Speaking Their Language: Web Designer Acronyms Part 2

Working with web designers and developers can sometimes be a trial by fire in communication. The web has a language all its own, and while these terms and acronyms may be second nature to those in the industry, they can seem like a load of gobbledygook for average folks.

Here are some additional entries in the list of acronyms commonly used by web designers and developers. See part one for the rest of the list.

CRAP: Contrast Repetition Alignment and Proximity. What started as an inside joke is now a recognized design principle. It refers to various methods of organizing design elements and content so that it makes sense to the viewer, and each element provides visual cues as to its purpose and importance.

DOM: Document Object Model. DOM is a specification for a programming interface (API) that allows programs and scripts to update the content, structure and style of HTML and XML documents. Basically speaking, it makes any document look like a database.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol. This is a protocol that allows users to copy files between their local system and any system on the network, such as a web server.

IP: Internet Protocol. IP is the basic standard of communication and addressing for the internet. It labels individual packets or pieces of data with both the sending and receiving computers’ addresses.

LAMP: Linux Apache MySQL PHP. LAMP is a solution for free, open source software components used to build a web server. While designed independently, over the years they have been developed to serve as a reliable, stable web hosting environment.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the practice of designing a site so that search engines easily find the pages and index them. It involves keywords used in the text and the placement of those words on the page.

SSL: Secure Sockets Layer. SSL is a protocol designed to provide secure communication over the internet using encryption. For instance, the web address for your bank when you log in may be HTTPS, indicating that it is using SSL for security.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is an identifier that specifies where a resource is available and how to retrieve it.  It is commonly known as the address of a website, such as amazon.com.