Plain language
The jargon, explained
You don't need to be technical to work with us — but a few words come up a lot. Here's what they mean, in plain English.
- API key
- A secret password that lets your app talk to another service, like a payment or AI provider. Anyone who has it can act as you, so it must be kept private.
- Environment variable
- A setting stored outside your code, only on the server. It's where secrets like API keys belong, so they never end up in your repository.
- Repository (repo)
- The folder that holds your app's code and its full history of changes. Often hosted on GitHub, which can be public or private.
- Row-level security (RLS)
- Database rules that decide who can see which rows of data. Without it, anyone might read every user's records.
- SSL / HTTPS
- The lock icon in the address bar. It encrypts traffic between your app and its visitors so nobody can snoop on it.
- CI/CD
- Automation that tests your code and puts new versions live safely, without manual, error-prone steps.
- Webhook
- A message one service sends your app when something happens, like a payment succeeding. If it isn't verified, it can be faked.
- Rate limiting
- A cap on how often someone can call your app, so a single user or bot can't overwhelm it or run up your bill.
- Backup
- A saved copy of your data you can restore if something is lost, corrupted, or deleted.
- Deployment
- The act of putting a version of your app online where real users can reach it.
- DNS
- The system that points your domain name (yourapp.com) to the server that actually runs your app.
- Serverless
- A way to run your app's code without managing a server yourself. It scales up and down automatically, and you pay for what you use.