Plain-English definitions for founders & builders.

A method of comparing two versions of a web page or element to find out which one performs better with real visitors.

The part of a web page visible to a visitor before they scroll, and the most valuable space on any page for capturing attention.

A set of rules that allows one software program to communicate with another, enabling two separate systems to exchange data and work together.

The process of verifying that a user, device or service is who or what it claims to be.

The server-side aspect of a web application that handles data, logic, and infrastructure, running invisibly behind everything the user sees.

A link on another website that points to a page on your website.

The percentage of website or app sessions that do not meet Google Analytics 4’s engagement criteria.

A Nigerian business management and ecommerce platform for running online and physical retail operations.

Checking a person’s identity details against Nigeria’s BVN or NIN records.

A button, link, or phrase on a webpage that tells visitors exactly what to do next and prompts an immediate response.

An HTML tag that identifies the preferred URL among duplicate or very similar pages.

A distributed network of servers that delivers website content closer to users.

A Core Web Vital that measures how much visible page content moves unexpectedly.

Software that lets you create, manage, and publish digital content on a website without writing code every time you need to make a change.

The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, calculated by dividing the number of actions by total visitors.

Three 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.

Improving a website or app so more users complete a valuable action.

An organised system for storing, retrieving and updating an application’s data.

A reusable kit of components and rules.

The internet's phone book.

The unique address used to access a website on the internet, typed directly into a browser to reach a specific site.

Early adopters are the first real users of a new product. Learn who they are, why they matter for startups, and how they differ from the average customer.

A small piece of server code that runs close to the user.

Pan-African payments processor.

Everything a user sees and interacts with when they visit a website or application, built and controlled by frontend development.

The path from first visit to conversion.

A query language for APIs.

A back-end-only web content management system that stores and delivers your content without controlling how it looks on any platform.

A visual of where users click and scroll.

The main page of a website and the first page most visitors land on when they type your web address directly into a browser.

How quickly the page responds to user input.

A standalone web page built for one goal: to turn a specific visitor into a specific action.

How quickly the biggest element renders.

Something free in exchange for an email.

The 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.

An HTML tag that provides a brief summary of a web page's content, shown below the page title in Google search results.

Designing for the smallest screen first.

A high-fidelity static design.

The smallest version of a product that delivers value.

An 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.

Pricing in ₦ as the primary currency.

The protocol behind "Sign in with Google".

How fast a page loads and becomes interactive.

Nigeria's leading online payment processor.

The open-source relational database the studio defaults to.

When the market pulls the product out of your hands.

Rewriting code without changing what it does.

One site that adapts to every screen size.

A standard way for software to talk over HTTP.

The plan for what ships next, and roughly when.

Structured data that tells Google what your page is.

The practice of improving your website so that it appears higher in search engine results when people search for what you offer.

A powerful computer or software system that stores website files and delivers them to anyone who requests them over the internet.

A digital certificate that encrypts the connection between a visitor's browser and your website, keeping data secure and telling Google your site is safe.

Shortcuts in code that you'll pay for later.

The visible surface a user interacts with.

How a product feels to use, end to end.

Designing websites and apps so people with disabilities can perceive, navigate, understand and use them.

The service that stores your website files on a server and keeps your site live and accessible on the internet around the clock.

One app pinging another when something happens.

A collection of related web pages and files grouped under a single domain name, accessible to anyone on the internet.

How quickly a website loads and responds to user input, measured across several performance metrics that affect both user experience and search rankings.

Selling and supporting customers via WhatsApp.

A low-fidelity blueprint of a page.