GLOSSARY
Plain-English definitions for founders & builders.
Short answers to the questions you were too busy to Google. Updated regularly.
A
- A/B TestingA method of comparing two versions of a web page or element to find out which one performs better with real visitors.Conversion and Marketing
- Above the FoldThe part of a web page visible to a visitor before they scroll, and the most valuable space on any page for capturing attention. Conversion and Marketing
- APIA set of rules that allows one software program to communicate with another, enabling two separate systems to exchange data and work together.Web Development and Technology
- AuthenticationThe process of verifying that a user, device or service is who or what it claims to be.Engineering
B
- BackendThe server-side aspect of a web application that handles data, logic, and infrastructure, running invisibly behind everything the user sees.Web Development and Technology
- BacklinkA link on another website that points to a page on your website.SEO
- Bounce RateThe percentage of website or app sessions that do not meet Google Analytics 4’s engagement criteria.SEO
- BumpaA Nigerian business management and ecommerce platform for running online and physical retail operations.Nigeria · Commerce
- BVN and NIN VerificationChecking a person’s identity details against Nigeria’s BVN or NIN records.Nigeria · Engineering
C
- Call to ActionA button, link, or phrase on a webpage that tells visitors exactly what to do next and prompts an immediate response.Conversion and Marketing
- Canonical TagAn HTML tag that identifies the preferred URL among duplicate or very similar pages.SEO
- CDNA distributed network of servers that delivers website content closer to users.Performance
- CLSA Core Web Vital that measures how much visible page content moves unexpectedly.Performance · SEO
- CMSSoftware that lets you create, manage, and publish digital content on a website without writing code every time you need to make a change.Web Design Fundamentals
- Conversion RateThe percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, calculated by dividing the number of actions by total visitors.Conversion and Marketing
- Core Web VitalsThree performance metrics that Google uses to measure the real-world experience of visiting your website, and that directly affect where your site ranks in search results.SEO and Website Performance
- CROImproving a website or app so more users complete a valuable action.Growth
D
- DatabaseAn organised system for storing, retrieving and updating an application’s data.Engineering
- Design SystemA reusable kit of components and rules.Design
- DNSThe internet's phone book.Infrastructure
- Domain NameThe unique address used to access a website on the internet, typed directly into a browser to reach a specific site.Web Design Fundamentals
E
F
G
H
- Headless CMSA back-end-only web content management system that stores and delivers your content without controlling how it looks on any platform.WEB DESIGN
- HeatmapA visual of where users click and scroll.Growth
- HomepageThe main page of a website and the first page most visitors land on when they type your web address directly into a browser.Web Design Fundamentals
I
L
- Landing PageA standalone web page built for one goal: to turn a specific visitor into a specific action.Conversion and Marketing
- LCPHow quickly the biggest element renders.Performance · SEO
- Lead MagnetSomething free in exchange for an email.Growth
- Lean StartupThe Lean Startup is a method for building new products by focusing on learning, not assumptions. Understand the idea and how it shapes modern product development.Startups
M
- Meta DescriptionAn HTML tag that provides a brief summary of a web page's content, shown below the page title in Google search results.SEO and Website Performance
- Mobile-FirstDesigning for the smallest screen first.Design
- MockupA high-fidelity static design.Design
- MVPThe smallest version of a product that delivers value.Product
- MVP in SoftwareAn MVP is the simplest version of a product that lets you test your idea with real users. Learn what it means, why it matters, and when to build one.MVP
N
O
P
R
S
- Schema MarkupStructured data that tells Google what your page is.SEO
- SEOThe practice of improving your website so that it appears higher in search engine results when people search for what you offer.SEO and Website Performance
- ServerA powerful computer or software system that stores website files and delivers them to anyone who requests them over the internet.Web Design Fundamentals
- SSL CertificateA digital certificate that encrypts the connection between a visitor's browser and your website, keeping data secure and telling Google your site is safe.Web Design Fundamentals
T
U
W
- Web AccessibilityDesigning websites and apps so people with disabilities can perceive, navigate, understand and use them.Design
- Web HostingThe service that stores your website files on a server and keeps your site live and accessible on the internet around the clock.Web Design Fundamentals
- WebhookOne app pinging another when something happens.Engineering
- WebsiteA collection of related web pages and files grouped under a single domain name, accessible to anyone on the internet.Web Design Fundamentals
- Website SpeedHow quickly a website loads and responds to user input, measured across several performance metrics that affect both user experience and search rankings.SEO and Website Performance
- WhatsApp CommerceSelling and supporting customers via WhatsApp.Nigeria · Commerce
- WireframeA low-fidelity blueprint of a page.Design