Every website term explained simply. Browse the full list in the sidebar, or search.
- Domain name — The human-readable address of a website, like situs.studio, that maps to a server via DNS.
- Subdomain — A prefix on a domain (e.g. shop.example.com) used to organise or host separate sections.
- DNS — The Domain Name System — the internet's directory that translates domain names into IP addresses.
- CNAME record — A DNS record that points one hostname to another, commonly used to route a custom domain to a host.
- A record — A DNS record that maps a hostname directly to an IPv4 address.
- MX record — A DNS record that directs a domain's email to the correct mail servers.
- TXT record — A DNS record holding arbitrary text, used for domain verification and email authentication.
- TTL — Time To Live — how long DNS resolvers cache a record before checking for changes.
- Nameserver — A server that holds a domain's DNS records and answers lookups for it.
- SSL certificate — A digital certificate that enables HTTPS by encrypting traffic between browser and server.
- HTTPS — The secure version of HTTP, encrypting data in transit using TLS/SSL.
- Web hosting — The service of storing a website's files on a server so they're available on the internet.
- CDN — A Content Delivery Network — a global set of servers that cache content close to visitors for speed.
- DNS propagation — The delay while updated DNS records spread across the internet's resolvers, usually minutes to hours.
- Domain registrar — A company accredited to sell and manage domain-name registrations.
- Favicon — The small icon shown in a browser tab and bookmarks for a website.
- Responsive design — A design approach where layouts adapt fluidly to any screen size, from phone to desktop.
- UX — User Experience — how easy, useful and pleasant a product is to use.
- UI — User Interface — the visual elements people interact with on screen.
- Landing page — A focused page built to convert visitors toward a single action.
- Call to action — A prompt (button or link) directing visitors to take a specific step, like 'Book now'.
- Above the fold — The part of a page visible without scrolling — prime space for your key message.
- Sitemap — A file listing a site's pages to help search engines discover and index them.
- robots.txt — A file telling search-engine crawlers which parts of a site they may or may not access.