Plain English

Glossary

You do not need a computer science degree. A handful of terms show up constantly on this site and in AI tools — those sit at the top. Everything else is reference when you hit a rarer word.

Start here — terms you will see often

Weighted to the words used on the home page, primer, tools, and production guide. Read these eight first if you are new.

  1. AI (artificial intelligence)
  2. AI agent / agentic coding
  3. IDE (integrated development environment)
  4. LLM (large language model)
  5. Production
  6. Prompt
  7. Sandbox / sandboxing
  8. The 80% wall
  9. Tool (AI coding tool)
  10. Vibe coding

Common

AI (artificial intelligence)

Software that can do tasks that used to need human judgment — here, mostly writing and editing computer code from your instructions.

Common

AI agent / agentic coding

AI that not only suggests text but also takes multi-step actions (edit files, run commands) with tools. More power, more need for guardrails.

Common

IDE (integrated development environment)

A desktop app for writing software (editor + tools in one place). Examples: VS Code, Cursor. Think “Word for code,” but with project folders, search, and run/debug helpers.

Common

LLM (large language model)

The brain behind ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and similar tools. It predicts text (including code) from your prompt. It does not “know” your business the way a colleague does — it patterns from training and context you give it.

Common

Production

The live version real people use. Higher bar than a demo: reliability, privacy, backups, and careful changes.

Common

Prompt

The instructions you type to the AI. Better prompts state who you are, what to build, and what not to do.

Common

Sandbox / sandboxing

A safe practice space: a throwaway project, empty folder, or “try it here first” copy — not your only real website or customer data. Sandboxing means keeping experiments separate so a messy AI try cannot break something you care about.

On this site, “use a sandbox” means open a new empty project (or a throwaway folder) for your first session. Play, score pass/partial, then stop. Do not point an AI tool at your only copy of important work on night one.

Common

The 80% wall

Our name for the gap after a shiny demo: the last stretch (logins, data rules, payments, edge cases, maintenance) that takes real work and judgment.

Common

Tool (AI coding tool)

On this site: the program or website you open to vibe code — where you type instructions and get a page, app, or code back. Examples: Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, Grok Build. Not a hardware tool; a product you use with AI for building.

Common

Vibe coding

Building software mainly by describing what you want in plain language, letting AI generate most of the code, then trying it and adjusting. Fast for demos; risky if you never understand or check the result.

More terms

Still useful — just less frequent on a first visit. Alphabetical within this list.

  1. API key / secret
  2. Auth (authentication)
  3. Back-end
  4. Credits / tokens
  5. Deploy / hosting
  6. Diff
  7. Front-end
  8. Git
  9. GitHub
  10. Grok Build
  11. MVP (minimum viable product)
  12. Repository (repo)
  13. API (application programming interface)
  14. APP (Australian Privacy Principles)
  15. Database
  16. Environment variable (env)
  17. IDOR
  18. Lock-in
  19. OWASP
  20. RLS (row level security)
  21. SaaS (software as a service)
  22. Stack / tech stack
  23. Staging
  24. Technical debt
  25. Terminal (command line)

API key / secret

A password-like string that lets software call a service. Never paste production keys into public chats or front-end code users can download.

Auth (authentication)

Log in / sign up / “who is this user?” Without solid auth, anyone might see or change someone else’s data.

Back-end

Server-side work: saving data, logins, payments, emails. This is where many “looks done” demos fall over.

Credits / tokens

How many AI generations you can run — usually tied to free limits or paid plans (real money). Long chats and big rewrites burn credits faster. Check free-tier limits before a long session.

Deploy / hosting

Putting your site or app on a server so other people can open it with a web address — not only on your laptop.

Diff

A view of what changed in the code (lines added/removed). When AI edits your project, always scan the diff before accepting it.

Front-end

What users see and click in the browser: pages, buttons, forms, layout. Often easier for AI to make look good quickly.

Git

Free software that records versions of your project. Save points (“commits”) let you go back when something breaks.

GitHub

A popular website to store Git repositories online, share code, and run basic automation.

Grok Build

xAI’s coding / build agent experience (used in tools like this workflow): helps plan, edit, and ship software with Grok models. Still needs your review for real users and data.

MVP (minimum viable product)

The smallest version of a product that still lets real people try the core idea. Not “half-finished forever” — intentionally thin so you can learn.

Repository (repo)

A project folder tracked by Git — history of changes so you can undo, collaborate, and deploy. Often hosted on GitHub.

API (application programming interface)

A way programs talk to each other over the internet (or inside your app). Keys that unlock APIs must stay secret.

APP (Australian Privacy Principles)

Rules under Australian privacy law about personal information. Not every hobby project is covered the same way — but if you hold other people’s data, take them seriously. Not legal advice.

Database

Where app data is stored long-term (users, orders, notes). Needs rules about who can read or change what.

Environment variable (env)

A setting stored outside your code (often in a `.env` file or host dashboard) so secrets are not hard-coded into the project.

IDOR

Insecure direct object reference: changing an id in a URL or request to open someone else’s record. Classic beginner/AI bug.

Lock-in

How hard it is to leave a tool with your work intact. Always ask: can I export my code to GitHub?

OWASP

A non-profit community that publishes common web security risks (e.g. “Top 10”). Useful checklist language for beginners and pros.

RLS (row level security)

Database rules that restrict which rows each user can see — e.g. you only see your own invoices. Often missing or wrong in AI-generated apps.

SaaS (software as a service)

Software you use in the browser on a subscription (or free tier), rather than installing once forever.

Stack / tech stack

The combination of languages and services you build with (e.g. React + a database + a host).

Staging

A practice copy of production for testing before you go live.

Technical debt

Shortcuts that save time now but cost time later — messy code, missing tests, unclear ownership. AI can create a lot of it quickly.

Terminal (command line)

A text window where you type commands instead of clicking menus. Many developer tools still live here.

New here?

Start the healthy path at step 1 — then pick a tool and do a first session.

Step 1 · Understand Step 2 · Pick a tool