Glossary
Web design, explained simply
42 terms you meet when building a website, from above the fold to Core Web Vitals and llms.txt, each in plain language with what to do about it.
Design
Design
- WhitespaceWhitespace is the empty space between and around elements on a page.Read more →
- Type scaleA type scale is a fixed set of font sizes, related by a ratio, used throughout a design.Read more →
- Line heightLine height is the vertical distance between lines of text.Read more →
- Serif vs sans-serifSerif fonts have small strokes at the ends of letters; sans-serif fonts do not.Read more →
- WCAGWCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, is the international standard for making websites accessible to people with disabilities.Read more →
- Grid systemA grid system is a set of columns and gutters that elements on a page align to.Read more →
- Design systemA design system is a shared set of rules, styles and components that keeps a product's design consistent.Read more →
- WireframeA wireframe is a simple, low-detail layout of a page that shows structure without visual design.Read more →
- MockupA mockup is a static, detailed picture of how a page will look, with real colours, type and images.Read more →
- PrototypeA prototype is an interactive model of a page or product used to test how it works before it is fully built.Read more →
- Information architectureInformation architecture is how a website's content is organised, labelled and connected.Read more →
- GlassmorphismGlassmorphism is a visual style of translucent, frosted-glass panels layered over colourful or image backgrounds.Read more →
- Micro-interactionsMicro-interactions are small, single-purpose animations or responses to a user's action.Read more →
Conversion
Conversion
- Above the foldAbove the fold is the part of a web page visible before the visitor scrolls.Read more →
- Call to action (CTA)A call to action is the button or link that asks the visitor to take the page's main next step.Read more →
- Landing pageA landing page is a single page built to turn a specific visitor into a specific action.Read more →
- Conversion rateConversion rate is the share of visitors who take the action a page is built for.Read more →
- Value propositionA value proposition is a clear statement of what a customer gets and why it is better than the alternatives.Read more →
- Social proofSocial proof is evidence that other people use, trust or recommend a product.Read more →
- MicrocopyMicrocopy is the small text on buttons, forms, labels and messages that guides people through an action.Read more →
- A/B testingA/B testing compares two versions of a page by showing each to a share of visitors and measuring which converts better.Read more →
SEO and AI search
SEO and AI search
- Meta descriptionA meta description is the short summary of a page that search engines may show under its title in results.Read more →
- Title tagThe title tag is a page's title as shown in the browser tab and as the clickable headline in search results.Read more →
- Open Graph imageAn Open Graph image is the picture shown when a link to a page is shared on social media or in chat apps.Read more →
- Alt textAlt text is a written description of an image, read by screen readers and used by search engines.Read more →
- Core Web VitalsCore Web Vitals are Google's three key measures of a page's real-world loading, responsiveness and visual stability.Read more →
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)Largest Contentful Paint is the time it takes for the biggest piece of content in the first screen to appear.Read more →
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)Cumulative Layout Shift measures how much a page's content unexpectedly moves while it loads.Read more →
- Schema markupSchema markup is structured data added to a page so search engines and AI systems understand what it is about.Read more →
- llms.txtllms.txt is a plain-text file at a website's root that gives AI assistants a concise, readable summary of the site.Read more →
- Generative engine optimization (GEO)Generative engine optimization is the practice of making content more likely to be cited by AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI answers.Read more →
Building and hosting
Building and hosting
- Responsive designResponsive design means a website adapts its layout to fit any screen size.Read more →
- Mobile-first designMobile-first design means designing for the smallest screen first and enhancing for larger ones.Read more →
- FaviconA favicon is the small icon that represents a website in browser tabs, bookmarks and search results.Read more →
- Server-side rendering (SSR)Server-side rendering means a page's HTML is produced on the server, so it arrives ready to display.Read more →
- Headless CMSA headless CMS stores and manages content without controlling how the website displays it.Read more →
- Domain nameA domain name is the address people type to reach a website, such as orlume.site.Read more →
- DNSDNS, the Domain Name System, translates domain names into the addresses of the servers that host them.Read more →
- SSL certificateAn SSL certificate lets a website load over HTTPS, encrypting traffic between visitors and the site.Read more →
- CDNA CDN, or content delivery network, serves a website's files from servers close to each visitor.Read more →
- Next.jsNext.js is a popular React framework for building fast websites and web apps with server rendering.Read more →
- Tailwind CSSTailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework where styles are applied with small, single-purpose classes.Read more →
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