258 terms · 6 categories
Glossary
Every term comes with a plain-English definition, a wireframe, and a prompt you can copy straight into your AI.
Look-alike terms
23 sets of look-alike terms that are easy to mix up, side by side.
Frontend engineering
Engineering words that show up in AI's reports after it changes your code, sorted A–Z.
A terms
B terms
C terms
- CacheTemporarily store computed or fetched results for reuse—browser cache, CDN, server memory/Redis, or in-app caches.
- Cascading Style SheetsThe styling language that controls how a web page looks. It handles color, fonts, spacing, layout, and animation, and turns the bare HTML frame into something nice and usable.
- CDNCache static assets on edge nodes closer to users to cut latency and offload the origin.
- CI/CDAutomatically run checks and builds on each change (CI), then automatically or one-click deploy to environments (CD), reducing hand-release mistakes.
- Client-Side RenderingThe browser downloads a mostly empty shell plus JS, then fetches data and builds the UI on the client; first paint depends on JS finishing.
- Code SplittingSplit the build into smaller files loaded by route or component so the first visit doesn't download the entire app JS.
- ComponentSplitting a page into small pieces you can write on their own and reuse. Each piece has its own structure, styles, and logic, and you snap them together like building blocks.
- Component LibraryA full set of ready-made UI components someone else built, like buttons, forms, and dialogs, that you can install and use right away. The style is consistent, and you don't have to build from scratch.
- Cross-Origin Resource SharingFor security, browsers only allow requests to the same origin by default. Calling an API on another domain or port needs that server's explicit permission, or you get a CORS error.
D terms
- DeploymentThe process of putting your built project on a public server or hosting platform so other people can visit it at a URL.
- Dev ServerA service that runs your project temporarily on your own computer so you can preview as you build. You usually open it in the browser at localhost plus a port number.
- Developer ToolsThe debugging panel built into the browser. Press F12 to open it and see the page structure, styles, error messages, and network requests.
- Document Object ModelThe tree structure the browser builds in memory after parsing HTML. JavaScript uses it to read and change what's on the page.
E terms
F terms
G terms
H terms
- HooksFunctions in React that start with use. They give function components abilities like state and side effects, and you can also use them to package up reusable logic.
- Hot Module ReplacementAfter you save code, the dev server pushes the change to the browser and the page updates right away, often keeping your current input and state.
- HydrationThe server sends HTML first; the browser then attaches framework state and events to that DOM so the page goes from viewable to interactive.
- HyperText Markup LanguageThe markup language that describes a web page's structure and content. Its tags tell the browser what's a heading, a paragraph, a button, or an image.
I terms
J terms
- JavaScriptThe programming language that makes web pages "come alive." It handles interaction logic like responding to clicks, fetching data, and updating the page.
- JavaScript Object NotationA text format that represents data with curly braces and key-value pairs. Most data sent between frontend and backend, and most project config files, use it.
L terms
- Lazy LoadingLoad assets or components only when needed—entering the viewport, opening a route, or expanding a panel—to lighten the first paint.
- LinterScan code with static rules—without running it—to catch style issues and common bugs early in the editor or CI.
- Local StorageA small bit of local storage the browser provides. It can hold a little data that's still there after you close the page and open it again.
M terms
P terms
- Package ManagerThe tool that downloads, installs, and manages the third-party code packages your project depends on. Common ones are npm, pnpm, and yarn.
- PropsData a parent component passes to a child component, like passing arguments to a function. The child reads it but doesn't change it, and uses it to decide what to show.
R terms
S terms
- Server-Sent EventsThe server pushes text events over one long-lived HTTP response; the browser listens with EventSource—great for one-way streams.
- Server-Side RenderingEach time someone visits, the server builds the page's full HTML first and then sends it to the browser. The first screen shows up fast, and search engines can index it easily.
- Single Page ApplicationA kind of website that loads the page shell once. After that, JavaScript in the browser handles every page switch without a full reload.
- Source MapMap minified, bundled code back to original source lines so production stack traces and local debugging stay readable.
- StateData a component keeps track of itself that changes as the user interacts. When state changes, the matching part of the page re-renders automatically.
- Static Site GenerationEvery page is generated as an HTML file ahead of time, at build time. Visitors get the ready-made file directly, so it's fast and simple to deploy.