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Frequently used web site terms explained in plain english.
Text that is displayed instead of an image if the image is unavailable, or if the image is hovered over with the mouse.
An email message which is automatically sent as a response to an email enquiry by a user.
The amount of information that can be transferred across an internet connection
The body section of a web page, in HTML terms. Unlike the Head section, everything in the body is shown on the page.
Short for weBLOG, this is a diary of thoughts, regularly updated
A tool that checks each link on a website to ensure its links, both internal and external are available and still current. That is, when clicked on, they do not receive error messages.
The program that displays web sites on your computer. Examples are Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Mozilla’s Firefox.
Common Gateway Interface. A protocol enabling web pages to transfer instructions to a server, via a script placed in an HTML page that completes a series of tasks. Used in web forms for example.
A text message sent from a web server to a browser and then returned by the browser to the server when the user re-visits that site. They are used to identify users and store information between visits, or generate statistics.
Cascading Style Sheets are an extension of HTML used for editing. They provide a way to make one change on a web page that automatically changes other pages
A website which acts as an index of other sites, in categories. Also refers to a website’s structure
Web site name. The unique address belonging to your website, eg http://www.how-to-build-web-sites.com, with a file extension for each page
Users transfer a document or file from your website to their own computers.
Interactive elements of a site
A document, consisting of many pages which can be transferred electronically. It is an electronic book, which can also be printed as a hard copy.
Document or set of instructions
A section of a web page inside a frame, which stays the same, while other parts may change as a visitor navigates through the site.
Is a standard program used to upload your web site from the program where it was created, to a server.
Graphics Interchange Format. An image format used on the web, best for line drawings, logos, icons or banners with a small number of colours.
Is an image or picture used on a web page.
Only visible in the top section of an HTML page, is information (including metatags) about the page.
The number of times a web page is visited
Stores web pages on its server, to make them available to internet users.
Is the language that browsers use to display your site. It uses a set of tags that specify how a page will look – images, font types, instructions, colours etc
Hypertext Transfer Protocol A text based set of rules by which files on the web are transferred from web servers to browsers. The vast majority of web addresses (URLs) are prefixed by http://
A website which acts as a hub or directory on one topic, and indexes links to other websites of the same topic
See Link on this page
Is a picture, photograph or graphic used on a web page
When a search engine searches and catalogues a web site, for later retrieval for keyword searches. Also the name given for a home page of a website.
Links pointing to your website from other websites. Also known as Backlinks.
A scripting language that provides a simplified method of applying of applying dynamic effects to a web pages
Joint Photographic Experts Group Format. An image format used on the web, best for photographs or graphics with lots of colours.
Search terms people type into a search engine to find what they are looking for. Essential for search engine optimisation
The number of times a keyword or keyword phrase appears on a web page
A drawing that shows the general appearance of a web page design, indicating position of text, images, form regions etc.
A piece of text, or an image, with a URL embedded in it, which takes the user to another location of the same or different web site by clicking on it.
A system whereby websites swap links with each other, usually displayed on a dedicated Links Page. Also known as Reciprocal Links.
The speed at which a web page loads from the server to the user’s browser.
See Navigation bar
HTML codes that reside within the Head section of each web page’s HTML. Metatags are used by search engines to locate information about the website. They generally include the site title, description, keywords, how often to index, language to display etc
Checking a web site for broken links, uptime, display elements
A set of links that displays the names of different pages on a website eg Home, Contact, Products etc. It can be displayed across the top, down one side, or across the bottom of a web page
Page Rank (PR) is the importance that Google places on each each web page, decided by its own, secret algorithm. It can be displayed on the Google tool bar, and ranks sites from 0 – 10.
Picture Element, is a single dot of light on a computer screen, and can be displayed in different colours
see Page Rank
See Link Exchange
Of monitors, is the number of pixels across and down that will display the size of your web page on a browser’s screen. The most common resolution at present is 800 x 600.
Are headlines and news stories, usually from major newspapers, that can be fed onto any web site on any chosen topic
An image taken of a web page
Sets of instructions to carry out actions or tasks on a web page, written in computer languages such as Perl, CGI, ASP, PHP or Java. Learn how to install scripts.
Is a set of strategies used to increase a site’s positioning or ranking in a search engine
See Search Engine Optimisation (Optimization)
The computer storage provided by a web host or web hosting company
An order form where shoppers can fill out their details, choose their purchases, pay for them, then check out.
A set of ordered text links on a web site, that shows all of its publicly available pages, in one location.
See Index
Secure Sockets Layer is an encryption technology used for privacy and security of information
The length of time a user stays on the same website, whether on the one page, or on different pages
A separate website, with its own URL, that belongs to a main domain. eg www.subdomain.maindomain.com. Subdomains can have unlimited pages
Registering a website’s title and description for inclusion in a search engine, directory or other website
See submission
A word or set of words that has a URL embedded behind it. When clicked on, it will take the user to a different part of the same page, a different page of the same web site, or a different web site
Is a small picture, image or photograph on a web page, used to make loading of a page faster than a large image would take. It can sometimes be linked to a larger picture on another web page for users if desired.
The number of hits a web site receives
Transfer of your website from the program it was located in, to a server
Uniform Resource Locator is the unique address of every page on the web.eg http://how-to-build-web-sites.com/website_glossary.html
Short for WWW – world wide web
A published HTML document that forms part of a web site
Not all browsers can display all colours, but most have a selection of standardised 256 colours available. Using web safe colours ensures your site will be displayed in the colour you intend. If a browser cannot display that clour, it will display a different colour
Or website, is the address, location (on a server) and collection of documents and resources for any set of webpages linked by its main domain name.
Software or program used to create a web page or web site
Short for ‘What You See Is What You Get’, and refers to a website building program or software where you can see results of actions and changes immediately. An HTML editor works in the background to convert the actions into HTML.