Our Technical Jargon Dictionary

Domain name

Simply put, a domain name is the root URL that is in the search bar at the top of any internet browser when you visit a website. A domain name simplifies the process of someone accessing a website.

Domain name registrar

A domain name registrar is simply the company that is reserving the domain name for a website. Sometimes the company that hosts a website is also the registrar, but this is not necessary. We don’t always need this login information, however it can be useful to IT teams in certain stages.

Website host

A website host is a company that has servers where your website files are stored. The username and password will grant access to information regarding which domain that the files are associated with. Essentially, the website host is what puts website files out into the world for internet users to see. Related terms may include cPanel, (S)FTP, GitHub, repository, or CDN.

CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN can be thought of as an additional layer on top of a website host. Notably, they’re used to increase site speed. This is because it delivers the website to visitors from a server closer to their geographical location, cutting down on physical distance between the visitor and the server. They provide other benefits too, but all we need here is the login information in we need to troubleshoot. Cloudflare is a very common provider.

(S)FTP credentials/user

SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol. It’s just used to transfer files between computers via the internet. In our context, one computer is the “host” where your website files are stored, and the other one is the computer someone is using to access those files. While this is interesting, it’s not the important part.

The important bit is that there is a host name, port number, username, and password that we need to be able to log in. We can usually retrieve this from the website host account.

CMS (Content Management System)

A CMS is simply what is used to edit content on a website, for example, WordPress, or CloudCannon are both a CMS. The URL to get to the login page, and the username and password are needed to log in and manage many aspects of a website.

SSL Certificate

An SSL Certificate is what changes the URL prefix from HTTP, to HTTPS which is more secure. You know you’re on a secure site when it shows a lock icon in your browser. The main functions of this certificate are to encrypt data as it passes from the server to a user’s computer, gain trust from visitors and search engines, and prove website ownership. The SSL Certificate can be held with a third party provider, with your domain registrar company, or website hosting company.

IT/IT contact

IT stands for Information Technology. Its actual meaning is not what’s relevant here, but that it refers to the industry which takes care of processes related to data and information within business operations. Your IT firm or IT individual we can contact should have the following expertise:

• Complex DNS changes (especially if we are changing website hosts and/or email is provided through the same host)
• DNS record management & hosting
• SSL Certificate management, hosting, and changes

If you found this post helpful, consider subscribing to our newsletter for monthly updates and posts about digital design and development.