Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the product, design and engineering terms we use with clients.
A/B Testing
A method of comparing two versions of a webpage, email, or feature to determine which performs better based on user behavior.
Agile development
An iterative approach to software development that promotes collaboration, adaptability, and continuous delivery.
API
A set of protocols and tools that allow different software applications to communicate and share data.
Authentication
The process of verifying the identity of a user, system, or application attempting to access a resource or service.
Backlog
A prioritized list of tasks, features, or bugs waiting to be developed or addressed in future sprints.
Beta release
A pre-launch version of a software product released to selected users for testing and feedback.
Bug tracking
The process of identifying, documenting, and managing software defects throughout the development lifecycle.
Build automation
The practice of automating the compilation, testing, and deployment of software to reduce manual work and errors.
Business Intelligence (BI)
Technologies and strategies used to analyze business data and provide actionable insights for decision-making.
Churn rate
The percentage of customers who cancel or stop using a subscription service during a given period.
CI/CD Pipeline
Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment processes that automate code testing, building, and deployment.
Cloud computing
The delivery of computing services including servers, storage, databases, and software over the internet instead of local infrastructure.
Code repository
A storage location where software source code and related files are kept, typically using version control systems like Git.
Conversion rate
The percentage of users who complete a desired action (such as signing up, purchasing, or upgrading) out of the total number of visitors.
CRM
Software that helps businesses manage interactions with existing and potential customers to improve relationships and retention.
CTA (Call to Action)
A prompt on a webpage or ad that encourages users to take a specific action, such as “Buy Now” or “Sign Up.”
Dashboard
A visual interface that displays key metrics, analytics, and performance indicators in real time for easy monitoring and decision-making.
Data analytics
The process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that guide business decisions.
Data migration
The process of transferring data from one system, platform, or storage type to another, often during upgrades or software transitions.
Database
An organized collection of structured data stored electronically, designed for efficient retrieval, management, and updating.
DevOps
A set of practices that combines software development and IT operations to shorten the development lifecycle and deliver high-quality software.
Documentation
Written materials that explain how software works, including user guides, API references, and technical specifications.
Encryption
The process of converting readable data into encoded format to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
End-to-end testing
A testing methodology that validates the complete flow of an application from start to finish to ensure all components work together correctly.
Engagement rate
A metric that measures how actively users interact with your product, content, or platform, often through clicks, time spent, or feature usage.
Enterprise software
Large-scale software solutions designed to meet the needs of organizations rather than individual users, typically offering extensive features and scalability.
Error handling
The process of anticipating, detecting, and responding to errors in software applications to maintain functionality and user experience.
Event-driven architecture
A software design pattern where components communicate through events, enabling decoupled and scalable systems.
Extensibility
The ability of software to be extended with new features or functionality without modifying existing code.
Extract, Transform, Load (ETL)
A data integration process that extracts data from sources, transforms it to fit operational needs, and loads it into a target database.
Feature flag
A technique that allows developers to enable or disable features remotely without deploying new code, enabling safer releases and A/B testing.
Frontend
The part of a software application that users interact with directly, including the user interface and user experience components.
Framework
A reusable platform or structure that provides foundational code and functionality to build software applications more efficiently.
Funnel analysis
A method of analyzing the conversion process by tracking users through a series of steps to identify where drop-offs occur.
Full-stack development
The practice of developing both frontend and backend components of a software application, covering the complete technology stack.
Function as a Service (FaaS)
A cloud computing model where developers can execute code in response to events without managing server infrastructure.
Gamification
The application of game-design elements and principles in non-game contexts to enhance user engagement and motivation.
Git
A distributed version control system that tracks changes in source code during software development, enabling collaboration and code history management.
GitHub
A web-based platform that provides Git repository hosting, collaboration features, and project management tools for software development.
GraphQL
A query language and runtime for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, reducing over-fetching and under-fetching.
Hashing
Converting input data into a fixed-size string of characters with a mathematical function, commonly used for data integrity and password storage.
Headless architecture
An architecture where the frontend presentation layer is decoupled from the backend, so content can be delivered across many channels.
High availability
A system design approach that keeps services running and reachable for long periods, minimising downtime through redundancy and failover.
Horizontal scaling
Increasing system capacity by adding more machines or servers rather than upgrading existing hardware, spreading the load across them.
Hosting
The service of providing storage space and access for websites, applications, and data on servers connected to the internet.
Hotfix
An urgent patch or update deployed to fix critical bugs or security vulnerabilities in production software without following the normal release cycle.
HTTP/HTTPS
Protocols for transferring data over the internet, with HTTPS providing encrypted and secure communication between web browsers and servers.
Hybrid app
A mobile application that combines web technologies with native app features, allowing it to run on multiple platforms from a single codebase.
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
A cloud computing model that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, including servers, storage, and networking infrastructure.
IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
A software application that provides comprehensive tools for software development, including code editor, debugger, and build automation in a single interface.
In-memory database
A database management system that primarily relies on main memory for data storage, providing faster data access compared to disk-based databases.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable definition files rather than manual hardware setup or interactive tools.
Integration
The process of combining different software systems and applications to work together, enabling data sharing and coordinated functionality across platforms.
Iteration
A single development cycle in an iterative process where software is built, tested, and refined incrementally to improve quality and functionality over time.
Journey Mapping
A visual representation of a customer's experience with a brand, showing each step and touch point across their journey.
JavaScript
A popular programming language used to build dynamic, interactive web applications on both the client and server side.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
A lightweight data format used for storing and exchanging structured information between systems and APIs.
Job Queue
A system that manages and processes background tasks asynchronously to improve application performance and reliability.
Jira
A widely used project and issue tracking tool designed to help teams plan, track, and release software efficiently.
Kanban Board
A visual workflow management tool used to visualize tasks, identify bottlenecks, and improve productivity in projects.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
A measurable value that indicates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.
Knowledge Base
A centralized repository of information that helps users find answers to common questions about a product or service.
Knowledge Graph
A system that connects information using relationships between concepts, improving data organization and understanding.
Knowledge Management
The process of capturing, organizing, and sharing knowledge within an organization to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
Landing Page
A focused web page designed to convert visitors into leads or customers, often tied to marketing campaigns.
Metadata
Descriptive data that provides information about other data, often used in SEO and content organization.
Microcopy
Small pieces of text on digital interfaces that guide users or improve user experience, such as button labels or error messages.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
A simplified version of a product that includes only the essential features needed to validate an idea and gather user feedback.
Machine Learning
A field of artificial intelligence that enables systems to learn from data and improve performance without explicit programming.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
A customer loyalty metric that measures how likely users are to recommend a product or service to others.
Navigation Menu
A UI element that helps users move through different sections of a website or application.
No-Code Platform
A development tool that enables users to build applications without writing traditional code.
Native App
A mobile application built specifically for a particular platform, such as iOS or Android, using platform-specific languages and tools.
Network Latency
The time it takes for data to travel between its source and destination across a network.
Onboarding
The process of welcoming and educating new users or customers about a product to ensure successful adoption.
Optimization
The process of improving a system, webpage, or workflow to increase performance, speed, or conversion rates.
Persona
A semi-fictional representation of an ideal customer based on research and real data.
Product Roadmap
A strategic plan that outlines the vision, direction, and progress of a product over time.
Pageview
A metric that counts how many times a webpage is loaded or viewed by users.
Prototype
An early version of a product used to test concepts, gather feedback, and validate functionality before full development.
Performance Metrics
Quantitative measurements used to evaluate the effectiveness or efficiency of a product, feature, or marketing campaign.
Push Notification
A message sent directly to a user's device to re-engage them, deliver updates, or prompt actions.
Release Notes
A document that outlines new features, improvements, and fixes included in a software update.
Regression Testing
A type of software testing that ensures new changes do not break existing functionality.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
A software delivery model where applications are hosted online and accessed via a subscription.
Scrum
An Agile framework used to structure work into short cycles called sprints.
Touchpoint
Any interaction or communication between a business and its customers throughout the customer journey.
Technical Debt
The cost of reworking code that was implemented quickly rather than properly.
Telemetry
Automated data collection that monitors usage, performance, and system behavior in real time.
UI (User Interface)
The visual layout of elements that users interact with in a digital product.
UX (User Experience)
The overall experience a user has while interacting with a product or service, focusing on ease of use and satisfaction.
User Journey
The complete path a user takes from discovering a product to becoming a loyal customer.
Version Control
A system that tracks changes to code and enables collaboration among developers.
Virtual Machine
Software that emulates a physical computer, allowing multiple operating systems to run on the same hardware.
Wireframe
A simplified visual guide that outlines the structure of a webpage or app before design and development.
Workflow Automation
The use of software to automate business processes, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.
Webhooks
Automated messages sent from one system to another when specific events occur.
XML (Extensible Markup Language)
A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a human- and machine-readable format.
XaaS (Everything as a Service)
A broad category of cloud services delivered over the internet, including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.
YAML
A human-readable data serialization language commonly used for configuration files.
Zero Downtime Deployment
A deployment strategy that ensures updates go live without causing service interruptions.