10 Basic Tech Terms You Need to Get Used to As a UX Designer
By: Eva V.
Tags: UX Research, Product Design, Design, Branding, Tech

1. Front-end VS. Back-end

Frontend and backend are two of the most used terms in the tech industry. They are like two sides of the same coin, but they define what you do as a developer.

Front-End development deals with the details of your website or app that the users see and interact with. This includes images, navigation menus, buttons, etc. The better your front-end is, the higher the chances of a good user experience.

Back-End development deals with the side that is hidden from the users. It includes complex tasks like data saving and organizing. The backend communicates with the front-end to make sure that the web is working properly. If a user fills a form in your website, the back-end processes it and returns the relevant information displayed on the screen.

2. Fullstack developer

A full-stack developer is capable of working on both the back-end and front-end development. They are skilled in both and detailed enough to focus on either side. It is easy to find a job as a full-stack developer. But being an expert on both sides is not easy and will take a ton of work.

Difference Between Front End, Back End, and Full Stack Developer by Think Future Technologies, 2020.

3. HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

People use language to communicate. Just like that computer's language to communicate with the internet is HTML or HyperText Markup Language. HTML is not a programming language. It is used to organize and format documents like Microsoft Word. HTML It has gone through some evolutions, and the latest updated version is HTML5.

4. CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)

While we can only use HTML to add text elements and create the structure of the content. CSS handles appearance. This includes stylings such as colors, layouts, spacing, and animations.

5. Javascript

Javascript handles the behavior of a website. It is a programming language that allows you to implement complex features on the web. Think of HTML as a frame, CSS as the colorful body, and JavaScript as behavior and manner. Like this alligator gif shown below.

HTML+CSS+Javascropt, giphy.com

6. API (Application Programming Interface)

API exchanges the data between the front-end and back-end. It also receives requests from the front and sends a response to the back. So, in other words, it allows applications to exchange data. It’s like a communication service.

7. on-Premise VS. on-Cloud

On-Premise means the business hosts its own data center on-site. It is the traditional approach where you have to buy and maintain in-house servers. You need to have IT staff qualified to maintain and watch the servers.

On-Cloud is a term that refers to computing services provided via the internet. This includes computing, database, monitoring, security, networking, etc. The main feature of cloud computing is that you pay for what you use. The cloud service provider usually takes care of its own maintenance costs.

8. SaaS (Software as a Service)

SaaS is the most common use of a cloud-based service. It is a way of accessing an application via an internet browser. You don't need to download the software onto your computer, tablet, or smartphone. SaaS allows users to access data from any device with an internet connection and a web browser. For example, we connect to Gmail via a web browser, and the service provider, Google, hosts the entire application. As users, we don't develop or maintain the infrastructure.

9. Server-side VS. Client-side

Remember the front-end VS back-end? Think of front-end and client-side synonyms and backend and server-side synonyms.

10. GUI (Graphical User Interface)

GUI is the desktop interface where you see icons, drop-down menus, and windows. It is a mouse-based system where you point and click to indicate what you want to do. GUI objects include icons, cursors, buttons, etc. It is more user-friendly than a command-line interface.