
I have over 20 years designing websites for clients
Web designer
A Web designer is someone who prepares content for the Web. This role is mainly related to the styling and layout of pages with content, including text and images.
Web designers use many technologies but commonly rely on hypertext and hypermedia resources including HTML, CSS and additional Web design tools.
- Please see my website portfolio
ZIP File
Windows-based compression format, handy for grouping and compressing a collection of files. ZIP files can also contain directory structures.
ZIP files can be uploaded to a web site and offered as a download.
- E-mail Tip: When sending bigger files via e-mail always put them in a folder and make a Zip file before sending it.
