Every art has its own universe of specific terminology to draw on, there as shorthand for practitioners to hone and explore their skillset. In this sense, coders are just like musicians or painters, putting our individual stamp on materials that anyone, theoretically, can pick up.
Yet we sympathise with people outside of our linguistic bubble. Our clients can visualise their web concept, but they might be unsure of the methods we take to realise it, and find the whole process a bit unfathomable. As such, we’re giving you a rundown of the key terms in The Code Guy’s glossary:
Algorithm = A solution to a problem
Algorithms function as the basic elements of a computing process; essentially, a list of commands that bring about a solution, usually in a pre-set formula. They can convert various data types, organise search results, encrypt and decrypt information, and let our wireless devices communicate with a network.
Phrase tags = Digital signposts
Setting up a website involves manipulating all kind of digital DNA. Phrase tags are the collective group of input symbols that denote what the text we use is for, and how it’ll contribute to the site as a whole. For instance, <h2> tags flag up subheaders, while <strong> highlights important information that should be displayed in bold.
Version control = A system that records changes
Development services are typically performed by a team of coders, each of whom is adding to the finished product. For collaboration to succeed, it’s important that no-one permanently overwrites what another worker has done. Version control allows team members to see how a piece of software is progressing, and the changes made along the way.
Bugs = Faults in the system
Software is incredibly complex, so there’s bound to be something amiss in all those lines of code. We call them bugs, a label derived from an old term for ‘monster’ or, depending on what you believe, a real-life moth that was trapped in a computing processor in the 1940’s. Bugs are creases that must be ironed out in the post-development process when we test a site is functioning as it should be.
Cookies = The breadcrumb trail of your browsing
Websites can, subject to permission, employ cookies to develop their users’ experience. They store information about the journey you take on a website, from the links you click on, to the time spent on each page. All of this is locked in the site’s digital memory, resulting in tailored displays (of a matching coat, say, to the shoes you just bought) when visitors return.
Hopefully, your head’s in a much clearer place now that we’ve picked apart some coding obscurity. It helps us to interpret the lingo we take for granted because it puts the onus back on us to make your development experience as comfortable as possible.
These words represent just a snippet of the knowledge we’ll bring to your development project – call us today to get started with coding experts who talk in your language.