Web and Mobile Programming Glossary

15 Web and Mobile Programming terms

A hand-picked lexicon of 15 essential English tech terms every web and mobile developer should know.

API (Application Programming Interface)

noun

A set of rules and protocols that lets different software programs talk to each other and share data.

Example: Our web app calls the Stripe API to securely process credit card transactions.

fr: Interface de programmation d'application

Backend

noun

The part of a software system, website, or business process that operates behind the scenes and is hidden from the direct view of users.

Example: When a user submits the contact form, the backend validates the inputs and saves the message to the MySQL database.

fr: Côté serveur

Bug

noun

A computer software error.

Example: A critical bug in the checkout form is preventing users from completing their purchases.

fr: Bogue (ou erreur)

Cross-platform

adjective

Software or hardware is designed to work on multiple operating systems or device types.

Example: React Native is a popular cross-platform framework that allows developers to ship iOS and Android apps using a single codebase.

fr: Multiplateforme

Database

noun

An organized collection of digital data stored in a computer system so it can be easily accessed, managed, and updated.

Example: The web application queries the PostgreSQL database to display the user's order history.

fr: Base de données

Deployment

noun

The activities and steps used to make a software application or system available for use in a production environment.

Example: After fixing the remaining bugs, we automated the web application's deployment to Vercel using GitHub Actions.

fr: Déploiement (mise en ligne)

Endpoint

noun

Any remote physical or virtual device that connects to and communicates with a network.

Example: Our mobile application fetches the product list from a secure REST API endpoint whenever the screen refreshes.

fr: Point de terminaison (d'une API)

Framework

noun

A pre-built platform containing reusable code, libraries, and guidelines that helps developers build applications faster and more consistently.

Example: Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework used to build modern single-page web applications.

fr: Cadre de travail

Frontend

noun

The visible, user-facing part of a website, software application, or computer system that a person directly sees and interacts with.

Example: We need to fix the alignment issue on the frontend before launching the new feature.

fr: interface utilisateur

Full-stack

adjective

A full stack means working with both the front-end (user-facing side) and back-end (server and database side) of a software application.

Example: As a full-stack developer, she builds both the React Native mobile app and the Python server that powers it.

fr: Développement complet

Middleware

noun

A software layer that acts as a bridge or "translator" between different applications, databases, or operating systems.

Example: We configured a custom middleware to verify the user's JSON Web Token (JWT) before letting them access protected web pages.

fr: Intergiciel (ou logiciel intermédiaire)

Repository

noun

Is a central place where things like files, data, or information are stored and kept safe.

Example: You can clone the project's GitHub repository to set up the local development environment on your machine.

fr: Dépôt (ou répertoire de code)

Responsive Design

noun Phrase

A web development approach that makes websites automatically adjust their layout, images, and text to fit any screen size or device.

Example: We implemented responsive design using CSS media queries so the website layout adjusts seamlessly from desktop to tablet screens.

fr: Conception web adaptative

State Management

noun Phrase

The practice of handling, storing, tracking, and updating data that changes over time while a software application runs.

Example: We implemented Redux Toolkit for centralized state management to easily sync the user's shopping cart across all web pages.

fr: Gestion de l'état (des données)

Version Control

noun Phrase

The practice of tracking, organizing, and managing changes to files—primarily software source code—over time.

Example: Using version control allowed our team to work on different website features simultaneously without overwriting each other's code.

fr: Gestion de versions / Contrôle de code source