Glossary
Web Development
Plain-English definitions of web development terms - so you can have informed conversations about your own website without needing a computer science degree.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. APIs are how your website connects to third-party tools - such as CRMs, payment processors, or analytics platforms - without needing to build that functionality from scratch.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers distributed around the world that delivers your website content from the location closest to the user. CDNs significantly reduce load times, especially for users far from your origin server.
CMS (Content Management System)
A platform that allows you to create, edit, and manage website content without writing code. Common examples include WordPress, Sanity, and Contentful. A good CMS gives your team control over content while developers control the structure and performance.
Core Web Vitals
Google's metrics for measuring real-world user experience: LCP (loading speed), CLS (visual stability), and INP (interactivity). Poor Core Web Vitals hurt both user experience and search rankings.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
The language used to control the visual appearance of a web page - colours, fonts, spacing, layout, and responsive behaviour. Modern CSS frameworks like Tailwind CSS make styling faster and more consistent.
Headless CMS
A content management system where the content backend is completely separated from the frontend presentation layer. This allows developers to build fast, modern frontends (using frameworks like Next.js) while editors manage content through a familiar interface.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
The standard language for structuring content on the web. HTML defines what elements appear on a page - headings, paragraphs, images, links, and more. Semantic HTML (using the correct element for the right purpose) is important for both SEO and accessibility.
HTTPS / SSL Certificate
HTTPS is a secure protocol for transmitting data between a browser and a web server, indicated by the padlock icon in your browser. An SSL certificate enables HTTPS. It is a Google ranking factor and a basic trust signal for users - any modern website should run on HTTPS.
JavaScript
A programming language that makes web pages interactive. JavaScript powers dynamic features like menus, animations, form validation, and real-time updates. Frameworks like React are built on JavaScript.
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
A Core Web Vital measuring how long the largest visible element - typically the hero image or main heading - takes to load. Google recommends LCP under 2.5 seconds.
Mobile-First Design
A design approach where the mobile version of a website is designed and built first, then adapted for larger screens. Since most web traffic is mobile, mobile-first design ensures the experience that matters most gets the most attention.
Next.js
A React-based framework for building fast, SEO-friendly websites and web applications. Next.js supports both static site generation and server-side rendering, making it ideal for marketing sites that need strong performance and search visibility.
PageSpeed Score
Google's 0-100 score measuring a webpage's performance, generated by the Lighthouse tool. Scores above 90 are considered excellent. A high PageSpeed score correlates with better user experience, lower bounce rates, and improved search rankings.
React
A JavaScript library developed by Meta for building user interfaces. React allows developers to build reusable UI components, making large websites faster to build and easier to maintain. Most modern web frameworks, including Next.js, are built on React.
Responsive Design
A design approach where a website automatically adapts its layout and content to fit different screen sizes - from mobile phones to desktop monitors. Responsive design is the standard for modern websites.
Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Generating a page's HTML on the server before sending it to the browser. SSR means users and search engines see fully rendered content immediately, improving both perceived speed and SEO. Next.js supports SSR natively.
Static Site Generation (SSG)
Pre-building HTML pages at build time rather than generating them on each request. SSG produces extremely fast websites because pages are served as pre-built files. Ideal for content that does not change frequently.
TypeScript
A superset of JavaScript that adds static type checking. TypeScript catches errors before code runs, making large codebases more reliable and easier to maintain. It is the standard choice for professional Next.js and React development.
UI / UX
UI (User Interface) refers to the visual elements users interact with - buttons, typography, colour, layout. UX (User Experience) refers to how the overall experience feels - whether it is intuitive, efficient, and satisfying. Strong UI/UX design directly impacts conversion rates.
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