Glossary
Quick definitions of common IT terms, written for beginners.
Showing 89 terms
API
An API is a way for one computer program to talk to another. It’s like a menu of requests that software can send to get data or perform act…
Software
AWS
AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a cloud platform that lets companies rent servers, storage, and other computing services over the internet.
Cloud
Access Control
Access control determines who is allowed to access specific systems or data.
Security
Alert Fatigue
Alert fatigue happens when engineers receive too many alerts and begin ignoring them.
Reliability
Ansible
Ansible is a tool used to automate server setup and configuration.
DevOps
Artifact
An artifact is the final packaged version of software that can be deployed.
DevOps
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is technology that allows computers to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence.
AI
Auto-Scaling
Auto-scaling automatically increases or decreases computing resources based on demand.
Cloud
Azure
Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform where businesses can run applications, store data, and manage infrastructure online.
Cloud
Backend
Backend is the part of an application that runs behind the scenes on servers.
Software
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is how much data can travel over a network in a given time.
Networking
Big Data
Big data refers to extremely large datasets that require special tools to process.
Data
Branch
A branch is a separate version of code where developers can make changes without affecting the main project.
Software
Bug
A bug is an error or flaw in software that causes incorrect behavior.
Software
Build
A build is the process of turning source code into a runnable application.
DevOps
CDN
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) speeds up websites by delivering content from servers closer to users.
Networking
CI/CD
CI/CD is an automated process that helps developers test and deploy software quickly and safely. It reduces human mistakes during releases.
DevOps
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing means using servers and services over the internet instead of owning physical hardware in your office.
Cloud
Container
A container is a lightweight package that includes an application and its dependencies. It helps software run consistently across environme…
DevOps
DNS
DNS is the system that translates website names (like google.com) into IP addresses that computers use to connect.
Networking
Data Center
A data center is a building that houses servers, networking equipment, and storage systems used to power websites and applications.
Infrastructure
Data Pipeline
A data pipeline moves data from one system to another for processing and analysis.
Data
Data Warehouse
A data warehouse stores large amounts of data for reporting and analysis.
Data
Database
A database is a system used to store and organize information so it can be searched, updated, and retrieved efficiently.
Data
DevOps
DevOps is a way of working where software development and IT operations teams collaborate closely to deliver software faster and more relia…
DevOps
Docker
Docker is a tool that packages an application and everything it needs into a container, so it runs the same way on any computer.
DevOps
Downtime
Downtime is when a system is unavailable or not working.
Reliability
ETL
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load. It’s the process of moving and cleaning data for analysis.
Data
Encryption
Encryption is a way of scrambling data so that only authorized people can read it. It protects sensitive information.
Security
Endpoint
An endpoint is a device like a laptop, desktop, or phone that connects to a network. Endpoints are common targets for cyberattacks.
Security
Exploit
An exploit is a method used by attackers to take advantage of a vulnerability.
Security
Failover
Failover is the automatic switching to a backup system when the primary system fails.
Infrastructure
Firewall
A firewall is a security system that blocks or allows network traffic based on rules. It helps prevent unauthorized access.
Security
Framework
A framework is a set of tools and libraries that help developers build applications faster.
Software
Frontend
Frontend is the part of a website or app that users see and interact with.
Software
Full Stack
A full stack developer works on both frontend and backend parts of an application.
Software
Git
Git is a tool that tracks changes in code and allows multiple developers to collaborate.
Software
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
GCP is Google's cloud platform that provides virtual servers, storage, databases, and AI services over the internet.
Cloud
Hashing
Hashing turns data into a fixed string of characters used to verify integrity.
Security
High Availability
High availability means systems are designed to stay online even if one component fails.
Infrastructure
IAM
IAM stands for Identity and Access Management. It controls who can log in and what they are allowed to access inside systems.
Security
IP Address
An IP address is a unique number that identifies a computer or server on a network or the internet.
Networking
Incident
An incident is an unexpected problem that causes a system or service to break or perform poorly.
Reliability
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Infrastructure as Code means managing servers and infrastructure using code instead of manual setup.
DevOps
Kubernetes
Kubernetes is a system that automatically runs and manages software applications inside containers. It helps companies scale apps up and do…
Cloud
Latency
Latency is the delay between a request and a response. Low latency means things feel fast and responsive.
Performance
Library (Programming)
A library is pre-written code that developers can reuse in their applications.
Software
Load Balancer
A load balancer spreads incoming traffic across multiple servers so that no single server gets overloaded.
Networking
Machine Learning
Machine learning is a way for computers to learn patterns from data and make predictions.
AI
Malware
Malware is harmful software designed to damage or exploit systems.
Security
Merge
A merge combines changes from different developers into a single codebase.
Software
Microservices
Microservices are a way of building software as many small services instead of one big application. Each service handles a specific functio…
Software
Model (AI)
A model is a trained AI system that can make predictions or decisions.
AI
Monitoring
Monitoring means tracking systems and services to detect problems early. It usually involves alerts, dashboards, and performance metrics.
Reliability
Monolith
A monolith is a software system built as one large application instead of many smaller services. It can be simpler but harder to scale long…
Software
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA requires more than one form of verification to log in, like a password plus a code.
Security
Observability
Observability is the ability to understand what’s happening inside a system using logs, metrics, and traces.
Reliability
Packet
A packet is a small piece of data sent across a network.
Networking
Patch
A patch is an update that fixes bugs or security vulnerabilities in software or operating systems.
Infrastructure
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is when security professionals try to hack a system legally to find weaknesses before real attackers do.
Security
Phishing
Phishing is when attackers trick people into giving away passwords or personal information.
Security
Pipeline
A pipeline is an automated process that builds, tests, and deploys software.
DevOps
Port
A port is a numbered doorway that allows specific types of network traffic into a system.
Networking
Postmortem
A postmortem is a review conducted after an incident to understand what happened and how to prevent it.
Reliability
Proxy Server
A proxy server acts as a middleman between a user and the internet.
Networking
Ransomware
Ransomware is malware that locks files and demands payment to unlock them.
Security
Refactoring
Refactoring means improving code structure without changing its functionality.
Software
Region (Cloud)
A region is a physical location where cloud providers host their data centers.
Cloud
Repository (Repo)
A repository is a storage location for code and its version history.
Software
Router
A router directs internet traffic between networks.
Networking
Runbook
A runbook is a step-by-step guide for handling common technical issues.
Reliability
SIEM
A SIEM is a security system that collects logs and alerts from many tools to detect threats and suspicious activity.
Security
SOC
A SOC (Security Operations Center) is a team that monitors and responds to cybersecurity threats.
Security
SQL
SQL is a language used to read and manage data inside databases. It is commonly used for reports and backend systems.
Data
SRE
SRE stands for Site Reliability Engineering. It focuses on keeping systems reliable, fast, and available by using automation and engineerin…
Reliability
Scalability
Scalability means a system can handle more users or traffic by adding more resources.
Cloud
Server
A server is a computer that provides services or data to other computers over a network.
Infrastructure
Subnet
A subnet is a smaller section of a larger network.
Networking
Switch
A switch connects devices within the same network.
Networking
TCP/IP
TCP/IP is the basic communication system used by computers on the internet.
Networking
Technical Debt
Technical debt refers to shortcuts in code that may cause problems later.
Software
Terraform
Terraform is a tool used to automatically create and manage cloud infrastructure using code.
DevOps
Throughput
Throughput is how much work a system can handle in a given amount of time, such as requests per second.
Performance
Training Data
Training data is information used to teach an AI system how to perform tasks.
AI
Uptime
Uptime is the amount of time a system stays operational without interruption.
Reliability
VPN
A VPN is a secure connection that lets you access a private network from anywhere. It’s commonly used for remote work.
Networking
Virtual Machine (VM)
A virtual machine is a computer running inside another computer. It acts like a real server but is created using virtualization software.
Infrastructure
Vulnerability
A vulnerability is a weakness in a system that attackers could exploit.
Security
Zero Trust
Zero Trust is a security approach where no user or device is automatically trusted, even inside the company network. Everything must be ver…
Security