>_ TECH GLOSSARY

Plain-language definitions for crypto, development, networking, security, AI, and market terms. 50 terms and growing.

CRYPTOCURRENCY
  • BitcoinThe first decentralized cryptocurrency, running on a proof-of-work blockchain since 2009.
  • BlockchainA distributed ledger that records transactions across many computers in tamper-resistant blocks.
  • MempoolThe waiting room for unconfirmed transactions before they are added to a block.
  • HashrateThe total computational power being used to mine and secure a blockchain network.
  • Fear and Greed IndexA sentiment indicator that scores crypto market emotion from 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed).
  • HalvingA scheduled event that cuts Bitcoin's block reward in half roughly every four years.
  • Gas FeesTransaction fees paid to validators on networks like Ethereum for processing operations.
  • Mining PoolA group of miners who combine computational resources and share block rewards proportionally.
  • SatoshiThe smallest unit of Bitcoin, equal to 0.00000001 BTC, named after Bitcoin's creator.
  • Lightning NetworkA layer-2 payment protocol that enables fast, low-cost Bitcoin transactions off-chain.
  • DeFiDecentralized finance: financial services built on blockchain without traditional intermediaries.
  • StablecoinA cryptocurrency pegged to a stable asset like the US dollar to reduce price volatility.
  • Cold StorageKeeping cryptocurrency private keys completely offline to protect against hacking.
  • Smart ContractSelf-executing code deployed on a blockchain that runs automatically when conditions are met.
  • WhaleAn individual or entity holding a large enough amount of cryptocurrency to move market prices.
DEVELOPMENT
  • APIApplication Programming Interface: a set of rules that lets software applications communicate with each other.
  • RESTRepresentational State Transfer: an architectural style for building web APIs using standard HTTP methods.
  • GraphQLA query language for APIs that lets clients request exactly the data they need in a single call.
  • JSONJavaScript Object Notation: a lightweight text format for storing and transmitting structured data.
  • YAMLA human-readable data serialization format often used for configuration files.
  • Base64An encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII text for safe transmission over text-only channels.
  • JWTJSON Web Token: a compact, self-contained token used for authentication and secure data exchange.
  • OAuthAn authorization framework that lets apps access user data from third-party services without sharing passwords.
  • RegexRegular expressions: a pattern-matching language for searching and manipulating text strings.
  • UUIDUniversally Unique Identifier: a 128-bit label used to identify resources without a central registry.
  • Hash FunctionA mathematical function that converts input data into a fixed-size string of characters, used for verification.
  • HTTP Status CodeA three-digit number returned by a server to indicate the result of a client's request.
  • CORSCross-Origin Resource Sharing: a browser security mechanism controlling which domains can access an API.
  • WebSocketA protocol that enables persistent two-way communication between a browser and a server.
  • API Rate LimitingThrottling the number of API requests a client can make within a given time window.
NETWORKING
  • DNSDomain Name System: the internet's phonebook that translates domain names into IP addresses.
  • SSL/TLSEncryption protocols that secure data in transit between a browser and a server (the lock icon).
  • CDNContent Delivery Network: a global network of servers that delivers cached content from the closest location.
  • IP AddressA numerical label assigned to every device on a network, used for routing data packets.
  • PortA numbered endpoint on a networked device that directs traffic to specific services or applications.
SECURITY
  • EncryptionThe process of converting readable data into an unreadable format that can only be decoded with a key.
  • Two-Factor AuthenticationA login method requiring two different forms of verification, such as a password plus a phone code.
  • PhishingA social engineering attack that tricks people into revealing passwords, keys, or sensitive data.
  • Zero-DayA software vulnerability that is exploited before the vendor knows about it or has released a patch.
  • CSRFCross-Site Request Forgery: an attack that tricks a user's browser into making unwanted requests.
AI & MACHINE LEARNING
  • Large Language ModelAn AI system trained on massive text datasets that can generate, summarize, and reason about language.
  • AI AgentAn autonomous AI system that can take actions, use tools, and complete multi-step tasks on its own.
  • EmbeddingsNumerical vector representations of text, images, or data that capture semantic meaning for AI models.
  • llms.txtA standardized file that websites publish to help AI agents discover and understand their content and APIs.
  • Prompt EngineeringThe practice of crafting inputs to large language models to get more accurate, useful outputs.
MARKETS
  • Prediction MarketA platform where users trade contracts on the outcome of real-world events, revealing crowd probabilities.
  • PolymarketThe largest decentralized prediction market, built on Polygon, where users bet on event outcomes.
  • Fed Funds RateThe interest rate at which US banks lend reserves to each other overnight, set by the Federal Reserve.
  • CPIConsumer Price Index: a measure of the average change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services.
  • Treasury YieldThe return earned on US government debt securities, used as a benchmark for interest rates globally.
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