IT Glossary: Technical Terms Clearly Explained
From API to Zero-Downtime Deployment – find comprehensive explanations of terms from software development, AI, legacy modernization, and IT projects. Each term includes a definition, examples, pros & cons, and FAQ.
203 terms across 23 categories – Page 6 of 7
Clear explanations for decision-makers and project teams – definitions, examples, and FAQs for modern software, AI, and cloud projects.
How to use this IT glossary
The glossary lists 203 terms across 23 categories – from software architecture and cloud computing to AI, cybersecurity, and DevOps.
What each glossary entry includes
- Definition and practical examples
- Pros and cons for project decisions
- FAQs so you can place terms in tenders and delivery
Navigate and go deeper
Use the letter navigation or search on this page to jump to a term. For costs, delivery, and typical project steps, see the linked hubs below.
You are on page 6 of 7. The full alphabetical index starts on page 1 of the glossary.
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R
- Rate LimitingSecurity
- Rate limiting is a technique that limits how many requests a client may send to an API or service within a given time window.
- React / React NativeTechnology
- JavaScript library from Meta for interactive web UIs (React) and native mobile apps (React Native) with a shared codebase.
- RedisTechnology
- Redis is an open-source in-memory data store used as a database, cache and message broker, known for extremely low latency.
- RefactoringDevelopment
- Systematic improvement of the internal structure of existing code without changing its external behaviour.
- Requirements ManagementMethods
- Requirements management is the structured process of systematically eliciting, documenting, prioritising and tracking the functional and technical requirements of an IT or software project. It bridges business goals and concrete implementation.
- Requirements Specification / Functional SpecificationMethods
- The requirements specification describes WHAT the client wants (requirements). The functional specification describes HOW the contractor will implement it (solution). Both are central documents in software development.
- Responsive DesignDesign
- Web design approach where layout and content automatically adapt to the screen size of the device.
- REST APIBasics
- Architectural style for web interfaces that uses standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to exchange data between systems.
- RPATechnology
- Technology where software robots automate repetitive, rule-based business processes that were previously done manually on a computer.
S
- SaaSBusiness
- Software as a Service (SaaS) is a cloud-based delivery model where applications are used over the internet and paid by subscription – without local installation or your own servers.
- ScrumMethods
- Agile framework for software development that works in short iterations (sprints) and uses defined roles, events and artefacts for transparency, inspection and adaptation.
- SDKDevelopment
- An SDK (Software Development Kit) is a package of tools, libraries, documentation and sample code that makes it easier for developers to build software for a specific platform or service.
- SEOBasics
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) covers all measures to improve a website's visibility in the organic search results of Google and other search engines.
- ServerlessArchitecture
- Cloud model where the provider fully manages infrastructure and code runs only when needed – billing is per invocation instead of per server.
- ShopwareTechnology
- Shopware is a German-developed e-commerce platform that enables businesses to build and run powerful, customizable online shops.
- SLABusiness
- An SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a contract between a provider and a customer that defines measurable quality criteria for a service – e.g. availability, response times or support level.
- Software LeasingBusiness
- Software leasing lets companies finance custom-developed software in monthly instalments instead of paying full development cost upfront.
- Software MaintenanceServices
- All activities to fix defects, adapt, optimise and preventively maintain existing software after it goes live.
- Software RescueServices
- Systematic analysis, stabilisation and further development of failed or struggling software projects – when in-house development or the current vendor has failed.
- SPADevelopment
- A Single Page Application (SPA) is a web application that loads only one HTML page and fetches content dynamically via JavaScript – without full page reloads, enabling an app-like experience.
- SprintMethods
- A sprint is a fixed-length iteration (usually 2 weeks) in Scrum in which the development team delivers a defined set of work and a working software increment.
- SQLBasics
- SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standardized query language for relational databases. With SQL you can query, insert, update, delete data and manage database structures.
- SQL ServerTechnology
- Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) used to store, manage and analyse structured data in organizations of all sizes.
- SSL / TLSSecurity
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and its successor TLS (Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols that encrypt communication between browser and server and verify website identity with certificates.
- SSR / SSGDevelopment
- SSR (Server-Side Rendering) generates HTML on the server on each request. SSG (Static Site Generation) generates all HTML at build time. Both improve load time and SEO compared to client-only rendering.
- Staging EnvironmentDevOps
- A staging environment is a production-like test environment where new software versions are tested under real conditions before being deployed to production.
- SwiftTechnology
- Swift is Apple’s modern, safe and performant programming language for building apps for iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS – the successor to Objective-C.
- SymfonyDevelopment
- Symfony is an open-source PHP framework based on established design patterns that enables building robust, scalable and maintainable web applications in enterprise environments.
T
- Tailwind CSSDevelopment
- Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that provides predefined utility classes so developers can style interfaces directly in the HTML markup without writing custom CSS.
- TDDMethods
- Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a software development approach where you first write a failing test, then the minimal code to pass it, then refactor – the Red-Green-Refactor cycle.
IT Glossary – Over 100 Terms Clearly Explained
From API to Zero-Downtime Deployment – find comprehensive explanations of terms from software development, AI, legacy modernization, and IT projects. Each term includes a definition, examples, pros & cons, and FAQ.
203 terms in 23 categories – Page 6 of 7
Services & Topic Pages
Many glossary terms link to our service pages and topic pages. There you will find concrete applications, costs, and processes.
You are on page 6 of our IT glossary with a total of 203 terms from software development, cloud computing, AI, and digitalization. Each term is explained with a precise definition, practical examples, pros and cons, and FAQs. The full list of all terms is on page 1 of the glossary.
The glossary is sorted alphabetically and divided into categories. Use the letter navigation above to jump to the desired initial letter on this page. For deeper dives and concrete applications we recommend our services and topic pages.
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