Website Glossary
Frequently used web site terms explained in plain english.
Alt Tags
Text that is displayed instead of an image if the image is unavailable, or if the image is hovered over with the mouse.
Anchor
See text link on this page.
Autoresponder
An email message which is automatically sent as a response to an email enquiry by a user.
Bandwidth
The amount of information that can be transferred across an internet connection
Body
The body section of a web page, in HTML terms. Unlike the Head section, everything in the body is shown on the page.
Blog
Short for weBLOG, this is a diary of thoughts, regularly updated
Broken Link Checker
A tool that checks each link on a website to ensure its links, both internal and external are available and still current. That is, when clicked on, they do not receive error messages.
Browser
The program that displays web sites on your computer. Examples are Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Mozilla’s Firefox.
CGI
Common Gateway Interface. A protocol enabling web pages to transfer instructions to a server, via a script placed in an HTML page that completes a series of tasks. Used in web forms for example.
Cookies
A text message sent from a web server to a browser and then returned by the browser to the server when the user re-visits that site. They are used to identify users and store information between visits, or generate statistics.
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets are an extension of HTML used for editing. They provide a way to make one change on a web page that automatically changes other pages
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Directory
A website which acts as an index of other sites, in categories. Also refers to a website’s structure
Domain Name
Web site name. The unique address belonging to your website, eg http://www.how-to-build-web-sites.com, with a file extension for each page
Download
Users transfer a document or file from your website to their own computers.
Dynamic
Interactive elements of a site
eBook
A document, consisting of many pages which can be transferred electronically. It is an electronic book, which can also be printed as a hard copy.
Ezine
Electronic newsletter, usually sent by email
File
Document or set of instructions
Frame
A section of a web page inside a frame, which stays the same, while other parts may change as a visitor navigates through the site.
FTP
Is a standard program used to upload your web site from the program where it was created, to a server.
GIF
Graphics Interchange Format. An image format used on the web, best for line drawings, logos, icons or banners with a small number of colours.
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Graphic
Is an image or picture used on a web page.
Head
Only visible in the top section of an HTML page, is information (including metatags) about the page.
Hits
The number of times a web page is visited
Host
Stores web pages on its server, to make them available to internet users.
HTML
Is the language that browsers use to display your site. It uses a set of tags that specify how a page will look – images, font types, instructions, colours etc
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol A text based set of rules by which files on the web are transferred from web servers to browsers. The vast majority of web addresses (URLs) are prefixed by http://
Hub
A website which acts as a hub or directory on one topic, and indexes links to other websites of the same topic
Hyperlink
See Link on this page
Image
Is a picture, photograph or graphic used on a web page
Index
When a search engine searches and catalogues a web site, for later retrieval for keyword searches. Also the name given for a home page of a website.
Incoming Links
Links pointing to your website from other websites. Also known as Backlinks.
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Java Script
A scripting language that provides a simplified method of applying of applying dynamic effects to a web pages
JPEG
Joint Photographic Experts Group Format. An image format used on the web, best for photographs or graphics with lots of colours.
Keywords
Search terms people type into a search engine to find what they are looking for. Essential for search engine optimisation
Keyword Density
The number of times a keyword or keyword phrase appears on a web page
Layout
A drawing that shows the general appearance of a web page design, indicating position of text, images, form regions etc.
Link
A piece of text, or an image, with a URL embedded in it, which takes the user to another location of the same or different web site by clicking on it.
Link Exchange
A system whereby websites swap links with each other, usually displayed on a dedicated Links Page. Also known as Reciprocal Links.
Loading
The speed at which a web page loads from the server to the user’s browser.
Menu
See Navigation bar
Metatags
HTML codes that reside within the Head section of each web page’s HTML. Metatags are used by search engines to locate information about the website. They generally include the site title, description, keywords, how often to index, language to display etc
Monitoring
Checking a web site for broken links, uptime, display elements
Navigation Bar
A set of links that displays the names of different pages on a website eg Home, Contact, Products etc. It can be displayed across the top, down one side, or across the bottom of a web page
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Page Rank
Page Rank (PR) is the importance that Google places on each each web page, decided by its own, secret algorithm. It can be displayed on the Google tool bar, and ranks sites from 0 – 10.
Pixels
Picture Element, is a single dot of light on a computer screen, and can be displayed in different colours
PR
see Page Rank
Reciprocal Link
See Link Exchange
Resolution
Of monitors, is the number of pixels across and down that will display the size of your web page on a browser’s screen. The most common resolution at present is 800 x 600.
RSS feeds
Are headlines and news stories, usually from major newspapers, that can be fed onto any web site on any chosen topic
Screenshot
An image taken of a web page
Scripts
Sets of instructions to carry out actions or tasks on a web page, written in computer languages such as Perl, CGI, ASP, PHP or Java
Search Engine Optimization
Is a set of strategies used to increase a site’s positioning or ranking in a search engine
SEO
See Search Engine Optimisation (Optimization)
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Server
The computer storage provided by a web host or web hosting company
Shopping cart
An order form where shoppers can fill out their details, choose their purchases, pay for them, then check out.
Site Map
A set of ordered text links on a web site, that shows all of its publicly available pages, in one location.
Spider
See Index
SSL
Secure Sockets Layer is an encryption technology used for privacy and security of information
Stickiness
The length of time a user stays on the same website, whether on the one page, or on different pages
Subdomain
A separate website, with its own URL, that belongs to a main domain. eg www.subdomain.maindomain.com. Subdomains can have unlimited pages
Submission
Registering a website’s title and description for inclusion in a search engine, directory or other website
Submit
See submission
Text Links
A word or set of words that has a URL embedded behind it. When clicked on, it will take the user to a different part of the same page, a different page of the same web site, or a different web site
Thumbnail
Is a small picture, image or photograph on a web page, used to make loading of a page faster than a large image would take. It can sometimes be linked to a larger picture on another web page for users if desired.
Traffic
The number of hits a web site receives
Upload
Transfer of your website from the program it was located in, to a server
URL
Uniform Resource Locator is the unique address of every page on the web.eg http://how-to-build-web-sites.com/website_glossary.html
Web
Short for WWW – world wide web
Web Page
A published HTML document that forms part of a web site
Web Safe Colours
Not all browsers can display all colours, but most have a selection of standardised 256 colours available. Using web safe colours ensures your site will be displayed in the colour you intend. If a browser cannot display that clour, it will display a different colour
Web Site
Or website, is the address, location (on a server) and collection of documents and resources for any set of webpages linked by its main domain name.
Website Builder
Software or program used to create a web page or web site
WYSIWYG
Short for ‘What You See Is What You Get’, and refers to a website building program or software where you can see results of actions and changes immediately. An HTML editor works in the background to convert the actions into HTML.
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HostIndex has a glossary of more advanced web site terms
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