We’ve created a list of terms that you should know if you want to order the design of a website or an online store.
We’ll discuss helpful terms that will allow you to communicate smoothly with the website developer and help you understand the topic without issue. The list below is a solid base that will enable you to navigate during the project.
We divided the article into the following groups of terms:
- General web development terms
- E-commerce
- UI/UX design
- Front end & Back end
We’ll also update this list from time to time, so it’s worth bookmarking this article!
We develop websites that boost sales
General web development terms
In this section of the article, you will find general web development terminology you may encounter while working on your own site.
Dedicated or Custom website
A dedicated website is created with the client’s needs in mind from the very beginning. This solution allows developers to create a “tailored” site that meets client expectations.
A custom website isn’t based on a template or theme. It’s designed for a specific purpose and a defined target audience. It’s specifically made for a given business or brand.
Website Builder
A website builder allows developers to create websites with ready-made templates and themes. Templates can be bought from various providers, such as Wix, GoDaddy, or WebWave.
It’s a fast and cheap way to create websites. However, sites designed this way struggle to position high in Google search results.
Website with WordPress
WordPress is a platform for developing websites based on ready-made templates and themes. Usually, while creating a website with WordPress, the client needs to involve a third party—a company specializing in web development. The company helps configure the WordPress environment, select an appropriate theme, and publish content.
Responsive Web Design
Responsive Web Design is an approach to web development that allows developers to create websites that adapt their layout to the user’s device. This ensures that your site will look just as good on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) as on computers and laptops.
Mobile-first
The mobile-first approach to website design involves adapting the site's appearance and functionality to the capabilities and limitations of mobile devices (e.g., smartphones or tablets). This means that developers create websites with mobile users and their experiences in mind first, and then translate them to desktop devices.
Content Management System (CMS)
A Content Management System (CMS) is an application that allows an administrator to manage a website without programming knowledge or skills.
This tool allows administrators to change the content of different website sections, format texts, publish blog posts, or upload videos.
E-commerce terminology
Here, you will find terms related to e-commerce — online stores and online shopping.
Shopping cart
In terms of meaning, a shopping cart on an online store website doesn’t differ much from the one you use daily in a brick-and-mortar store.
A shopping cart in an online store is a subpage displaying all the products the customer has added to it while shopping. It’s a handy summary of purchases where you can find the lists of added products, total cost, and sometimes even an estimated delivery/shipping cost.
Checkout page
Checkout pages are specially prepared subpages that appear after the customer completes their shopping cart and proceeds further. Usually, you can find a form on them that you need to fill out with data such as name and surname, delivery address, payment information, etc.
UI/UX design
In this section, we’ll discuss the terminology related to UI/UX design, that is, the design of user interfaces and user experiences. These terms may come in handy while working with UI/UX designers.
Information architecture
Information architecture describes methods for organizing and structuring information on websites and digital products. Its primary purpose is to make it easier for users to reach the content that interests them. To achieve this effect, developers must appropriately design the site’s structure, menu, navigation, and product categories.
As part of information architecture, developers create naming, searching, and organization systems that help categorize and group information. Thanks to this, users can navigate the structure of the website or product.
Prototype
Creating a prototype involves preparing an interactive interface that is ready for testing. It’s usually made at the end of design work, so the results can be delivered to the client so they can test the interface themselves or with users. A prototype is also part of the documentation given to the developers.
Front end & Back end
The front end and back end are two parts of a website or digital product. They’re responsible for different aspects of the site’s operation. Below, we explain the terms related to them.
Front end
The front end is the part of the website that directly faces the user. Front-end developers are responsible for programming elements such as the user interface, navigation, the way of operating the application, the behavior of animations and graphics on the site, and more. In short, the front end includes everything the user can see and interact with.
Back end
The back end is the opposite of the front end and contains everything hidden from the website user’s sight. The main tasks of the back-end developers are creating website logic, API, databases, data management, and programming functionalities. The back end is crucial for the proper operation of the website.
Summary
And that’s what our list of key terms for web development looks like. You will encounter many of them while creating websites and cooperating with web development companies. Of course, no company will require you to know them all from A to Z. However, even a superficial familiarity with them will make you feel more comfortable during meetings and allow you to communicate effectively with the developer.
