Glossary of Website Terms
Below is a list of common website terms that GRO Creative Team members can reference to understand the website project process.
Website Structure
These terms relate to how a website is organized and structured.
- Page
- A standalone webpage on a site, containing specific content.
- Examples: Homepage (example.com), About Us (example.com/about-us).
- Subpage
- A webpage that exists within a main page’s hierarchy, often organized under a parent page.
- Examples: FAQ under "Support" (example.com/support/faq), Web Design under "Services" (example.com/services/web-design).
- Domain
- The primary address of a website, used to access it on the web.
- Examples: example.com, google.com.
- Subdomain
- A division of a website’s domain that operates as its own unique site.
- Examples: blog.example.com, store.example.com.
- Navigation Menu
- A set of links or buttons to guide users to different sections of the website.
- Examples: Header menu with links to "Home," "About," "Contact."
- Landing Page
- A focused webpage designed to achieve a specific goal, often tied to marketing campaigns.
- Examples: Product promo page, sign-up form page.
- Wireframe
- A blueprint or rough sketch of a webpage’s layout and content placement.
- Examples: A design mockup showing a header, image placeholders, and buttons.
Design & User Experience (UX)
These terms focus on the visual and interactive elements of a website.
- Responsive Design
- A design approach ensuring the website looks and works well on all devices, from desktops to mobile phones.
- Examples: A site that adjusts layout automatically for mobile or tablet views.
- UI (User Interface)
- The visual components users interact with, such as buttons, forms, and menus.
- Examples: A login form, a search bar.
- UX (User Experience)
- The overall experience users have when interacting with a website, focusing on ease of use and satisfaction.
- Examples: Intuitive navigation, fast-loading pages.
- Alt Text
- Descriptive text for images, used for accessibility and to help search engines understand the image.
- Examples: An image of a dog might have alt text like "Golden retriever playing in a park."
- Call-to-Action (CTA)
- Prompts encouraging users to take a specific action.
- Examples: “Sign Up,” “Contact Us,” “Get a Free Quote.”
Technical Terms
These terms involve the backend or more technical aspects of website creation.
- Hosting
- The service that stores and delivers the website's content to users online.
- Examples: GoDaddy, Bluehost.
- CMS (Content Management System)
- A platform for managing website content without needing coding skills.
- Examples: WordPress, Wix.
- SSL Certificate
- A security feature that encrypts data between the website and its users.
- Examples: Websites with https:// instead of http://.
- Back-End
- The server-side systems and databases that power the website’s functionality.
- Examples: User login database, server processing for form submissions.
- Front-End
- The client-side visuals and interactions users experience directly on the website.
- Examples: Page layouts, buttons, image sliders.
- Cache
- Temporary storage of website data to speed up load times for repeat visitors.
- Examples: Cached pages loading faster, but requiring clearing when updates don’t show.
- 404 Error
- A message shown when a user tries to access a page that doesn’t exist.
- Examples: Typing example.com/missing-page and seeing "Page Not Found."
- Plugins/Add-ons
- Software components that add specific features or functionality to a website.
- Examples: A contact form plugin, a social media share button plugin.
Accessibility & Maintenance
These terms highlight inclusivity and upkeep of the website.
- Accessibility
- Features ensuring the website can be used by people with disabilities.
- Examples: Screen reader support, keyboard-only navigation.
- Website Maintenance
- Ongoing tasks to keep the website functional and secure.
- Examples: Updating plugins, fixing broken links.
