{"id":70393,"date":"2026-11-12T14:45:26","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T09:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?page_id=70393"},"modified":"2026-11-12T14:45:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T09:15:26","slug":"coding-terms","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/coding-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"Coding Terms: 95+ Programming and GitHub Terms Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Home<\/a> ›<\/span> Coding terms<\/p>\n

Coding Terms: 95+ Programming and GitHub Terms Explained<\/h1>\n

New to coding or GitHub? This programming glossary explains 98 coding terms in plain English, from variables and loops to APIs, branches, commits and pull requests. Search for a word, pick a topic, or choose a level.<\/p>\n

98<\/b> terms<\/span>6<\/b> topics<\/span>Everyday to advanced<\/span>Updated November 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Coding basics 20<\/span><\/h2>

Code♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: source code<\/p>

Instructions written in a programming language that tell a computer what to do.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Programming language♥<\/span><\/h3>

A language for writing code, such as Python, JavaScript, Java or C++.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Algorithm♥<\/span><\/h3>

A step-by-step set of instructions for solving a problem or doing a task.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Bug♥<\/span><\/h3>

A mistake in code that makes a program behave wrongly or crash.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Variable♥<\/span><\/h3>

A named box that stores a value, such as a number or text, that a program can use and change.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Function♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: method<\/p>

A named block of code that does one job and can be reused whenever it is needed.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Array<\/h3>

Also called: list<\/p>

An ordered collection of values stored under one name.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Boolean<\/h3>

A value that can only be true or false.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Comment<\/h3>

A note in code for humans to read. The computer ignores it.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Compiler<\/h3>

A program that translates code into machine instructions before it runs.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Debugging<\/h3>

Finding and fixing bugs in code.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Framework<\/h3>

A larger set of ready-made code and rules that gives an app its structure, such as React or Django.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

If statement<\/h3>

Also called: conditional<\/p>

Code that runs only when a condition is true, such as \u201cif the password is correct, log in\u201d.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Integer<\/h3>

Also called: int<\/p>

A whole number in code, with no decimal point.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Interpreter<\/h3>

A program that runs code line by line without compiling it all first. Python and JavaScript usually work this way.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Library<\/h3>

Also called: package<\/p>

Ready-made code you can add to your project so you do not have to write everything yourself.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Loop<\/h3>

Code that repeats a set of steps, for example once for every item in a list.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Object<\/h3>

A bundle of related data and functions, such as a user with a name, an email and a login function.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

String<\/h3>

A piece of text in code, such as \u201cHello\u201d.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Syntax<\/h3>

The grammar rules of a programming language. A syntax error means the code is written incorrectly.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

Web development 18<\/span><\/h2>

HTML♥<\/span><\/h3>

The language that structures web pages: headings, paragraphs, links, images and forms.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

CSS♥<\/span><\/h3>

The language that styles web pages: colours, fonts, spacing and layout.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

JavaScript♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: JS<\/p>

The programming language that makes web pages interactive. It runs in every web browser.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

API♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: application programming interface<\/p>

A set of rules that lets one program ask another for data or actions, like a waiter carrying orders between apps.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Front end♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: frontend<\/p>

The part of a website or app that people see and click.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

404 error<\/h3>

Also called: page not found<\/p>

The error you see when a web page does not exist or has moved.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Back end<\/h3>

Also called: backend<\/p>

The behind-the-scenes part of an app: servers, databases and the logic users do not see.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Browser developer tools<\/h3>

Also called: DevTools<\/p>

Built-in browser tools for inspecting a page\u2019s code, styles, network requests and errors.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

CMS<\/h3>

Also called: content management system<\/p>

Software for building and editing websites without coding every page, such as WordPress.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

DOM<\/h3>

Also called: Document Object Model<\/p>

The browser\u2019s live map of a web page, which JavaScript can read and change.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Full stack<\/h3>

Working on both the front end and the back end of an app.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

JSON<\/h3>

A simple text format for sending data between programs, using names and values inside curly brackets.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Localhost<\/h3>

Your own computer acting as a web server while you build and test a site.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Request and response<\/h3>

How the web works: a browser sends a request to a server, and the server sends back a response.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Responsive design<\/h3>

Building pages that adjust to fit phones, tablets and big screens.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Status code<\/h3>

Also called: HTTP status code<\/p>

A number a server sends with each response, such as 200 for OK or 404 for not found.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Web app<\/h3>

An app that runs in a web browser instead of being installed.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Web hosting<\/h3>

Also called: hosting<\/p>

A service that stores a website\u2019s files on a server so people can visit it.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

Git and GitHub 20<\/span><\/h2>

Git♥<\/span><\/h3>

A free tool that tracks every change to your code, so you can go back to any version and work with others safely.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

GitHub♥<\/span><\/h3>

A website that hosts Git projects online, where developers store code, review changes and work together.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Repository♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: repo<\/p>

A project folder tracked by Git, holding the code and its full history of changes.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Commit♥<\/span><\/h3>

A saved snapshot of your changes in Git, with a short message describing what changed.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Branch♥<\/span><\/h3>

A separate line of work in a repository, so you can build a feature without touching the main code until it is ready.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Open source♥<\/span><\/h3>

Software whose code anyone can see, use, change and share, usually under a licence.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

.gitignore<\/h3>

A file listing which files Git should not track, such as passwords and temporary files.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Clone<\/h3>

Making a full copy of a repository on your own computer.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Diff<\/h3>

A view showing exactly which lines were added or removed between two versions.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Fork<\/h3>

Making your own copy of someone else\u2019s repository on GitHub, so you can change it freely.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Issue<\/h3>

A tracked task, bug report or idea in a GitHub project.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Main branch<\/h3>

Also called: main, master<\/p>

The primary branch of a repository that holds the official, working version of the code.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Merge<\/h3>

Combining the changes from one branch into another.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Merge conflict<\/h3>

When two changes edit the same lines and Git cannot combine them automatically, so a person must choose.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Pull<\/h3>

Downloading the latest changes from the online repository and merging them into your copy.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Pull request<\/h3>

Also called: PR<\/p>

A request on GitHub to merge your branch into another, so others can review the changes first.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Push<\/h3>

Sending your local commits up to the online repository.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

README<\/h3>

The introduction file of a project, explaining what it does and how to use it.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Staging area<\/h3>

Also called: index<\/p>

The holding area where you choose which changes go into the next commit.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Version control<\/h3>

Any system that records changes to files over time so you can go back to earlier versions.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

Data and databases 10<\/span><\/h2>

Database♥<\/span><\/h3>

An organised store of data that apps can search and update quickly.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Big data<\/h3>

Data sets so large or fast-changing that ordinary tools cannot handle them.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

CSV<\/h3>

A plain text file of rows with values separated by commas, which spreadsheets can open.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Data science<\/h3>

Using statistics, code and charts to find useful patterns in data.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Data type<\/h3>

What kind of value something is, such as text, number, date or true or false.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Primary key<\/h3>

A column whose value uniquely identifies each row in a table, such as a user ID.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Query<\/h3>

A question or command sent to a database, such as \u201cfind all orders from today\u201d.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Spreadsheet<\/h3>

A grid of cells for numbers, text and formulas, as in Excel or Google Sheets.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

SQL<\/h3>

Structured Query Language, used to ask questions of databases and change their data.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Table<\/h3>

Data arranged in rows and columns inside a database.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

Tools and workflow 16<\/span><\/h2>

IDE♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: code editor<\/p>

An app for writing code with helpers like colour highlighting, error checks and autocomplete. VS Code is a popular one.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Deploy♥<\/span><\/h3>

Also called: deployment<\/p>

Putting a new version of an app or website live for users.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

AI coding assistant<\/h3>

An AI tool that suggests, writes or explains code as you work.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span>The best AI tools for coding<\/a><\/p><\/article>

Automation<\/h3>

Using code or tools so tasks happen without manual work.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

CI\/CD<\/h3>

Continuous integration and delivery: automatically testing and releasing code every time changes are made.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Cloud computing<\/h3>

Renting computing power and storage from big providers over the internet instead of owning servers.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Command<\/h3>

A typed instruction in the terminal, such as cd to change folders.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Container<\/h3>

Also called: Docker<\/p>

A package holding an app and everything it needs, so it runs the same on any computer.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Dependency<\/h3>

A library or package your project needs in order to run.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Environment<\/h3>

The setup where code runs, such as development on your laptop, testing, or production for real users.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Low-code<\/h3>

Also called: no-code<\/p>

Tools that let you build apps by dragging blocks and filling forms instead of writing much code.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Package manager<\/h3>

A tool that installs and updates code libraries, such as npm or pip.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Production<\/h3>

Also called: prod<\/p>

The live version of an app that real users use.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Script<\/h3>

A short program that automates a task, such as renaming hundreds of files.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Terminal<\/h3>

Also called: command line, console<\/p>

A text window where you type commands to control a computer.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Testing<\/h3>

Also called: unit test<\/p>

Checking code automatically or by hand to catch bugs before users do.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

Jobs and teamwork 14<\/span><\/h2>

Agile<\/h3>

A way of building software in short cycles, releasing small improvements often and adjusting based on feedback.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Beta<\/h3>

An early test version of software released to some users before the final launch.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Bug report<\/h3>

A description of a problem in software, including the steps to make it happen again.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Code review<\/h3>

Other developers reading your changes to catch mistakes and share knowledge before they are merged.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Developer<\/h3>

Also called: programmer, coder<\/p>

Someone who writes and maintains software.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Documentation<\/h3>

Also called: docs<\/p>

Written guides that explain how software works and how to use it.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Hackathon<\/h3>

An event where people build software projects quickly, often over a day or a weekend.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

MVP<\/h3>

Also called: minimum viable product<\/p>

The simplest version of a product that is good enough to test with real users.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Release notes<\/h3>

Also called: changelog<\/p>

A list of what changed in a new version of an app.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Scrum<\/h3>

A popular agile method with set roles, daily stand-up meetings and sprints.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Software engineer<\/h3>

A developer who designs, builds and tests software systems in a structured way.<\/p>

Everyday<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Sprint<\/h3>

A short, fixed period, often two weeks, in which a team finishes a set of tasks.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Tech stack<\/h3>

Also called: stack<\/p>

The set of languages, frameworks and tools a project is built with.<\/p>

Intermediate<\/span><\/p><\/article>

Technical debt<\/h3>

Also called: tech debt<\/p>

Quick or messy shortcuts in code that make future changes slower and riskier until they are cleaned up.<\/p>

Advanced<\/span><\/p><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n

\n

Coding terms: frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n

What coding terms should beginners learn first?<\/h3>\n

Start with code, programming language, variable, function, loop, bug and algorithm, then HTML, CSS, JavaScript and API for the web, and Git, repository, commit and branch for working with others.<\/p>\n

What is the difference between Git and GitHub?<\/h3>\n

Git is a free tool on your computer that tracks changes to code. GitHub is a website that stores Git projects online so people can share code, review changes and work together.<\/p>\n

What is a branch in Git?<\/h3>\n

A branch is a separate line of work. You make changes on a branch without affecting the main code, then merge it back, often through a pull request, when it is ready.<\/p>\n

What is an API in simple words?<\/h3>\n

An API is a set of rules that lets one program ask another for data or actions. For example, a weather app uses a weather service API to get the forecast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home › Coding terms Coding Terms: 95+ Programming and GitHub Terms Explained New to coding or GitHub? This programming glossary explains 98 coding terms in plain English, from variables and loops to APIs, branches, commits and pull requests. Search for a word, pick a topic, or choose a level. 98 terms6 topicsEveryday to advancedUpdated November…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"hide","_kad_post_layout":"normal","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"none","_kad_post_content_style":"unboxed","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"show","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-70393","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70393"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70396,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70393\/revisions\/70396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}