Starting a new website project? No matter what platform you choose there are some general web speak (or tech terms) you should be familiar with to ensure you have a smooth experience.

Here are the top 5 most asked about terms and phrases (at the time of writing):

1. FTP/Cpanel
   This is a hosting related term. The FTP (file transfer protocol) is a set number of details that help you access your website files using a FTP program (such as Filezilla). The Cpanel stands for control panel and it’s a username and password which allows access into a hosting portal where you can access a range of information such as your database, disk usage, firewall settings and including the number of FTP accounts that are setup. You can typically access the login to your cpanel by typing in ‘/cpanel’ at the end of your URL.
   (TIP: If you have Cpanel details but not FTP, you can create your own FTP account in Cpanel! If unsure, ask us how.)
2. DNS
   This stands for Domain Name Servers. A term related to your domain name. Think of this as a series of street signs that tell the internet where to find your information (e.g. Where your website files are located). You don’t need to touch the DNS settings if your host and domain name is from the same company. However if the host is different from the domain name it’s likely you need to update your DNS settings. (see our previous post for more reading on DNS settings).
3. CMS
   CMS or Content Management System, is the platform or backend which enable you to control the content of your website. You will often get asked “What CMS do you have?” or “Does your website have a CMS?”. If you are running a simple information based website it’s likely that you are on WordPress, or Drupal/Magento for more complex sites. Here are the most commonly used and trending CMS platforms of 2016 (https://trends.builtwith.com/cms)
4. SSL
   This is a security related term and stands for Secure Socket Layer. Basically this is a technology that allows information to be encrypted between your web browser and web server so sensitive information (such as credit card details) can be protected from prying eyes. It protects the data even if it is intercepted. In 2016, SSL has a two fold benefit where search engines are giving preference to websites that have SSL installed as it simply tells them the site owner is providing safe information to users. (ref: Google loves HTTPS)
5. Diskspace vs Bandwidth
   Diskspace is the physical space the website files take up on your server. (e.g. page files, database, uploaded files, mail etc).
   Bandwidth is the traffic received to your website.As per above (point 1) if you have access to your CPanel account, you can see how much allocation of each you have on your account. The diskspace can run out quickly if you are uploading particularly large files or are using emails with your host. If you notice any warning notifications about your diskspace check our diskspace guide for a possible solution.Generally your bandwidth (traffic) can vary between the months especially if your business is seasonal. Did you recently receive a bandwidth notification? Be sure to check our bandwidth guide to make sure the traffic not being falsely increased by spammers.

How did you go? The above is all natural lingo of humans in web so hopefully this serves you well to be comfortable when these terms are mentioned during your project journey.

As always if you have any questions our ears are open!