I.T. glossary #6 compiled by me
RN,artist, of Springfield Missouri and I used simple explanations to help all people. This was prompted today by me watching videos on using APIs and creating apps as a developer. I included those videos on youtube after the glossary. All people have to educate themselves on computer terminology as much as they have to educate themselves on any other topic.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200826-how-algorithms-keep-workers-in-the-dark
And I decided to research some and so watched that youtube video that I labeled comprehensive like a University crash course. Then I used my own knowledge and googled a few terms I was not sure of to create this glossary. I studied I.T. a bit at University of Georgia and have taught myself much about it. I am trying to help people with no knowledge of information technology.
My glossary I compiled to help you understand the comprehensive youtube video included at bottom of page.
C.I.S.O means "Chief Information Security Officer" in a corporation
A.P.I. means application programming interface; which means it is the screen that a user uses to access a and make an app or program work; it defines the interaction between people and computers and makes one part of the software communicate with other parts of software.iAn API is similar to lego building blocks. APIs are used in many ways . E.g. weather snippets [or widgets] ;travel booking; apps;
G.U.I. means graphical user interface; with images sound, video and not merely words and interactive buttons that allow users to control experience;
R.E.S.T. is a protocol that means "representational state transfer" and is protocol for APIs.
Remote API; pulls info from the web to execute the program
Computational power means central processing capability of a computer
RESTful API means APIs that use protocol R.E.S.T.; not all do. R.E.S.T has several standards that must be met.
URL means uniform resource [or synonym object] locator;
URI means uniform resource [or object] identifier. Both os these are the code names for what you type into the box that the web searches for;
Hyper text means text that can link to other text
stateless means the server does not need to know anything about the client requesting the API.
Json; pronounced J-son is JavaScript object notation;
S.D.K. means software developer kit; a library of files that creates a computer program, or application or operating system
endpoint means what it is you are trying to get from web
iOS means Apple Mac computer operating system
Get is a command
Auth is a command, abbreviation for authorization and usually there are several options
" Access token" is a digital key that gives the user the authority/ permission to access/ use a computer program/ app/ API/ platform.
q means query; a search term
array is a list of objects; or a string of letters, numbers and characters; could be words; computers cannot read as humans do. They accept the definitions in some cases of what is programmed into them. In some coding the developer must define for the computer what goes in the variable.
variable is something that changes from person to person. Examples are passwords, names, locations, computers, o.s., numbers as in telephones; defined by user or developer;
error is a coded explanation of why the web could not find what you were looking for. Examples are :
404 error means that url [website] cannot be found on web
401 error means basically you are unauthorized to access that website
and a whole lot more error pages. google them.
V.U.I. is a voice user interface such as Google assistant, Alexa or Siri on Apple; and or voice commands from user;
Call is a command in code that is different from telephone call. It means to alert web that yu want such and such code to produce such and such results. Call up program so and so, in other words.
"preview_url " is developer option that allows you to get a look at what your code has accomplished before you put it on web for world to use;
cacheable means a file , folder, web page can be saved in a cache [pronounced cash]
a cache is basically a storage cabinet in operating system with a defined amount of space. When it gets full, your computer slows down. It can be emptied in settings.
Twilio is a computer program that allows sending sms [short messages ] from your computer; it runs the messages thru your telephone number.
S.I.D. is a string identifier
String is a long sequential set of characters, letters or numbers, could be words but not necessarily; a String can also be random collection of numbers and letters . Example of a string in code: e8}0tWNQ!8%@
/ a trailing slash at end of a section or url which means continue to the next line
PARAMS or params is abbreviation for parameters that must be included along with a command for it to work . Examples are the command Get [whatever] [all]; or another example Get [whatever] [first] ;
S.M.S. short message service ; a protocol for sending text messages. Telephone companies use this protocol to send text messages but apps also use it.
cURL or curl is a programming language
POST is a command that puts your page on web
Put is a command
{{ }} in APIs, creates a link to what is inside those brackets
media_url are photos/videos/audios that have their own url address
status is what the computer returns back to you to tell you if your command was carried out and what the results were. Examples are Status: completed; Status failed;
a shell is the computer script program that the UNIX computer runs that makes your computer work, and includes a terminal screen that is specific to writing commands.
Commands are precise, exact and vary from computer language to computer language. They are not interchangeable in other words but they are often very similar. There are online manuals for almost all computer programming codes and books to buy or borrow on them too. Commands are typed into the terminal screen and then entered and then computer replies to you with a prompt or a response if your wrote into command what response you requested. Examples of commands : Get, Post, Run, Print; Log; Help; List; Set; At terminal window you can type in word "help" usually and it will print on screen much info. Same is true for list directories; or list files;. To exit terminal is either word exit; or e ; or quit.
boilerplate is code that is repetitive and always the same no matter who uses it;
node is a basic unit of data such as a linked list or a tree directory
zsh is a shell command interpreter of Bourne shells; there are other shells
const is a command meaning a constant, meaning not a variable; the value stays the same always in all times the code is used; is unchangeable;
Promise in code is a then function; the eventual completion [or failure] of an aynchronous operation
`` are back ticks on keyboard to get string interpreted
TEMP or tmp is a temporary folder that holds files or folders that the url you are using needs to complete
headers are the info for emails of the who sent it, how it was sent, what route it took, who authorized, time and date and a ton of more info. In most emails you have to turn on headers in the settings. To see headers in gmail click settings of each email and click "view source". Some programs allow basic headers or full headers. Full headers give much more info and often you can see immediately that an email is a spoof [trick] sent by someone other than the name in as "sender"/ it is wise to look at headers if you have any doubt if safe to read email.
asynchronous; means not synchronized, a unique command that doesn't move on to the next user or next device; abbrev async;
README means read me" ; a file that contains specific information for a developer
err is abbreviation for error, which may be written as err in code but error for ordinary users whose website
did not appear;
python is a programming language which uses virtual environments [.venv]; is abbreviated .py
P.I.P means Python install packages
# before a command makes it non-executable and makes it a comment to developers
executable means it is a command which tells the computer to do something; file ending is .exe and other versions such as .cmd; or various depending upon computer language and manufacturer of computer. Executable files should not be messed with generally speaking because if you delete one of those even if accidentally your computer may not function as intended. Not all files are executable; some are read only; some are library reference files;
source is the entire code that makes a web page work. It can usually be viewed from the web browser.
"batch scripting" is a set of scripts to accomplish a complicated task
repository is a library or collection of files and folders
folder is a container in software; think of it like a big manila folder that holds lots of other papers and think of the papers as files;
Flash is a web framer
"Server side rendering" requires that full page is reloaded for the changes you made to take effect. The o.s. will almost always inform you when you have to refresh your page or reboot your computer to make changes.
github is a well known repository
env is abbreviation for environment which is a set of parameters that control your computer and that can be changed by the administrator. Examples are locale or location meaning where in world you are located usually defined as United States, or individual countries; Time; date; time zone; language; operating system and if more than one which one takes preference and boots computer.
import means to bring into the computer code from web or from another device such as a camera or memory card or external storage device
div means a division in code that sections off long code ; written as
in html
div class is a category of a devices that run on different operating systems with different code
POST is protocol that puts a web page on web.
return is a command that instructs computer how you want it to reply to you. Example is you can tell it to return every answer with "here's your answer Leigh" or Jen; or Samuel, or Lydia, or whoever is writing code and commands; but usually it returns the answer and then a prompt.
refresh means reload console of developer so changes take effect
load is command to tell computer to find a program in the library and load it so that it exceutes on your screen. or boots computer;
'pass argument" means that a command has to have parameters set for that particular command to work. An example is Run. If you just command it to run it might do nothing because it does not know what program you want it to run. When a computer has no idea what you intend it does nothing. It cannot read your mind! it cannot think. It can only do what someone before you told it to do when they wrote the code for it.Another thing you have to remember is that the answer you get from a computer depends on the input into it. For example if you set up a deliberately false algorithm for instance if you define the answer to 2+2 = 5 and set that into the code it will give you back that answer when it is executed. It spits back what you was programmed into it. That is why algorithyms are being questioned so much. They can be manipulated to produce fake results and to discriminate and to prevent certain groups from being able to use programs.
client is the user of a computer that interfaces with the web
server is the computer [examples are Google, Apple Computers, Microsoft, news, amazon, etc] that allows client machines to access their databases and or their programs.
from is a key word in python language. A key word is a word that instructs the computer search function to query or search the entire web for that word.
def is abbreviation for define. You have to define variables if you wnte them into code or you have to write code that allows the user to define the variable. An example is a password which is user defined usually.
[ ] means an empty array; meaning there should be something between the brackets that tells the computer something but it's missing;
body means the main part of the message separate from the header or footer.
todos is to do list
API limits are constraints the developer(s) put on an API. Example is "user must be older than 13 yrs"
elements are fragments of code. an example is which means keyboard in html
/api means server code interface for client
"layered system" means several APIs that communicate with each other.
HATEOS is abbrev for protocol "Hypermedia as the engine of application" and means that hypertext must be used to find the way through the APIs.
developer is writer of code, creator of apps and software
"uniform design" is abbreviated U.D. and means the fundamental idea and construction are presented and examples are given when writing code.
app is abbreviation for application. An app is a bit of code that links your smartphone, tablet or computer to a remote computer that holds an entire program that executes upon demand of app. All the files are stored on the remote computer and the result they produce shows on your app on you device.
span is a range of limits such as DNS ip addresses
fetch is a command. Commands must be written in the way that particular language defines. For example one language might write it FETCH but another might write it fetch and another might write it Fetch. Each command must be exactly as program requires for it to work.
bodyParser means any command that comes in will get parsed.
Parse means to break a group of code or long code into separate components executed in different ways.
listen is command to listen at a port for instructions
$ in front of { means that it is a JavaScript identifier of variables, functions, properties; events; or objects. JavaScript treats $ and _ [underline] as a shortcut to the function getelement in brackets.
show is a command to display something
console is the developer's dashboard
format wipes out all content on a drive and it cannot be undone! So don't format unless you intend to write on same memory card again or same harddrive again. There is a secure format on some o.s. [such as Apple] which means the data is not erased and put in trash for retrieval but overwritten.
to catch(err) instructs computer to make note of, catch, report, log a specific error
dependency means something that is required for a command or program to work. Example is Such and such depends upon first having English as your language if your program is only for English language. Some programs but not all are multilingual. Computers cannot read other languages unless their fonts have been downloaded and it has been defined for computer. <>
port is the web portal that a user's computer uses. These are defined and labeled much as telephone numbers are and can be searched in their database. The default for the web is 80.
database is a collection of subsets of information such as all the people who use any platform on web. Example is all the telephone numbers in the white pages. Is abbreviated dB.
Express is a data modeling language defined by ISO 10303-11, similar to Paschal
print means print on screen or to paper or to file at remote.
.css means computer style sheet which tells computer how to make each page look.
cloning is duplicating existing code to use somewhere else
When making apps don't send confidential info to clients!
C is usually the label assigned to the harddrive on a computer. In most recent computers it is a computer SSID chip. or more than one.
'back end" means infrastructure, physical hardware of a computer
"front end" means client side presentation layer of software
package means all the code for a program or operating system.
'stack trace" means a list of the method calls an app is using
await tells computer to wait for results of one command before going on to next command; Normally a computer reads everything as one long string unless you write in divisions, new paragraphs, stops such as End; and it executes the commands as it comes to them unless you tell it otherwise.
"internal server error" means the server did not know what you intended, and said FOUL! [joke] or actually it says ERROR--with a number of that error and a simple explanation. Google often gives a link to more precise info also if you want to know the specific details. And you should want to know those because you learn which sites are not safe or might compromise your computer.
req is abbrev for request a file or folder; a command
localhost is your computer [not the server although some computers can function as servers if they allow others to call into them to access their content.
null means a value and a pointer; a constant with the value of zero written as 0 to terminate code in C [a language]
vue is v- [hyphen] attributes to commands
res is abbreviation for response
ngrok is way to create secure tunnels to transport websites; command is "ngrok http 8080" per google
s.p.a is single page application which requires client to manually load other pages in site
debugger is de-bugger ; application to find computer errors in code labeled "bugs" and correct them.
static is a value that does not change.
I compiled this glossary after watching youtube presentation on creating APIs and I recommend those to all to watch so you learn terminology and some specifics about coding. You can watch the youtubes I watched at :
Youtube explanation of API:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7wmiS2mSXY
Crash course, comprehensive on creating API on youtube:[very good, 2 hrs long but covers a quarter of work if u did it at univ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZvSYJDk-us
Update on 3rd Sept 2020: yesterday I doodled using Google software and another computer of mine and a computer mouse of mine, and published it to the web and it has an anonymous link at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQTg_l03qJI7mfKwbhVcQgztetFgdnnCuUoLW3knQaeBtbR5lkEOnnlADVbj6Owtwi6DWHspcOqTSmg/pub?urp=gmail_link
More blogs of mine are and some include art I painted/sketched or drew:
https://gloriapoole-paintings.blogspot.com,
https://gpoole817.blogspot.com
https://prolife-nurse.blogspot.com
https://words-that-work-LLP.blogspot.com
https://mini-exhibition.blogspot.com
https://tapestry-of-life-LLP.blogspot.com
https://artist-gloriapoole.blogspot.com
https://gloria0817.blogspot.com
Posted by me Gloria Poole,Registered Nurse, artist with business degree from University of Georgia, tonite 29 Aug 2020 at 10:16pm central time; from my own apartment in Springfield using my own computer and equipment [as always].
