Tech glossary A–Z
Jargon, decoded. Short definitions first, the full explanation one click away.
An API that follows Representational State Transfer principles, using standard HTTP methods and URLs to work with resources. Software Development
Malware that encrypts or steals a victim's files and demands payment, usually in cryptocurrency, to restore access or prevent leaks. Cybersecurity
Restricting how many requests a user, device, or application can make to a service within a set time period. Cloud & DevOps
An open-source JavaScript library for building user interfaces out of reusable components, originally developed at Facebook. Software Development
Payment systems that move money between bank accounts within seconds, at any time of day, every day of the year. FinTech
Restructuring existing code to make it cleaner, simpler, or easier to maintain without changing what the software does. Software Development
A statistical and machine learning method for predicting a continuous numerical value based on the relationship between variables. Data & Analytics
A compact pattern language used to search, match, and manipulate text, such as finding email addresses or validating phone numbers. Software Development
A type of machine learning in which an agent learns by trial and error, receiving rewards or penalties for its actions. Artificial Intelligence
A training method, known as RLHF, that improves an AI model by rewarding responses people rate as more helpful, accurate, or safe. Artificial Intelligence
A database that stores data in tables of rows and columns and links related tables through shared keys, usually queried with SQL. Data & Analytics
Using connected medical devices to collect patients' health data at home and share it with healthcare providers for review. HealthTech
Monitoring and influencing how a business is perceived online, especially through reviews, ratings, and search results. Tech for Local Business
A web design approach that makes pages automatically adapt their layout to fit any screen size, from phones to large monitors. Software Development
An advertising business run by a retailer that sells ad space on its websites, apps, and stores, targeted using its own shopper data. Business & Retail Tech
A technique that improves AI answers by first retrieving relevant documents and then giving them to a language model as context. Artificial Intelligence
A server that sits in front of web servers and forwards client requests to them, adding security, caching, and load balancing. Cloud & DevOps
Software bots that mimic human actions on a computer, such as clicking, typing, and copying data, to automate repetitive tasks. Software Development
The amount of time a startup can keep operating before running out of cash, based on its current spending. Business & Retail Tech