Web Design Glossary

[ey-bee tes-ting]

A comparative experiment between two variants of a webpage or app to determine which version performs better for a given conversion goal.

[uh-buhv thuh fohld]

The portion of a webpage that is visible to visitors without scrolling, derived from newspaper terminology where the top half of the folded front page was most visible.

[ak-ses-uh-bil-i-tee]

The practice of designing websites and digital content to be usable by all people, regardless of their abilities, disabilities, or assistive technologies used.

[uh-kawr-dee-uhn]

A vertically stacked list of headers that expand or collapse to reveal associated content panels when clicked.

[an-uh-lit-iks]

Tools and methods for collecting, measuring, and analyzing website data to understand user behavior and improve digital experiences.

[ang-ker skrohl]

A navigation technique that smoothly scrolls the webpage to specific sections when clicking on links, creating a seamless user experience.

[ey-pee-ahy]

A set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and share data with each other.

[aw-then-tuh-key-shuhn]

The process of verifying a user's identity through credentials or other verification methods to grant access to a system or resource.

[bak-end]

The server-side of a website or application that processes data, manages databases, and handles business logic, invisible to end users.

[band-width]

The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over an internet connection in a given time period, typically measured in bits per second.

[bouns reyt]

The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page, without any further interaction or navigation to other pages.

[bred-kruhms]

A secondary navigation aid that shows users their current location within a website's hierarchy and allows easy backtracking through parent pages.

[breyk-points]

Specific screen widths where a website's layout and design adapt to provide the optimal viewing experience across different devices.

[bild pro-ses]

The process of compiling, bundling, and optimizing web application code to create a production-ready version for deployment.

[buhn-dl-ing]

The process of combining multiple code files and assets into fewer optimized files to improve website loading speed and performance.

[buhs fak-ter]

The minimum number of team members who need to be hit by a bus for a project to be seriously impaired due to loss of knowledge.

[kash]

A temporary storage system that saves website data locally to reduce load times and server requests on subsequent visits.

[kawl-too-ak-shuhn]

A design element that prompts users to take a specific action, such as 'Sign Up,' 'Learn More,' or 'Buy Now.'

[kuh-non-i-kuhl yoo-ar-el]

A designated preferred version of a webpage URL that helps search engines identify and index the main version when multiple similar pages exist.

[kair-uh-sel]

A rotating slideshow element on a webpage that automatically cycles through multiple pieces of content, typically images or cards.

[see-dee-en]

A network of distributed servers that deliver web content to users based on their geographic location, improving speed and reliability.

[kuhl-er skeyl]

A systematic sequence of colors that shows gradual transitions between hues, saturation, or brightness levels to create visual harmony and hierarchy.

[kən-tey-nuh-rahy-zey-shuhn]

A lightweight method of packaging software applications and dependencies into standardized, portable units called containers for consistent deployment across environments.

[see-em-es]

A software application that allows users to create, edit, and manage digital content without requiring advanced technical knowledge.

[kuhn-vur-zhun reyt]

The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up, or filling out a form.

[kook-ee]

A small text file stored on a user's device that contains data about their browsing preferences and activity on a specific website.

[kohr-web-vahy-tlz]

Google's essential metrics, apart of their lighthouse score, that measure website performance through loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability to ensure optimal user experience.

[kraws-awr-i-jin ri-sawrs shair-ing]

A security mechanism that allows web servers to specify which origins can access their resources through browser-enforced policies.

[see-es-es]

A style sheet language used to describe the presentation and formatting of HTML documents on the web.

[dahrk pat-ern]

A deceptive user interface design that tricks users into making unintended decisions or actions that benefit the website owner.

[dih-pen-duh n-seez]

External code packages or modules that a software project requires to function properly, managed through package managers like npm or yarn.

[dih-ploy]

The process of publishing and making a website or web application live and accessible on the internet through a web server or hosting platform.

[dee-en-es]

A hierarchical naming system that translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses.

[dom]

A programming interface that represents web documents as a tree structure of objects, allowing scripts to dynamically access and modify webpage content.

[dwel tahym]

The length of time a visitor spends viewing a webpage before returning to the search engine results page (SERP).

[dahy-nam-ik kon-tent]

Web content that automatically updates or adapts based on user behavior, preferences, or other variables without requiring page reloads.

[el-uh-muhnt]

A fundamental building block of HTML that defines the structure and content of a webpage, typically consisting of opening and closing tags.

[end-point]

A URL or URI where an API can be accessed to perform specific actions or retrieve data from a service or system.

[en-geyj-muhnt reyt]

A metric that measures the level of interaction between users and digital content, expressed as a percentage of total audience reach.

[en-vahy-ruhn-muhnt vehr-ee-uh-buhlz]

Configuration values stored outside of application code that control application behavior and protect sensitive information across different environments.

[fee-cher flagz]

Configuration toggles that allow developers to enable, disable, or modify features in software without changing or deploying code.

[furst kuhn-tent-fuhl peynt]

A performance metric that measures the time from when a page starts loading to when any part of the page's content is rendered on screen.

[furst in-put dih-ley]

A Core Web Vital that measures the time between a user's first interaction and the browser's response, indicating a site's interactivity.

[fawrm uh-ban-duhn-muhnt reyt]

The percentage of users who start filling out a form but leave before completing and submitting it.

[freym-wurk]

A pre-written collection of standardized code and tools that provides a foundation for developing software applications efficiently.

[fruhnt-end]

The client-side, user-facing part of a website or application that handles presentation, user interface, and direct user interactions.

[git]

A distributed version control system that tracks changes in source code during software development, enabling multiple developers to work collaboratively on projects.

[jee-pee-yoo ak-sel-uh-rey-shuhn]

A technique that offloads graphics-intensive tasks from the CPU to the GPU, enabling smoother animations and better website performance.

[grid sis-tuhm]

A structured framework of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines used to organize content and create consistent, balanced layouts in design.

[ham-bur-ger men-yoo]

A three-lined button icon that toggles the visibility of a navigation menu, commonly used in responsive web design and mobile interfaces.

[heet map]

A visual representation of website user behavior that uses color coding to display areas of high and low interaction, such as clicks, scrolls, and mouse movements.

[hee-roh sek-shun]

The topmost section of a webpage that serves as an introduction to the content below. It is the first thing visitors see when they land on your website.

[eych-tee-tee-pee]

A protocol that enables communication between web browsers and servers, allowing the transfer of data across the internet.

[hahy-drey-shun]

The process of making server-rendered HTML interactive by attaching JavaScript event listeners and state to the static markup.

[im-ij op-tuh-mahy-zey-shun]

The process of reducing image file sizes while maintaining acceptable visual quality to improve website performance and user experience.

[in-fuh-nit skrohl]

A web design technique that continuously loads content as users scroll down a page, creating a seamless browsing experience without pagination.

[in-fer-mey-shuhn ahr-ki-tek-cher]

The practice of organizing, structuring, and labeling content in digital products to help users find information and complete tasks efficiently.

[in-poot val-i-dey-shuhn]

The process of checking and verifying user-submitted data to ensure it meets specified format, type, and security requirements before processing.

[jah-vuh-skript]

A high-level, interpreted programming language that enables interactive and dynamic content on websites and applications.

[jay-sawn]

A lightweight, text-based data format that's easy for humans to read and write, and simple for machines to parse and generate.

[kee per-fawr-muhns in-duh-key-ter]

A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a website or digital initiative is achieving key business objectives.

[kee freym]

A specific point in an animation sequence that defines the starting and ending points of any smooth transition.

[lan-ding peyj]

A standalone web page specifically designed to convert visitors into leads or customers through focused content and clear calls-to-action.

[lahr-jist kuhn-tent-fl peynt]

A Core Web Vital metric that measures the time it takes for the largest content element to become visible within the viewport.

[ley-zee loh-ding]

A web optimization technique that defers loading non-essential resources until they're needed, improving initial page load times and conserving bandwidth.

[leed mag-nit]

A valuable free resource offered to potential customers in exchange for their contact information, typically used for lead generation and email list building.

[lahy-brer-ee]

A collection of pre-written code that developers can reuse to perform common programming tasks and add functionality to applications.

[lahyt-hous skawr]

A performance measurement tool by Google that evaluates websites across performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO metrics.

[loh-kuhl stawr-ij]

A web storage solution that allows websites to store data persistently in a user's browser with no expiration date.

[meyn thred]

The primary processing thread in a browser that handles JavaScript execution, DOM updates, and user interactions.

[met-uh-dey-tuh]

Structured information that describes, explains, or makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage other data.

[mahy-kroh-in-ter-ak-shuhn]

Small, purposeful animations or visual responses triggered by user actions that provide feedback and enhance the interactive experience of digital interfaces.

[mid-l-wair]

Software that acts as a bridge between different applications, operating systems, or services, facilitating communication and data management between disparate systems.

[min-uh-fi-key-shun]

The process of reducing code file size by removing unnecessary characters and formatting without changing its functionality.

[moh-bahyl furst]

A design approach that prioritizes creating websites for mobile devices first, then progressively enhancing them for larger screens.

[moh-dl]

A dialog box or popup window that appears on top of the main content, requiring user interaction before returning to the main interface.

[nav-i-gey-shuhn]

A system of menus, links, and pathways that allows users to move between different pages and sections of a website.

[net pruh-moh-ter skor]

A customer loyalty metric that measures the likelihood of customers recommending a product or service to others, using a 0-10 scale.

[oh-puh n graf]

A protocol that enables web pages to become rich objects in social media platforms by defining how content should be displayed when shared.

[op-tuh-muh-zey-shuhn]

The process of making a website or application as efficient and effective as possible through various technical improvements and refinements.

[awr-gan-ik traf-ik]

Website visitors who find and access your site through unpaid search engine results or natural, non-paid methods.

[pak-ij man-i-jer]

A tool that automates the process of installing, updating, configuring, and removing software dependencies in development projects.

[peyj lohd tahym]

The total time it takes for a web page to fully load and become interactive in a user's browser after they request it.

[paj-uh-ney-shuhn]

A system for dividing digital content into discrete pages, allowing users to navigate through large sets of information sequentially.

[per-soh-nuhz]

Detailed profiles of fictional users that represent distinct user groups, based on research and real user behavior patterns.

[pruh-gres-iv en-hans-muhnt]

A web design approach that builds a base experience for all users, then adds advanced features for browsers that support them.

[kyoo-ahr kohd]

A two-dimensional barcode that can be quickly read by digital devices to store and transmit data like URLs, text, or other information.

[kweer-ee string]

A part of a URL that contains data parameters in key-value pairs, used to pass information between web pages or to customize page content.

[reyt lim-it]

A threshold that controls how many requests a user or client can make to a server within a specified time period.

[ree-fak-ter]

The process of restructuring existing code to improve its quality and maintainability while preserving its functionality.

[rej-eks]

A sequence of characters defining a search pattern used for string matching, validation, and text manipulation in programming.

[ri-spon-siv di-zahyn]

A web design approach that ensures websites adapt and respond to different screen sizes and devices, providing an optimal viewing experience.

[ri-turn viz-i-ter reyt]

The percentage of website visitors who return to a site after their initial visit, indicating user engagement and content value.

[roo-ting]

The process of determining how different URLs and paths in a website map to specific content or pages, controlling navigation and content display.

[ruhn-tahym]

The period and environment during which a computer program is executing, including all resources and conditions needed for program operation.

[skript]

Code files or blocks that enable dynamic functionality and interactivity on websites through programming languages like JavaScript.

[sur-ver-sahyd ren-der-ing]

A web rendering method where the server processes and generates HTML for each request, enabling dynamic content and improved initial load times.

[sesh-un doo-rey-shun]

The length of time a user spends actively engaged with a website during a single visit, from their first interaction to their last.

[sahyt map]

A hierarchical list or diagram that shows the structure and organization of all pages within a website.

[ess-kyoo-el] or [see-kwuhl]

A standardized programming language used to manage and manipulate relational databases, enabling data storage, retrieval, and modification.

[es-es-el sur-tif-i-kit]

A digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and enables encrypted connections between web servers and browsers.

[sta-tik kon-tent]

Web content that remains fixed and unchanged between user interactions, served directly from a server without real-time processing or database queries.

[tahym on peyj]

A web analytics metric that measures the duration a user spends actively viewing a specific webpage before navigating away.

[tahym tu in-ter-ak-tiv]

A performance metric that measures the time it takes for a webpage to become fully interactive and responsive to user input.

[toh-tuhl blok-ing tahym]

A performance metric that measures the total time between First Contentful Paint and Time to Interactive when the main thread is blocked for long enough to prevent input responsiveness.

[yoo-ahr-el]

A standardized address format that identifies and locates resources on the internet, such as web pages, images, or files.

[yoo-zer ey-juhnt]

A string of text that identifies a browser, operating system, and device when making requests to web servers.

[yoo-eks] or [yoo-zur ik-speer-ee-uhns]

The overall experience and satisfaction a user has when interacting with a product, system, or service, encompassing usability, accessibility, and emotional response.

[yoo-zer floh]

A step-by-step path that users follow through a website or application to complete a specific task or achieve a goal.

[yoo-eye]

The visual elements and interactive components of a digital product that users engage with to navigate and accomplish tasks.

[vair-ee-uh-buhl font]

A single font file that contains multiple variations of a typeface, allowing dynamic adjustment of attributes like weight, width, and slant.

[vyoo-pawrt]

The visible area of a web page on a user's device screen, which varies by device size and determines how content is displayed.

[vizh-oo-uhl hahy-rahr-kee]

The arrangement of design elements in order of importance, guiding users' attention and creating a clear path through content.

[web-hʊk]

An automated message sent from one application to another when specific events occur, enabling real-time data transfer and integration between systems.

[wahyt speys]

The empty space between design elements in a layout, used to create visual hierarchy, improve readability, and enhance overall user experience.

[eks-es-es] or [kros sayt skrip-ting]

A security vulnerability where malicious scripts are injected into trusted websites, allowing attackers to steal data or manipulate user interactions.

[eks-em-el]

A markup language that structures data in a hierarchical format using custom tags, enabling data sharing between different systems and applications.

[yaml]

A human-readable data serialization language commonly used for configuration files and frontmatter in static site generators.

[zee-pat-ern]

A visual design pattern that traces the natural eye movement of users scanning content in a path that resembles the letter Z.

[zee-roh steyt]

The initial empty state of an interface or component when no user data or content exists yet, requiring specific design considerations to guide users.