Website terms explained: HTML, CSS, hosting, SEO and more
Short answer
HTML builds a web page's structure, CSS styles it and JavaScript makes it interactive. A domain name is your website's address, hosting is where its files live, and SEO helps people find it on Google. Below, every common website term is explained in plain language for business owners.
- Website
- A set of pages that live at one web address and open in any browser. A small business website usually has a home page, services, prices, photos and a way to contact you.
- Domain name
- Your website's address, such as yourbusiness.in. You rent it from a registrar for a year at a time. Register it in your own name so you keep it if you change designers. See what domains cost.
- DNS
- The Domain Name System, the internet's phone book. DNS records tell the world which server shows your website and where your email should go.
- Web hosting
- The computer, or server, that stores your website's files and sends them to visitors. Simple, fast websites can be hosted free on services like Cloudflare Pages or GitHub Pages.
- SSL and HTTPS
- The padlock in the address bar. HTTPS encrypts the connection between visitors and your site, and browsers mark sites without it as "Not secure". It is usually free.
- HTML
- HyperText Markup Language, the code that gives every web page its structure: headings, paragraphs, images, links, buttons and forms. Every website on the internet is built on HTML.
- CSS
- Cascading Style Sheets, the code that controls how a page looks: colours, fonts, spacing, layout and animations. CSS is also what makes one website fit both a phone and a laptop screen.
- JavaScript
- The programming language that runs in the browser and makes pages interactive: menus, sliders, forms that check your input, live chat and calculators.
- React
- A JavaScript library, created at Meta, for building interactive interfaces from reusable pieces called components. It suits apps and dashboards; a simple business website usually doesn't need it.
- Node.js
- A way to run JavaScript on a server rather than in the browser. It powers the behind-the-scenes part of websites and apps: saving form entries, logins, payments and APIs.
- SQL and databases
- A database stores information such as products, bookings, customers and orders. SQL is the language used to read and update relational databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
- Firebase
- A Google platform that provides a ready-made database, user logins and file storage, so apps can be built quickly without managing servers.
- API
- An Application Programming Interface: a way for two programs to talk to each other. Payment gateways, WhatsApp, Google Maps and AI assistants all connect to websites through APIs.
- CMS
- A Content Management System, such as WordPress, that lets you edit text and images through an admin panel instead of code.
- Landing page
- A single page built for one goal, usually getting enquiries or sales. Landing pages are often used for ads and new offers.
- Responsive design
- A layout that adjusts itself to phones, tablets and laptops. Most website visitors in India are on mobile, so a site has to work well on a small screen first.
- UI and UX
- UI (user interface) is how a website looks: colours, buttons and layout. UX (user experience) is how easy and pleasant it is to use, for example how quickly someone finds your price or phone number.
- SEO
- Search Engine Optimisation: making your pages easy for Google to understand and worth showing. It covers page titles and descriptions, helpful content, speed, mobile-friendliness and links from other sites.
- AEO
- Answer Engine Optimisation: writing clear answers to common questions and adding structured data so AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity can understand your business and quote it correctly.
- Structured data
- Labels in a page's code (schema.org) that tell search engines exactly what something is: your business name, address, prices, opening hours or FAQs.
- Sitemap
- A file, usually sitemap.xml, that lists every page on your site so search engines can find them all.
- Google Search Console
- A free Google tool to submit your website, see which searches show it, and fix problems that stop pages appearing on Google.
- Google Business Profile
- Your free listing on Google Maps and in local results, with your hours, photos, reviews and phone number. It matters most for "near me" searches. Read how to set one up.
- Page speed and Core Web Vitals
- How fast a page loads and responds. Google measures this with Core Web Vitals, and slow pages lose visitors before they even see your offer.
- CDN
- A Content Delivery Network, such as Cloudflare, keeps copies of your website on servers around the world so it loads quickly wherever visitors are.
- Analytics
- Tools like Google Analytics that count visitors and show which pages and buttons they use, so you can see what brings enquiries.
- Chatbot or AI assistant
- A chat window that answers visitors' questions automatically, day and night. Webby, the assistant on this site, is our own; we can add Webby to your website too.
- WhatsApp click-to-chat
- A link (wa.me) that opens WhatsApp with your number and a ready-written message, so a visitor can message you in one tap.
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