XHTML Definition
Stands for "Extensible Hypertext Markup Language." Yes, apparently "Extensible" starts with an "X." XHTML is a spinoff of the hypertext markup language (HTML) used for creating Web pages. It is based on the HTML 4.0 syntax, but has been modified to follow the guidelines of XML, the Extensible Markup Language. Therefore, XHTML 1.0 is sometimes referred to as HTML 5.0.
Because XHTML is "extensible," Web developers can create their own objects and tags for each Web page they build...
Read More
Internet
HTML Definition
HTML Definition
Stands for "Hypertext Markup Language." HTML is the language used to create webpages. "Hypertext" refers to the hyperlinks that an HTML page may contain. "Markup language" refers to the way tags are used to define the page layout and elements within the page.
Below is an example of HTML used to define a basic webpage with a title and a single paragraph of text.
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<title>TechTerms.com</title>
</head>
<body>
&l...
Read More
URL Definition
URL Definition
Stands for "Uniform Resource Locator." A URL is the address of a specific webpage or file on the Internet. For example, the URL of the TechTerms website is "http://techterms.com." The address of this page is "http://techterms.com/definition/url" and includes the following elements:
http:// – the URL prefix, which specifies the protocol used to access the location
techterms.com – the server name or IP address of the server
/definition/url – the path to the directory or file
...
Read More
ASP Definition
ASP Definition
ASP has two different meanings in the IT world: 1) Application Service Provider, and 2) Active Server Page.
1) Application Service Provider
An Application Service Provider is a company or organization that provides software applications to customers over the Internet. These Internet-based applications are also known as "software as a service" (SaaS) and are often made available on a subscription basis. This means ASP clients often pay a monthly fee to use the software, rather th...
Read More
PHP Definition
PHP Definition
Stands for "Hypertext Preprocessor." (It is a recursive acronym, if you can understand what that means.) PHP is an HTML-embedded Web scripting language. This means PHP code can be inserted into the HTML of a Web page. When a PHP page is accessed, the PHP code is read or "parsed" by the server the page resides on. The output from the PHP functions on the page are typically returned as HTML code, which can be read by the browser. Because the PHP code is transformed into HTML before ...
Read More
JavaScript Definition
JavaScript Definition
JavaScript is a programming language commonly used in web development. It was originally developed by Netscape as a means to add dynamic and interactive elements to websites. While JavaScript is influenced by Java, the syntax is more similar to C and is based on ECMAScript, a scripting language developed by Sun Microsystems.
JavaScript is a client-side scripting language, which means the source code is processed by the client's web browser rather than on the web server. Th...
Read More
FTP Definition
FTP Definition
Stands for "File Transfer Protocol." FTP is a protocol designed for transferring files over the Internet. Files stored on an FTP server can be accessed using an FTP client, such as a web browser, FTP software program, or a command line interface.
An FTP server can be configured to enable different types of access. For example, an "anonymous FTP" configuration allows anyone to connect to the server. However, anonymous users may only be allowed to view certain directories and may n...
Read More
What is a Protocol?
What is a Protocol?
A protocol is a standard set of rules that allow electronic devices to communicate with each other. These rules include what type of data may be transmitted, what commands are used to send and receive data, and how data transfers are confirmed.
You can think of a protocol as a spoken language. Each language has its own rules and vocabulary. If two people share the same language, they can communicate effectively. Similarly, if two hardware devices support the same protocol...
Read More
TCP Definition
TCP Definition
Stands for "Transmission Control Protocol." TCP is a fundamental protocol within the Internet protocol suite — a collection of standards that allow systems to communicate over the Internet. It is categorized as a "transport layer" protocol since it creates and maintains connections between hosts.
TCP compliments the Internet protocol (IP), which defines IP addresses used to identify systems on the Internet. The Internet protocol provides instructions for transferring data while t...
Read More
Email Definition
Email Definition
Email, short for "electronic mail," is one of the most widely used features of the Internet, along with the web. It allows you to send and receive messages to and from anyone with an email address, anywhere in the world.
Email uses multiple protocols within the TCP/IP suite. For example, SMTP is used to send messages, while the POP or IMAP protocols are used to retrieve messages from a mail server. When you configure an email account, you must define your email address, passwor...
Read More