Coding Glossary
From algorithms to variables, find clear definitions for essential programming and software development terms.
Abstraction
Abstraction in programming means focusing on what something does instead of how it works. Itâs a way to manage complexity by hiding unnecessary detail...
AJAX
AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. Itâs a way to send and receive data from a web server without needing to reload the entire web page. ...
Algorithm
An algorithm is a step-by-step process for solving a problem or performing a task. It is a clear set of instructions that guides a computer or even a ...
Angular
Angular is a popular open-source framework used for building web applications. Developed and maintained by Google, it helps developers easily create d...
API (Application Programming Interface)
API or Application Programming Interface is a set of rules that lets two pieces of software talk to each other. Think of it as a menu at a restaurant....
Argument
What is an Argument in Programming? In programming, an argument is a value or data item supplied to a function or subroutine when it is called. Argume...
Array
What is an Array in Coding? An array is a data structure that stores a fixed-size, ordered collection of elements of the same data type in contiguous ...
Asynchronous Programming
What is Asynchronous Programming? Asynchronous programming is a technique that enables a program to start a potentially long-running task and remain r...
Authentication
What Is Authentication? Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, system, or device before granting access to applications or...
Authorization
Authorization is a fundamental concept in computer security and software development. It determines what actions a user or system can perform after ve...
Babel
Babel is a JavaScript compiler (often called a âtranspilerâ) that converts modern ECMAScript, JSX, and even TypeScript syntax into widely supported Ja...
Backend
What is the backend in programming? The backend is the server-side part of an application that handles data processing, business logic, and communicat...
Big-O Notation
A way to describe algorithm efficiency. ...
Boolean
A Boolean is a fundamental data type in computer programming that can store only one of two possible values: true or false. These values represent log...
Bootstrap
What is Bootstrap? Bootstrap is a front-end framework used for designing responsive and mobile-first websites. It provides prebuilt HTML, CSS, and Jav...
Bug
In software development, a bug is a fault, flaw, or error in a computer program that causes it to behave unexpectedly or incorrectly. These flaws can ...
Build
Build is the process of converting source code written by developers into a standalone, executable form that a computer can run. In software engineeri...
Callback
What is a Callback? In programming, a callback is a function passed as an argument to another function, which then invokes the callback at a later tim...
Class
What is Class In Object-Oriented Programming With Example A class is a blueprint in object-oriented programming (OOP) that defines the structure and b...
CLI
A CLI (Command-Line Interface) is a text-based interface that allows users to interact with a computer system or software by typing commands. Unlike g...
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a model for delivering computing servicesâsuch as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analyticsâover the Interne...
Comment
What are Comments in Programming? In programming, a comment is a section of text embedded in source code that the compiler or interpreter ignores. Com...
Compiler
A compiler is a program that translates source code written in a high-level programming language into machine code or an intermediate representation t...
Concurrency
Concurrency is a concept in computer science where multiple tasks are executed in overlapping time periods instead of strictly one after another. In s...
Constant
What is a Constant in Programming? In programming, a constant is a fixed value assigned to a variable-like entity that cannot be changed during progra...
Container
What is a Container? A container is a lightweight, standalone software package that bundles an application with its code, runtime, system tools, libra...
Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) refers to a set of software engineering practices that automate the integration, testing, deliver...
CRUD
What is CRUD? CRUDâan acronym for Create, Read, Update, Deleteâis the fundamental pattern for managing persistent data in software systems. These four...
Data Structure
What is a Data Structure? A data structure is a way of organizing and storing data in a computer so that it can be accessed and used efficiently. It i...
Debugging
Debugging is the systematic process of finding and resolving defects, or bugs, within computer programs, software, or systems. It is an indispensable ...
Dependency
A dependency in computer science and software engineering is a relationship where one piece of software relies on another to function correctly. In si...
Docker
Docker is an open-source software platform that enables developers to create, deploy, and manage applications inside virtualized units called containe...
DOM (Document Object Model)
The Document Object Model (DOM) is an application programming interface (API) for HTML and XML documents. It defines the logical structure of a webpag...
Encapsulation
What is Encapsulation Encapsulation is a core principle in object-oriented programming (OOP) that involves bundling data (attributes) and the methods ...
Encryption
What is Encryption? Encryption is the process of transforming readable data, known as plaintext, into an unreadable form called ciphertext using an al...
Event Listener
An event listener is a program function that efficiently waits for a specific action or event to occur and then triggers a response. This is a fundame...
Event Loop
What is an Event Loop? Definition, How It Works, and Examples In computer science, an event loop is a programming construct or design pattern that wai...
Expression
What is an Expression? In programming, an expression is a syntactic construct that can be evaluated to produce a value. An expression may consist of c...
Firewall
What is a Firewall? A firewall is a network security systemâeither software, hardware, or cloud-basedâthat monitors, filters, and controls incoming an...
Framework
What is a Framework? A framework in programming is a predefined structure or set of tools that provides a foundation for building software application...
Frontend
What Is Frontend? Frontend, or frontâend development (sometimes called the clientâside), refers to the part of software applicationsâprimarily web and...
Function
What Is a Function in Programming? A function is a block of organized, reusable code that performs a specific task and can be executed (called) whenev...
Garbage Collection
Garbage collection (GC) is a form of automatic memory management that frees memory allocated to objects that are no longer needed by a program. Instea...
Git
What is Git? Git is an open-source distributed version control system (VCS) for tracking changes in source code during software development. It allows...
GitHub
What is GitHub? GitHub is a cloud-based platform that hosts Git repositories and provides developers with tools for version control, collaboration, an...
Hashing
What is Hashing Hashing is the process of converting data of any size into a fixed-size value using a mathematical function known as a hash function. ...
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the standard markup language used to create and structure web pages. Markup languages are designed to define and p...
HTTP/HTTPS
What is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)? What is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)? HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the foundational applica...
IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
What is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)? An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software application that provides a comprehensi...
Inheritance
What is Inheritance in OOP? In object-oriented programming, inheritance is a mechanism where a new class (called a subclass or child class) is derived...
Integration Test
What is an Integration Test? Integration testing is a phase in software testing in which individual units or modules are combined and tested to ensure...
Iteration
What is Iteration in Programming? Iteration in programming refers to the repetition of a block of instructions until a certain condition is satisfied ...
Library
What is a Library? A library is a collection of pre-written, reusable code components, functions, classes, and resources that developers can...
Loop
What is a Loop in Programming? A loop is a programming construct that allows instructions to be executed repeatedly until a specified condition is met...
Memory Leak
A memory leak is a programming error that occurs when a computer program fails to release memory it no longer needs. This gradually reduces the amount...
Microservices
What are Microservices? Microservices is an architectural style in which a software application is built as a collection of small, autonomous services...
Monolithic Architecture
What is Monolithic Architecture Monolithic architecture is a traditional software design methodology in which all application components are combined ...
MVC
What is Model-View-Controller (MVC)? Model-View-Controller (MVC) is a software architectural pattern that organizes an application’s logic into ...
NaN
NaNÂ is a special floating-point value that represents “Not a Number” – a result that occurs when a mathematical operation produces a...
Node.js
What is Node.js? Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment that allows JavaScript code to execute outside a web browser. Built on ...
NPM
What is an NPM Package? NPM is a package manager and online registry for JavaScript that helps discover, install, publish, and manage reusable code pa...
Null
What is Null in Programming? Null is a special value in computer science that represents the absence of a valid value or object reference, serving as ...
Object
What is an Object In Object Oriented Programming An object is a fundamental unit in computer science that encapsulates data (attributes or properties)...
Operator
What is an Operator in Programming? An operator is a special symbol or keyword in programming languages that represents a specific mathematical, logic...
Parameter
What is a Parameter in Coding? A parameter is a variable declared in a function definition that acts as a placeholder for values that will b...
Polymorphism
What is Polymorphism in OOP? Polymorphism is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that enables objects of different types to be t...
React
What is React? React is an open-source JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Developed by Facebook, it renders UIs by composing small, reus...
Recursion
What is Recursion? Recursion is a method of solving computational problems by breaking a problem into smaller instances of itself. In a recursive algo...
Refactoring
Refactoring means changing the structure of your code without changing what it actually does. You improve how the code is written, not how it behaves....
Regex
What is Regex? Regex (Regular Expression)Â is a sequence of characters that defines a search pattern used for matching, searching, extracting, and mani...
Repository
What is a Repository In Programming? A repository is a centralized storage location where developers store, manage, and track changes to source code, ...
REST API
What is REST? REST is a software architectural style that defines a set of constraints for creating scalable, simple, and stateless web services. Also...
Return
The value that a function outputs. ...
SaaS
What is SaaS? SaaS (Software as a Service) is a cloud-based software delivery model in which applications are hosted by service providers and made ava...
Script
What is a Script in programming? In programming, a script is a sequence of instructions executed by an interpreter at runtime to automate tasks, or ad...
Shell
A command-line interface to interact with the OS. ...
Software Deployment
Deployment is the process of delivering and installing a software application or update to a specific environment (such as a server, data center, or c...
Software Testing
Software testing is the process of verifying and validating a software product or application to ensure it functions as expected and meets user requir...
SSL/TLS
SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) is a cryptographic protocol that encrypts data transmitted between clients and servers, provid...
Stack Data Structure
What is a Stack Data Structure? A stack is a linear data structure that follows the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle, where elements are ...
Statement
Programming is about telling a computer what to do. At its heart, this means giving instructions. These instructions are called statements. Every time...
Syntax
In computer programming, syntax refers to the set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols that are considered to be correctly structured sta...
Thread
What is a Thread in Programming? AÂ thread is the smallest sequence of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by an operating system...
Token
What is a Token in Programming? AÂ token is a fundamental unit of meaningful data in programming that represents the smallest indivisible element used ...
Tree
What is a Tree? In computer science, a tree is a hierarchical data structure that organizes data in a parent-child relationship. Unlike linear structu...
Variable
What is a Variable in Programming? A variable in programming is an abstract storage location paired with an associated symbolic name containing or ref...
Version Control
What is a Version Control System? A version control system (VCS) is a tool that records and manages changes to files over time so that you can recall ...
Virtual Machine
What is Virtual Machine in Cloud Computing? A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer system that uses vir...
Vue.js
What is Vue.js? Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces that combines the best features of traditional web developme...
Explore Other Glossaries
Expand your technical vocabulary with our other comprehensive guides
Web Dev Glossary
Master terminology for front-end, back-end, DevOps, and cloud computing.
Cybersecurity Glossary
Essential terms covering threats, defenses, compliance, and security.
SEO Glossary
Learn the language of search engines to improve your rankings.
AI Glossary
Essential Artificial Intelligence definitions from ML to LLMs.