Are you a non-technical person? Then this page can help you to get through the technical terminologies that you may encounter while using the web browser. Each technical term is explained in an easy-to-understand language and further simplified using real-life examples.
We will continue to add and update the vocabulary list as and when required; however, you can send us suggestions via the contact page.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The address of a web page on the internet.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): The protocol for transferring hypertext requests and information online.
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): A secure version of HTTP, it uses encryption methods like SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) to protect the data being transferred.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The standard language for creating web pages and applications.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): A style sheet language used for describing the look and formatting of a document written in HTML.
JavaScript: A high-level, interpreted programming language that makes web pages interactive.
Cookie: A small piece of data stored on the user’s computer by the web browser while browsing a website.
Cache: A hardware or software component that stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster.
IP Address: A unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a network, enabling identification and communication.
Web Server: A web server is a system that hosts websites, delivering web pages to users’ browsers upon request via the HTTP protocol.
WebView Runtime: A system component providing web tech like JavaScript & HTML to apps, enabling web content display within apps.
Hardware Acceleration: Hardware acceleration refers to using computer hardware to perform some functions more efficiently than possible in software alone.
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication): A free, open project that provides browsers and mobile applications with Real-Time Communications (RTC) capabilities via simple APIs.
Browser Extension/Add-on: Software that extends the functionality of a web browser in some way.
DOM (Document Object Model): A programming interface for web documents, representing the structure of a document and allowing it to be manipulated.
Viewport: The user’s visible area of a web page changes based on the device being used to view the page.
Cross-Browser Compatibility: The capability of a website, web application, HTML construct, or client-side script to function in environments that provide its required features and to bow out or degrade gracefully when features are absent or lacking.
Incognito/Private Browsing Mode: A privacy feature in some web browsers that disables browsing history and the web cache.
API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules that allow programs to talk to each other, enabling interactions between different software programs.
Sandboxing: A security mechanism for separating running programs to keep software vulnerabilities from spreading.
User Agent: The browser sends a string to the server, announcing itself and providing certain system details.
Responsive Design: An approach to web design that makes web pages render well on various devices and window or screen sizes.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language): A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a human-readable and machine-readable format.
AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML): A set of web development techniques using many web technologies on the client side to create asynchronous web applications.
Bookmarks or Favorites: A feature in a web browser that allows users to save and quickly access websites.
Rendering Engine: Also known as a layout engine, it interprets HTML, XML documents, and image files used by web browsers to display web content.
JavaScript Engine: A program or interpreter which executes JavaScript code in a browser.
DNS (Domain Name Server): A naming database where Internet domain names are located and translated into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Firewall: A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): A standard security protocol for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser in online communication.
TLS (Transport Layer Security): A cryptographic protocol that provides end-to-end communications security over networks and is widely used for internet communications and online transactions.
Pop-Up Blocker: A feature or a program that stops pop-up windows from appearing while browsing the internet.
Tabbed Browsing: A feature that allows multiple web pages to be opened in the same browser window, with each page appearing as a tab in the browser’s title bar.
Browser Fingerprinting: A highly accurate method of identifying unique browsers and tracking online activity.
WebAssembly (Wasm): A binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine, it is designed as a portable target for the compilation of high-level languages like C, C++, and Rust, enabling deployment on the web for client and server applications.
Do Not Track (DNT): A setting available in most web browsers that signals to websites that the user wishes to opt out of tracking by websites they do not visit, including analytics services, advertising networks, and social platforms.
Geolocation: The identification or estimation of the real-world geographic location of an object, such as a radar source, mobile phone, or Internet-connected computer terminal.
WebGL (Web Graphics Library): A JavaScript API for rendering interactive 2D and 3D graphics within any compatible web browser without plug-ins.
Service Workers: Scripts that your browser runs in the background, separate from a web page, opening the door to features that don’t need a web page or user interaction, like push notifications and background sync.
If you find any explanation incorrect or outdated, then please report us.