LOSTCAUSE.DEVGlossary
Plain-language definitions of common tech terms, from APIs and Git to LLMs and SaaS.
AI Agent
- AI
An AI agent is a software system that uses AI to perform tasks or make decisions, often in a way that is similar to how humans would. They can be used to automate repetitive tasks, provide recommendations, or even make decisions in real-time.
AI Slop
- AI
- Content Creation
Low-effort, mass-produced content cranked out by AI with little quality control. Think generic blog posts, repetitive social media content, or weird AI-generated images flooding the internet.
Algorithm
- Software Engineering
An algorithm is a set of steps a computer follows to solve a problem or do a task. It's like a recipe for computers — step 1, step 2, step 3, and so on.
API
- Web Development
Application Programming Interface - a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other.
ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)
- Startup
ARR is how much money a business makes every year from subscriptions. If 10 people pay $10/month for your app, your ARR is $1200. It's a helpful way to track steady income.
Backend
- Web Development
- Backend
The backend is like the behind-the-scenes part of a website. It handles the logic, databases, and everything that makes the website work, but that users don't see.
Bluesky
- Content Creation
- Platforms
Bluesky is a social media platform, kind of like Twitter, but it's decentralized. That means no one company controls it. It's built so different apps can talk to each other through the same network.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
- DevOps
A CDN is a network of servers that deliver content to users based on their geographic location. It is a way to speed up the delivery of content to users.
CI/CD
- DevOps
Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment/Delivery - automates code integration, testing, and release to speed up delivery.
Class
- Software Engineering
In object-oriented programming, a class is a blueprint for creating objects. It is a way to group together related data and functions.
Cloudflare
- DevOps
Cloudflare is a content delivery network and web security company that provides services like DNS, CDN, and DDoS protection.
Code Review
- Software Engineering
The practice of reviewing code changes made by peers to ensure quality, consistency, and shared understanding.
Community Manager
- Marketing
A role that involves keeping an online community running smoothly by welcoming new members, moderating discussions, organizing events, answering questions, and making sure people feel included and want to stick around.
CSS
- Web Development
- Frontend
- Software Engineering
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is what makes websites look nice. It controls things like colors, fonts, spacing, and layout. HTML is the structure of the page, and CSS is the style.
Database
- Backend
A database is a collection of structured data stored in a computer system. It's like a library where you can store and organize information in a way that makes it easy to find and use.
Developer Relations
- Marketing
A role focused on building relationships between a company and the developer community by creating helpful resources, listening to feedback, and making developers' lives easier.
DNS (Domain Name System)
- Internet
DNS is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. It is a way to make it easier to remember and type domain names instead of IP addresses.
Docker
- DevOps
A platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers, which are lightweight and portable.
Domain
- Platforms
- Internet
A domain is the name of a website, like techterms.io. It's what people type into the browser to visit your site. You usually buy one through a domain registrar.
DRY
- Software Engineering
Don't Repeat Yourself - a principle that encourages eliminating redundancy in code to reduce bugs and simplify maintenance.
Frontend
- Web Development
- Frontend
The frontend is everything you see on a website — buttons, colors, images, and text. It's the part of the website you interact with directly.
Git
- Version Control
- DevOps
A distributed version control system that tracks changes in source code during software development.
GitHub
- Software Engineering
- Version Control
- DevOps
GitHub is a website where people store and share code. It helps teams work together on software projects. You can track changes, suggest improvements, or contribute to open source.
GitLab
- Software Engineering
- Version Control
- DevOps
GitLab is a platform similar to GitHub, but it also includes tools for testing, deploying, and managing projects from start to finish — all in one place. Many teams use it to build and ship software.
Hacktoberfest
- Events
A month-long celebration of open source every October. Developers contribute to open source projects on GitHub, and if you make enough quality contributions, you can earn rewards. It's a great way to get started with open source.
Horizontal Scaling
- DevOps
Horizontal scaling is a way to increase the capacity of a system by adding more servers to handle the load. It's like adding more workers to a factory to produce more products.
ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
- Startup
- Sales
- Marketing
ICP is a profile of the ideal customer for a product or service. It's like a description of the perfect customer for a product or service.
Indie Maker
- Startup
An indie maker is someone who builds and sells their own products (usually digital), without working for a big company. They often work solo or in small teams, and focus on launching quickly and learning fast.
JavaScript
- Web Development
- Frontend
JavaScript is a programming language that makes websites interactive. It's what lets you click buttons, open menus, play videos, or check forms in your browser. Most websites use it.
KISS
- Software Engineering
Keep It Simple, Stupid - a principle that promotes simplicity in software design to avoid unnecessary complexity.
LLM (Large Language Model)
- AI
A large language model (LLM) is an AI trained on vast amounts of text to understand meaning, context, and patterns in language, allowing it to generate useful, human-readable responses.
LLM Context
- AI
The context is the information that is provided to the LLM to help it generate a response. It can include the previous messages in the conversation, the user's intent, and the relevant information from the user's profile.
LLM Prompt
- AI
An LLM prompt is the input or instruction given to a large language model that tells it what to do or generate, such as answering a question, writing text, or analyzing information.
Markdown
- Software Engineering
Markdown is a simple way to format text. It uses plain text with special characters to create headings, lists, and other formatting. It's easy to read and write, and it's often used to create README files, blog posts, and other documents.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
- AI
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a universal standard that lets AI systems use tools and interact with external applications, databases, and APIs through a common framework.
MCP Server
- AI
An MCP server is a system that implements the Model Context Protocol, managing and routing requests between an AI and external tools, applications, or data sources so the AI can use them through a common interface.
Microservices
- Software Architecture
An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled, independently deployable services.
Monolithic Architecture
- Software Architecture
A software architecture where all features are bundled into a single deployable unit, often harder to scale and maintain.
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
- Startup
MRR is how much money a business makes every month from subscriptions. If 10 people pay $10/month for your app, your MRR is $100. It's a helpful way to track steady income.
MVC
- Software Architecture
Model-View-Controller is an architectural pattern that separates data, user interface, and input logic.
MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
- Startup
MVP is a version of a product with just enough features to be useful to users. It's like a prototype that you can use to test your idea and get feedback from users.
No-Code
- Software Engineering
No-Code is a way to build software without writing code. It's like using a visual editor to create a website or app.
npm
- Software Engineering
npm is a package manager for JavaScript. It allows you to find and share code with other developers.
Object
- Software Engineering
In object-oriented programming, an object is an instance of a class. It is a way to group together related data and functions.
OOP
- Software Engineering
Object-Oriented Programming organizes code around objects with data and behaviors to model real-world entities and relationships.
Open Source
- Software Engineering
Open source means the code is public and anyone can look at it, use it, or even help improve it. It's a way of working together and learning by sharing.
Python
- Software Engineering
Python is a programming language that uses indentation and plain-English-like syntax to structure code, making it the most popular choice for beginners, data scientists, and AI developers.
Refactoring
- Software Engineering
The process of restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior, improving its structure and readability.
Relational Database
- Backend
A relational database is a type of database that stores data in a structured way, using tables and relationships between them.
REST
- Web Development
Representational State Transfer - an architectural style for designing networked applications, particularly web services.
Rust
- Software Engineering
Rust is a programming language focused on speed and safety. It's great for building things like games, tools, or systems where you need power and control — but without many of the usual bugs.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
- Startup
SaaS is a way to provide software to users over the internet. It's like a subscription to a software, where you pay a monthly or yearly fee to use the software.
SOLID Principles
- Software Engineering
A set of five object-oriented design principles for building robust and maintainable software systems.
SQL
- Backend
SQL is a programming language used to manage and manipulate databases. It's like a way to talk to a database and tell it what to do.
Subdomain
- Internet
A subdomain is a part of a larger domain name, used to organize and separate different sections of a website.
Substack
- Content Creation
- Platforms
Substack is a platform where people can write newsletters and send them to subscribers. It's used by writers, bloggers, and creators to share thoughts or articles — sometimes for free, sometimes paid.
Technical Debt
- Software Engineering
The cost of choosing quick or easy solutions in software, which often leads to more work and complexity later.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
- Security
2FA is an extra layer of security. Besides your password, you also need to prove it's really you — like by entering a code sent to your phone. So even if someone steals your password, they can't log in easily.
Unit Testing
- Software Engineering
Writing tests for individual units of code (like functions or methods) to verify correctness in isolation.
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module)
- Marketing
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are small tags you add to a URL to track where website traffic comes from and how people interact with your marketing campaigns.
Vertical Scaling
- DevOps
Vertical scaling is a way to increase the capacity of a system by adding more resources to a single server. It's like adding more power to a single machine to produce more products.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- Security
A VPN is a tool that helps protect your privacy online. It hides your internet traffic and can make it look like you're browsing from a different place. Handy for public Wi-Fi or streaming shows from other countries.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
- DevOps
A VPS is a virtual server that is hosted on a physical server. It is a way to get a dedicated server without the cost of a dedicated server.
WebSockets
- Web Development
A way for websites and servers to have a two-way conversation in real-time. Unlike regular web requests where you have to keep asking "any updates?", WebSockets keep the connection open so updates can be sent instantly.
YAGNI
- Software Engineering
You Aren't Gonna Need It - a principle that discourages implementing features until they are actually required.
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