You do not need to know any of these to work with us. But they will come up, and it helps to know which ones matter.
Domain
Your address on the internet — yourbusiness.co.za. You rent it, usually a year at a time, and it should always be registered in your name, never ours.
DNS
The settings that point your domain at the right places: this server for the website, that one for email. Changing DNS is how a new site "goes live" on an existing domain.
Hosting
The computer your website lives on, kept running and connected to the internet. Managed hosting means somebody (us) keeps it updated, backed up and monitored.
SSL / HTTPS
The padlock in the browser. It encrypts what visitors send you and browsers punish sites that do not have it. Included with our hosting.
CMS
A content management system — the admin screen where you edit your own text and pictures without touching code.
Website, web app, mobile app
A website shows information to anyone who visits. A web app is software that runs in the browser, usually behind a login — a booking system, a customer portal. A mobile app is installed from the App Store or Play Store. Many businesses need one of the first two and think they need the third; here is how to choose.
Responsive / mobile-first
The site rearranges itself to fit the screen it is on. Most of your visitors are on a phone, so we design for the phone first.
Spec, scope, quote
A spec is your description of what you want. The scope is our written understanding of what is in and what is out. The quote prices the scope, line by line.
MVP / preview
A minimum viable product — the first working version with the core of what you asked for, which you click through and give feedback on before we finish it.
Deploy / go live / launch
Putting the finished build on its real address where the public can reach it.
Retainer
A monthly plan that includes hosting and a set number of hours for changes and support.
Integration / API
Connecting your site to another system — the accounting package, a courier, a payment gateway — so information moves between them without being retyped.
Backup
A saved copy of your site and its data, taken automatically, so a mistake or a failure can be undone.
Analytics
Counting what visitors do on the site — which pages they open, what they click — so decisions are based on numbers rather than guesses.
Something missing? Ask us and we will add it.