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Quick Reference

This quick reference provides concise definitions and filing locations for common terms across technical writing, development, and project management. Look up terminology and find where terms belong in the full documentation structure.

A​

accessibility​

  • design philosophy, ethical framework, strategic approach
  • the practice of designing and creating content, interfaces, and experiences for people with diverse abilities and disabilities

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - accessibility

active voice​

  • grammatical sentence structure
  • subject performs the action rather than receiving it

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - active voice

affect vs effect​

  • affect - verb: to influence
  • effect - noun: the result

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - affect vs effect

Agile​

  • project management method
  • breaks projects down into smaller phases, relies on iterative cycles

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Agile

AI​

  • acronym for Artificial Intelligence
  • a research field
  • set of technologies that use computers and large datasets to perform tasks
  • make predictions or recommendations and solve problems that normally require human intelligence

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - AI

AI agent​

  • individual implementation within the broader field of agentic AI and/or compound AI systems
  • instance of an LLM-powered autonomous system that independently plans, uses tools, and takes actions to accomplish tasks on behalf of users

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - AI agent

AI-assisted documentation​

  • docs created and/or enhanced via AI tools while maintaining human oversight for accuracy, technical correctness, and quality

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - AI-assisted documentation

AI-assisted usability analysis​

  • use of AI tools to evaluate usability test results
  • accelerates interpretation of certain types of usability data while recognizing AI limitations

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - AI-assisted usability analysis

AI bias​

  • systematic errors and/or unfair outcomes in AI systems that reflect prejudices present in training data or model design

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - AI bias

AMQP​

  • acronym for Advanced Message Queuing Protocol
  • open standard application layer protocol for message-oriented middleware that enables reliable, asynchronous communication between applications

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - AMQP

API​

  • acronym for application programming interface
  • enables resource sharing between systems and/or products

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - API

API Blueprint​

  • description format that uses Markdown syntax to document RESTful APIs
  • predecessor to OpenAPI with more readable syntax

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - API Blueprint

API documentation testing​

  • practice of validating API function and performance requirements
  • interacts with the API similarly to QA testing, but with a different purpose
  • QA ensures the product works correctly, while documentation testing ensures user content accuracy

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - API documentation testing

API endpoint​

  • specific URL where an API can access resources
  • client touchpoint with the API server

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - API endpoint

API gateway​

  • server as single entry for many backend services
  • enables centralized security, monitoring, and versioning without clients needing to know about backend architecture

Glossary Term Entry Location: APT Types & Architectures - API gateway

API overview topic​

  • landing page in which the audience is everyone

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - API overview topic

API playground​

  • interactive environment embedded in API documentation
  • common feature of developer portals
  • enables more experimentation, has less control than an API sandbox
  • lets developers send real requests to endpoints, view live responses without setting up a local dev environment

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - API playground

API reference topic​

  • "getting finished topics" that describe aspects of an API operation or object

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - API reference topic

API sandbox​

  • isolated testing environment designed for developer experimentation
  • simulates a production API's behavior using mock data and predefined responses

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - API sandbox

API security​

  • measures taken to protect APIs from unauthorized access, misuse, attacks

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - API security

Arazzo Specification​

  • OpenAPI Initiative specification format
  • describes API workflows, sequences of API calls, and how multiple API operations connect to accomplish multi-step tasks

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific, Arazzo Specification

AsyncAPI​

  • documentation standard
  • specification for defining asynchronous, event-driven APIs
  • enables standardized documentation and tooling for APIs that work over many different protocols

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - AsyncAPI

authentication​

  • API security measure
  • determines who users are

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - authentication

authorization​

  • API security measure
  • determines what users can do

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - authorization

B​

BDD​

  • acronym for behavior-driven development
  • software development methodology
  • way for teams to work that closes the gap between business and technical people

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - BDD

branch​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • parallel version of a code repository and/or separate line of development in a repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - branch

Bruno​

  • offline-first, open source API client and testing tool
  • streamlines versioning and sharing without accounts and/or subscriptions
  • uses plaintext markup language Bru

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Bruno

C​

C4 model​

  • hierarchical approach to software architecture diagrams
  • consists of four levels - Context, Containers, Components, and Code

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - C4 model

cherry-pick​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • copying selected commits from one branch to another branch

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - cherry-pick

CI/CD pipeline​

  • acronym for Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipeline
  • automated workflow that builds, tests, and deploys code changes to production environments with minimal manual intervention

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - CI/CD pipeline

CLI​

  • acronym for Command Line Interface
  • text-based interface where users interact with software by typing commands rather than clicking graphical elements

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - CLI

clone​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • copy of a code repository that lives in the development environment, instead of hosted on GitHub

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - clone

CMS​

  • acronym for content management system
  • software platform that enables teams to create, organize, store, and publish content without requiring direct code or database manipulation

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific, CMS

cognitive dimensions of API usability​

  • framework for evaluating and enhancing the usability of APIs
  • includes 12 dimensions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - cognitive dimensions of API usability

commit​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • code repository snapshot at a certain point-in-time
  • includes commit hash

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - commit

commit hash​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • alphanumeric unique identifier auto-generated for each commit by using the SHA-1 hash function

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - commit hash

concept​

  • documentation topic type
  • provides understanding without instructing readers to perform specific tasks
  • answer "what" and "why" questions at an accessible, introductory level

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - concept

content​

  • technical communication concept
  • anything written for someone else to read

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - content

content strategy​

  • discipline encompassing the planning, development, and management of content across its entire lifecycle
  • content creation, governance, delivery, measurement to meet business goals and user needs

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - content strategy

contract testing​

  • verifies communication compatibility between systems
  • ensures that the API does what the docs says it does, keeps its "definition promises" or satisfies its "contract" with the client/consumers

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - contract testing

Critical Chain Project Management​

  • also known as CCPM
  • project management method
  • focuses on resources needed to complete the project’s tasks by adding resource availability to the critical path

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Critical Chain Project Management

Critical Path Method​

  • also known as CPM
  • project management method
  • identifying a "critical path" of task sequences
  • some tasks can't start until previous ones finish

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Critical Path Method

CRUD​

  • acronym for Create, Read, Update, Delete
  • provides a standard framework for API operations that maps directly to HTTP methods

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - CRUD

Cucumber​

  • BDD - behavior-driven development - testing framework
  • enables writing tests in plain language using Gherkin syntax

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Cucumber

cURL​

  • acronym for client URL
  • command-Line tool available on Windows, MacOS, Linux
  • sends and receives HTTP and/or HTTPS requests

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - cURL

Cypress​

  • open source end-to-end testing framework
  • enables automated testing of web applications through browser automation
  • JavaScript/TypeScript focused, has a visual test runner, developer-friendly

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Cypress

D​

D2​

  • modern DSL that turns text into software architecture diagrams
  • features include contemporary syntax and extensive layout options

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - D2

DAM​

  • acronym for digital asset management
  • software platform and business process for storing, organizing, managing, retrieving, and distributing media and/or digital files

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - DAM

DELETE​

  • HTTP method
  • requests removal of a specified resource from the server

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - DELETE

developer portal​

  • centralized, web-based platform where API providers publish docs, code samples, SDKs, tutorials, and support resources
  • designed for developer education and API discovery → integration

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - developer portal

diagram​

  • visual representation of a system, process, or concept
  • communicates tech information more efficiently than prose alone

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - diagram

diagrams-as-code​

  • documentation approach
  • represents diagrams as text-based code artifacts rather than binary image files
  • subset of the broader docs-as-code philosophy applied specifically to visual content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - diagrams-as-code

Diátaxis​

  • systematic framework for organizing technical documentation into four content types: explanation, how-to-guides, reference, and tutorials
  • results in more user-friendly documentation

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - Diátaxis

Doc Detective​

  • open source testing tool
  • designed specifically for implementing docs-as-code workflows by validating documentation against APIs, CLIs, UIs

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Doc Detective

docs-as-code​

  • methodology for developing and publishing documentation using the same tools as software development
  • enables documentation teams to manage content in version control systems alongside code

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - docs-as-code

docs-as-ecosystem​

  • strategic framework for understanding documentation systems
  • encourages holistic, multidisciplinary, and community-centered approaches to creating and maintaining API documentation that foster sustained engagement and collaborative growth

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - docs-as-ecosystem

docs-as-tests​

  • documentation strategy
  • treats documentation as testable assertions
  • maintains documentation accuracy through automated testing

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - docs-as-tests

Document Development Life Cycle​

  • also known as DDLC
  • process of writing and delivering particular content in the form of documentation
  • example formats: PDF, Word doc, online articles, website content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Document Development Life Cycle

Docusaurus​

  • open source static site generator by Meta
  • creates docs sites with versioning, search, internationalization

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Docusaurus

domain knowledge​

  • understanding of a specific industry, discipline, or activity

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - domain knowledge

draw.io​

  • also known as diagrams.net
  • free, open source diagramming tool

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - draw.io

Dredd​

  • language-agnostic command-line tool for validating API descriptions against the backend implementation of the API
  • particularly valuable for contract testing

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Dredd

DSL​

  • acronym for domain-specific language
  • programming or specification language designed for a particular domain, problem space, or tool rather than general-purpose software development

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - DSL

DX​

  • also known as DevEx
  • acronym for developer experience
  • multidisciplinary field that combines principles from human-computer interaction, UX, organizational psychology, and software engineering to optimize development

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - DX

E​

end-user software engineer​

  • way to describe and categorize different developer work styles, characteristics, and motivations that are common to particular groups of people or personas using products
  • typically includes three personas

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - end-user software engineer

environment variables​

  • values stored outside app code accessible during testing or execution
  • allows tests to run in different environments without code changes

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - environment variables

error handling​

  • process of anticipating, detecting, and responding to errors that occur during API operations
  • enables developers to build robust applications

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - error handling

event-driven​

  • architectural pattern where actions trigger in response to specific events
  • reduces unnecessary network traffic and server load

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - event-driven

Excalidraw​

  • open source sketching tool
  • created hand-drawn style diagrams with minimalist interface, collaborative features

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Excalidraw

explanation guide​

  • documentation topic type
  • clarifies a single topic without providing step-by-step instructions
  • focuses on comprehensive understanding of concepts, principles, or features

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - explanation guide

F​

Falconer​

  • AI-powered knowledge platform
  • maintains synchronized internal docs by integrating with GitHub, Linear, and Slack

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Falconer

Fern​

  • open source toolset acquired by Postman in January 2026
  • automatically generates type-safe SDKs, interactive docs

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Fern

Fin​

  • Intercom's AI customer support agent
  • resolves technical questions using docs, help centers, and support tickets

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Fin

force push​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • moving changes upstream that rewrite commits that are already present upstream

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - force push

fork​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • a forked code repository
  • personal copy of another user’s repository that lives in one's GitHub account

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - fork

G​

genAI​

  • acronym for Generative AI
  • draws upon the patterns identified through machine learning processes to generate new content

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - genAI

GET​

  • read-only HTTP method
  • the most common method for retrieving information

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - GET

getting started​

  • documentation topic type
  • also known as "get started"
  • comprehensive onboarding documentation that helps new users complete their first meaningful interaction with a product or feature

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - getting started

Git​

  • distributed version control software system
  • command-line program that manages versions of source code and/or data
  • commonly used by developers building software collaborately

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - Git

Git Bash​

  • Windows app
  • command-line interface that emulates the Unix Bash command line
  • enables management of version control and code collaboration

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - Git Bash

GitHub​

  • web-based platform
  • provides cloud-based storage, version control, and automation service

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - GitHub

GitHub Desktop​

  • free, open source app
  • user interface that manages GitHub repositories and local clones

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - GitHub Desktop

GitHub Pages​

  • free static site hosting service by GitHub
  • builds and deploys websites directly from a GitHub repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - GitHub Pages

glossary​

  • documentation topic type
  • alphabetically organized collection of terms and their definitions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - glossary

GraphQL API​

  • uses GraphQL, Graph Query Language - to enable clients to request exactly the data they need through a single endpoint
  • valuable for complex, interconnected data models

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - GraphQL API

gRPC API​

  • uses gRPC - Google's Remote Procedure Call - framework
  • relies on Protocol Buffers

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - gRPC API

guerrilla usability testing​

  • way to assess how effective an interface is by testing out its visual design, capability, and general message on its intended audience and capturing their responses
  • typically low maintenance with predefined tasks

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - guerrilla usability testing

GUI​

  • acronym for graphical user interface
  • form of user interface with graphical icons and visual indicators

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - GUI

H​

how-to guide​

  • documentation topic type
  • step-by-step instructions for completing a specific real-world task

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - how-to guide

HTTP​

  • acronym for Hypertext Transfer Protocol
  • synchronous request-response protocol
  • enables communication between clients and servers over the web

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - HTTP

HTTP method​

  • defines what operation the client wants the server to execute
  • makes it clear whether a request reads, creates, updates, or deletes data

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - HTTP method

HTTPS​

  • acronym for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
  • protects data from interception and tampering during transmission

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - HTTPS

HTTP status codes​

  • three-digit codes servers return in HTTP responses
  • show whether a specific request succeeded or failed

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - HTTP status codes

HTTP versions​

  • iterations of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol with different performance and feature capabilities
  • HTTP/1.1 (1997) uses sequential requests
  • HTTP/2 (2015) enables concurrent requests over one connection
  • HTTP/3 (2022) uses QUIC protocol for improved reliability

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - HTTP versions

I​

idempotent​

  • describes an operation that produces the same result regardless of how many times it's executed
  • enables safe request retries without unintended side effects

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - idempotent

Ilograph​

  • interactive diagramming tool for software architecture
  • creates layered, explorable system views from text and/or YAML files

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Ilograph

information architecture​

  • also known as IA
  • conceptual discipline and/or approach
  • the structural design of information environments
  • uses metadata and taxonomy to organize content for users

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - information architecture

Inkeep​

  • AI-powered search and chat platform
  • provides contextual answers from docs, code repositories, and community discussions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Inkeep

introduction​

  • documentation topic type
  • explains what a product or feature is, why it exists, and what problems it solves

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - introduction

J​

JSON​

  • acronym for JavaScript Object Notation
  • text-based data format that uses human-readable key-value pairs to represent structured data

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - JSON

JSON-RPC​

  • acronym for JavaScript Object Notation-Remote Procedure Call
  • allows clients to invoke methods on a server and receive results
  • treats API interactions as direct function calls rather than resource-oriented requests

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - JSON-RPC

json-server​

  • Node.js tool that creates a mock REST API from a JSON file
  • allows documentation writers and developers to prototype and test API documentation without a live backend

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation, json-server

K​

Kafka​

  • also known as Apache Kafka
  • distributed data store optimized for ingesting and processing streaming data in real-time

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Infrastructure & Platforms - Kafka

Kapa.ai​

  • AI-assistant platform
  • integrates with developer docs and community resources to answer technical questions using RAG

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Kapa.ai

Karate​

  • open source testing framework
  • combines API testing, mocks, performance testing, and UI automation using behavior-driven development syntax

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Karate

kinetic content​

  • content creation philosophy and structural approach
  • the process of automating the recombination of modular content
  • the content designed for combination and recombination dynamically, integrate real-time data, and distribute to multiple audiences with minimal human intervention

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - kinetic content

knowledge graph​

  • also known as a KG
  • structured representation of knowledge using entities and the relationships between them
  • organized in a graph format that both humans and machines can query and reason about

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - knowledge graph

knowledge management​

  • also known as KM
  • organizational discipline
  • focuses on creating, structuring, sharing, and maintaining collective knowledge

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - knowledge management

L​

Large Language Model​

  • also known as an LLM
  • form of generative AI that's trained on enormous amounts of text
  • can generate text-based responses that look and feel human-like

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - Large Language Model

liquid content​

  • content strategy
  • the process of using AI to transform and personalize kinetic content

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - liquid content

Linear​

  • project management and issue tracking software
  • manages doc tickets, tracks docs debt, and enables release coordination

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Infrastructure & Platforms - Linear

Lucidchart​

  • web-based diagramming tool
  • features include real-time collaboration, extensive shape libraries, and integrations with documentation platforms

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Lucidchart

M​

Machine Learning​

  • practice of using algorithms and large datasets to train computers to recognize patterns and to apply what's known about those patterns to complete new tasks

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - Machine Learning

main branch​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • default branch of a repository containing the published, released, or trusted version of content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - main branch

Markdown​

  • markup language designed to format plain text documents
  • popular for writing documentation

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Markdown

market​

  • space in which customers access a company and/or products that compete with similar offerings

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - market

MCP server​

  • acronym for Model Context Protocol server
  • acts as a bridge between AI models and the resources they need to complete tasks

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - MCP Server

MDX​

  • file format and syntax that combines Markdown with JSX, JavaScript XML
  • enables writers to embed interactive React components directly within Markdown content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - MDX

Mercure​

  • open protocol built on top of HTTP and Server-Sent Events
  • enables real-time data updates from servers to web browsers

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - Mercure

merge​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • moving the changes from one branch to another branch

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - merge

merge commit​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • a commit that after branching, integrates changes from a feature branch with updates that occurred in the original branch

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - merge commit

merge conflict​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • scenario in which two commits have changes in the same file
  • blocks merging and requires manual resolution

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - merge conflict

Mermaid​

  • JavaScript-based diagramming tool
  • renders text-based diagram definitions into flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and other visualizations directly in Markdown files

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Mermaid

message broker​

  • intermediary software component that receives, stores, routes, and delivers messages between applications, services, or systems
  • commonly use publish-subscribe messaging pattern

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - message broker

metadata​

  • data about data
  • structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - metadata

Microcks​

  • open source cloud-native tool for API mocking and contract testing
  • transforms API specifications into live simulations

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Microcks

microservices​

  • architectural approach
  • apps as a collection of small, independently deployable services

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - microservices

Mintlify​

  • AI-native, cloud-based documentation platform
  • generates and publishes interactive reference sites from OpenAPI specs and MDX

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Mintlify

MkDocs​

  • abbreviation of Markdown documentation
  • Python-based static site generator
  • designed specifically for building project docs from Markdown files

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - MkDocs

modular content​

  • content strategy
  • self-contained content units designed to function independently and enable tech writers to combine units in different ways across documentation

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - modular content

monorepo​

  • abbreviation for mono repository
  • software development strategy
  • single version control repository stores code for multiple related projects rather than across separate repositories

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - monorepo

MQTT​

  • acronym for Message Queuing Telemetry Transport
  • lightweight publish-subscribe messaging protocol designed for constrained devices and networks with limited bandwidth or unreliable connections

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - MQTT

N​

Natural Language Processing​

  • also known as NLP
  • ability of computers to analyze and generate responses in ways that mimic humans’ use of language

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - Natural Language Processing

O​

onboarding guide​

  • documentation topic type
  • new team member handbook designed to reduce time-to-productivity

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - onboarding guide

ontology​

  • in information science, a formal, explicit specification of concepts, categories, and relationships within a domain that defines what entities exist, what properties they have, and how they relate to each other

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - ontology

OpenAPI Specification​

  • also known as the OAS
  • a standard, language-agnostic way to define an API interface
  • used to create the interface and documentation
  • format: YAML

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - OpenAPI Specification

origin repository​

  • version control concept
  • default upstream repository, typically clone source repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - origin repository

P​

Pact​

  • open source consumer-driven contract testing framework
  • makes sure API consumers and providers stay in sync

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation, Pact

parameters​

  • variables passed in API requests
  • specify, filter, or change data based on the operation in use

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - parameters

partials​

  • static site generator feature for embedding reusable content
  • enables single-source content maintenance across multiple pages

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - partials

PATCH​

  • HTTP method
  • applies partial modifications to an existing resource

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - PATCH

payload​

  • defines what data clients send and receive
  • actual data transmitted in an API request or response body

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - payload

PlantUML​

  • DSL and text-based diagramming tool
  • generates architectural, sequence, and UML diagrams from plain text markup

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - PlantUML

Playwright​

  • open source browser automation framework created by Microsoft
  • focuses on multi-browser testing across Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit
  • supports docs-as-tests workflows by validating that documented UI procedures work as written

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Playwright

polyrepo​

  • abbreviation for poly repository
  • software development strategy
  • separate version control repositories for different projects

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control

POST​

  • HTTP method
  • submits data to a server to create new resources

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - POST

Postman​

  • API development platform
  • commonly used for REST API development, exploration, and testing workflows

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Postman

Postman Newman​

  • command-line collection runner for Postman
  • executes and tests API requests in CI/CD pipelines and automated workflows

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Postman Newman

project management methodology​

  • different ways to approach and organize a project
  • ranges from sequential to iterative frameworks

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - project management methodology

prompt engineering​

  • practice of crafting effective instructions and queries to AI systems to generate desired outputs

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - prompt engineering

Protocol Buffers​

  • data exchange format developed by Google
  • language and platform neutral mechanism for serializing structured data
  • enables strongly typed contracts between services

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - Protocol Buffers

pull​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • fetching changes from upstream, such as pulling the changes down from an origin or upstream repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - pull

pull request​

  • also known as a PR
  • version control concept
  • GitHub feature
  • request to another user that invites them to pull one's changes from a repository/branch into their repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - pull request

push​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • moving changes upstream, such as from a local computer to its origin repository

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - push

PUT​

  • HTTP method
  • replaces an existing resource with new data
  • creates a resource at a specific URL if it doesn't exist

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - PUT

Python Diagrams​

  • Python library that generates infrastructure architecture diagrams using code
  • includes pre-built icons for AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, and other cloud services

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Python Diagrams

Q​

quickstart​

  • documentation topic type
  • the absolute least amount of steps needed to achieve first success with a product

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - quickstart

R​

RAG​

  • acronym for Retrieval-Augmented Generation
  • AI technique that combines information retrieval with text generation to produce contextually relevant and accurate answers to technical questions

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - RAG

rate limiting​

  • mechanism that restricts the number of API requests a client can make within a specified time window
  • prevents abuse, maintains service stability, and ensures fair access for all users

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - rate limiting

real-time​

  • describes systems and/or APIs that process data with minimal delay
  • supports use cases requiring instant updates

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - real-time

rebase​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • used to resync a feature branch to its source branch after the source branch has changed

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - rebase

Redocly​

  • API documentation platform and OpenAPI tooling suite
  • creates, validates, and publishes API reference documentation

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Redocly

Redocly Respect​

  • API contract and workflow testing tool
  • treats API and workflow definitions as living tests that validate documentation accuracy

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Redocly Respect

reference​

  • documentation topic type
  • provides detailed, factual information or system specifications
  • designed for lookup rather than learning

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - reference

repository​

  • also known as "repo"
  • place to store files that are under Git’s version control

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - repository

request-response​

  • two-part communication pattern in API interactions
  • client sends a request
  • server returns a response

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - request-response

resource​

  • REST architecture fundamental concept
  • distinct piece of data or entity available for reference or modification through an API

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API fundamentals - resource

REST API​

  • acronym for Representational state transfer API
  • a convention, not a regulated standard
  • an architectural style for distributed hypermedia systems
  • one of the most widely used approaches for building web-based APIs

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - REST API

REST vs RESTful​

  • "REST" refers to the architectural style
  • "RESTful" describes APIs that follow REST principles
  • terms are often used interchangeably

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - REST vs RESTful

RFC​

  • acronym for Request for Comments
  • IETF - Internet Engineering Task Force - concept
  • numbered technical documents
  • provide authoritative specifications for web standards

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - RFC

rhetorical approach​

  • communication framework
  • also known as "the tone" or "editorial voice"

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - rhetorical approach

RPC API​

  • acronym for Remote Procedure Call API
  • simplifies distributed computing
  • allows clients to execute functions on remote servers as if calling local functions

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - RPC API

runbook​

  • documentation topic type
  • provides standardized instructions for operational or maintenance activities

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - runbook

S​

sales collateral​

  • communications strategy focused on business value
  • materials used internally to inform sales representatives or externally to educate and convert prospective customers

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - sales collateral

schema​

  • also known as the Schema Object
  • describes the structure, data types, constraints, and relationships within an API's requests and responses
  • enables validation, auto-generated documentation, and type safety

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - schema

Scrum​

  • project management method
  • Agile framework
  • work in short-cycles of 2 weeks call “sprints”
  • meet daily to discuss work

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Scrum

SDK​

  • acronym for software development kit
  • collection of tools, libraries, code samples, and documentation that enables developers to build applications using a specific platform, service, or API

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - SDK

Selenium​

  • open source suite of tools for automating web browsers
  • validates that documented UI procedures execute correctly

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Selenium

self-healing system​

  • architectural design philosophy
  • strategic approach to system resilience
  • automated failure detection, inconsistencies, or docs drift from an expected state that recovers with little and/or without human intervention

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - self-healing system

serialization​

  • process of converting data structures and/or objects for network transmission or storage, then reconstruction
  • enables data exchange between systems

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - serialization

Server-Sent Events​

  • also known as SSE
  • standard enabling servers to push real-time updates to web browsers over HTTP through unidirectional event streams from server to client

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - Server-Sent Events

skunkworks​

  • used in business, engineering, and technical fields to describe a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy
  • typically given the task of working on advanced or secret projects

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - skunkworks

snippet testing​

  • automated testing practice
  • validates code examples / "code snippets" in documentation execute successfully and produce expected results

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - snippet testing

SOAP API​

  • acronym for Simple Object Access Protocol
  • uses XML-based messaging protocol to exchange structured information between systems
  • was the enterprise API standard before REST took over

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - SOAP API

Speakeasy​

  • platform for generating and maintaining API SDKs and documentation from OpenAPI specifications
  • keeps client libraries synchronized with API changes

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Testing-Validation - Speakeasy

Spectral​

  • open source linter
  • creates automated style guides
  • validates API descriptions against customizable rulesets

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Spectral

squash​

  • version control concept
  • Git feature
  • action of combining many commits into a single commit

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - squash

static site generator​

  • also known as an SSG
  • build tool that transforms plain text content and templates into HTML files without requiring a database or server-side processing

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - static site generator

STOMP​

  • acronym for Simple (or Streaming) Text Orientated Messaging Protocol
  • text-based protocol for message-oriented middleware that provides interoperable communication between clients and message brokers

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - STOMP

Stoplight​

  • API design and documentation platform
  • provides visual editors, automated docs generation, and mock servers for API development workflows

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Stoplight

structured content​

  • content strategy
  • content organized into discrete, clearly labeled components documentation teams can easily manage, query, and use systematically across multiple outputs

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - structured content

Structurizr​

  • toolset for creating software architecture diagrams based on the C4 model - Context, Containers, Components, Code

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - Structurizr

SVG​

  • acronym for Scalable Vector Graphics
  • an XML-based markup language for describing two-dimensional based vector graphics;
  • essentially to graphics what HTML is to text

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - SVG

Swagger​

  • open source suite for REST API development
  • based on OpenAPI specification

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Swagger

T​

task​

  • documentation topic type
  • focuses on "how to" perform an action with step-by-step instructions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - task

taxonomy​

  • hierarchical classification system
  • organizes concepts, terms, or entities into categories and subcategories based on their relationships and characteristics

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - taxonomy

technical communication​

  • also known as tech comm
  • professional field focused on creating documentation, instructions, and informational materials that help people accomplish specific tasks or understand technical concepts

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - technical communication

tone​

  • attitude and/or emotional quality of the content
  • conveyed through word choice, sentence structure, and stylistic decisions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - tone

top-level​

  • documentation topic type
  • introduces a subject area and provides navigation to related topics

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - top-level

troubleshooting​

  • documentation topic type
  • helps users diagnose and resolve specific problems or error conditions

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - troubleshooting

training data​

  • large datasets used to teach machine learning models to recognize patterns and generate responses

Glossary Term Entry Location: AI & APIs - training data

tutorial​

  • documentation topic type
  • guides users through a complete, real-world scenario from start to finish

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, Documentation-Specific - tutorial

U​

UML​

  • acronym for Unified Modeling Language
  • visual modeling language for describing software systems through a family of diagram types covering structure, behavior, and interaction

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Diagramming & Visualization - UML

upstream repository​

  • version control concept
  • original repository, source of fork

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - upstream repository

URI​

  • acronym for Uniform Resource Identifier
  • standard format for identifying resources
  • forms the foundation for both URLs and URNs

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - URI

URL​

  • acronym for Uniform Resource Locator
  • specific URI type that includes network location
  • defines exactly where endpoints exist, how to reach them

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - URL

usability testing​

  • practice of testing how easy a design is to use with a group of representative users

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - usability testing

UI​

  • acronym for user interface
  • space where interactions between humans and machines occur

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - UI

UX​

  • acronym for user experience
  • multidisciplinary field involving many stakeholders, drawing on principles from design, psychology, engineering and business
  • encompasses all aspects of a person's interaction with a product, service, or system

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - UX

V​

Vale​

  • open source command-line tool
  • lints prose and enforces editorial style rules in documentation
  • supports multiple style guides including Microsoft, Google, and custom rules

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Documentation-Specific - Vale

validation​

  • process of checking whether data meets specified requirements before processing or storage
  • ensures data quality and improves API reliability

Glossary Term Entry Location: Core Concepts, API Fundamentals - validation

version control​

  • system that tracks changes in documents and other files

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - version control

voice​

  • also known as "editorial voice"
  • personality and/or perspective of the content

Glossary Term Entry Location: Writing Style - voice

W​

Waterfall​

  • project management method
  • traditional, sequential, linear, idealistic

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - Waterfall

webhook API​

  • pattern that enables event-driven integrations
  • service sends a POST request to client-specified URLs when specific events occur

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - webhook API

WebSocket API​

  • also known as WebSockets
  • enables real-time data exchange without repeated HTTP requests
  • maintains persistent, client and server bidirectional connections

Glossary Term Entry Location: API Types & Architectures - WebSocket API

white-labeling​

  • practice of rebranding a product or service for different clients or markets while maintaining the same underlying capability

Glossary Term Entry Location: Frameworks & Strategy - white-labeling

workflow testing​

  • validates multi-step API interactions and user journeys across multiple endpoints and operations
  • verifies APIs support real-world use cases and user workflows

Glossary Term Entry Location: Workflows & Methodologies - workflow testing

workspace​

  • local computer directory that stores cloned repositories

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Git & Version Control - workspace

X​

XML​

  • acronym for Extensible Markup Language
  • commonly used for data exchange in APIs and configuration files
  • essentially replaced by JSON, but remains in legacy integrations

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials, Interfaces & Formats - XML

Y​

YAML​

  • rhymes with "camel"
  • recursive acronym for YAML Ain't Markup Language
  • foundational format for configuration files, specs, and tooling

Glossary Term Entry Location: Tools & Techniques, Development Essentials - YAML