Glossary

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VPS

A Virtual Private Server. It’s like renting your own private slice of a big computer that lives in a data center, so you can run programs or websites on it over the internet.

SQL

A special language used to talk to databases. It lets you ask questions like “show me all the users” or “add this new record.”

Server

A computer that stays on all the time and provides something to other computers, like a website, files, or data, whenever they ask for it.

Snapshot (VPS)

A saved copy of your whole VPS at one exact moment in time. If something breaks later, you can use the snapshot to bring it back to how it was.

DPA

Stands for Data Processing Agreement. It’s a legal document that explains how a company is allowed to handle and protect someone else’s personal data.

#vCPU

Short for “number of virtual CPUs.” It tells you how much processing power your VPS has, kind of like how many “brain cores” it’s allowed to use.

SSD

Solid State Drive. A fast type of storage for saving files and data, faster than older hard drives because it has no spinning parts.

Latency

The time delay between asking a computer to do something and it actually responding. Lower latency means faster response.

LTS

Stands for Long Term Support. It means a version of software that will keep getting updates and fixes for a long time, so it’s considered stable and safe to use.

Primary Key

A column that gives each row in a database its own unique ID. No two rows should have the same primary key.

Foreign Key

A column that connects one table in a database to another table.

Table

A place in a database where information is organized into rows and columns.

Record

One complete set of information in a database table. It is usually one row.

Column

A category of information in a database, such as a name, age, or email address.

Row

A single record of information in a database table.

Query

A request for information from a database. A query can also be used to add, change, or delete information.

Database Management System (DBMS)

A program that lets you create, store, organize, and manage databases.

Schema

The design or structure of a database. It shows things like tables, columns, and how the tables are connected.

Normalization

Organizing a database so that information is not unnecessarily repeated and the data stays organized.

Relationship

A connection between information stored in different database tables.

Index

A tool that helps a database find information faster, similar to how an index in a book helps you find a specific topic.

CRUD

The four basic things you can do with data: Create, Read, Update, and Delete.

SQLite

A small database system that stores an entire database in a single file. It is commonly used for smaller applications and projects.

Relational Database

A database that stores information in tables and connects those tables using relationships.

Operating System (OS)

The main software that manages a computer and allows other programs to run. Windows, Linux, and macOS are examples.

Kernel

The core part of an operating system that manages the computer’s hardware and allows programs to use things like the CPU and memory.

Process

A program that is currently running on a computer.

Thread

A smaller part of a process that can perform a task. A program can have multiple threads working at the same time.

CPU

The part of a computer that carries out instructions and performs calculations. It is often called the computer’s processor.

RAM

Temporary memory that a computer uses to store information while programs are running. The information in RAM is normally lost when the computer is turned off.

File System

The way an operating system organizes and stores files and folders on a computer.

Directory

Another name for a folder. Directories are used to organize files and other directories.

Path

The location of a file or folder on a computer. It tells the computer where to find something.

Command Line

A way to control a computer by typing commands instead of using buttons and menus.

Terminal

A program that allows you to use the command line to communicate with a computer.

Shell

A program that reads commands you type and tells the operating system what to do.

Linux

A family of operating systems that are commonly used on computers, servers, and other devices.

Debian

A popular Linux distribution. It provides the operating system along with many programs and tools.

Permission

Rules that control what a user is allowed to do with a file or folder, such as reading, changing, or running it.

Root

The administrator account in Linux. Root has very high-level permissions and can make major changes to the system.

Environment Variable

A value stored by the operating system that programs can use for information or settings.

Virtual Machine (VM)

A computer created using software that runs inside another physical computer. It acts like a separate computer.

Virtual Private Server (VPS)

A rented section of a larger server that acts like your own computer. You can use it to run programs, websites, or other services over the internet.

Compiler

A program that translates code written by a programmer into instructions that a computer can understand and run.

Interpreter

A program that reads and runs code, usually one part at a time, instead of translating the entire program first.

Program

A set of instructions that tells a computer what to do.

Software

Programs and instructions that run on a computer. Examples include web browsers, games, and operating systems.

Hardware

The physical parts of a computer that you can touch, such as the keyboard, CPU, RAM, and hard drive.

API

A way for different programs to communicate with each other and exchange information.

Server

A computer or program that provides information or services to other computers or programs.

Client

A computer or program that requests information or services from a server.

Port

A numbered communication point that helps a computer know which program should receive network traffic.

IP Address

A number used to identify a device on a network. It allows computers to find and communicate with each other.

Protocol

A set of rules that computers follow when communicating with each other.

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