Building a website can feel like learning a new language—HTML, CSS, responsive design, plugins, domains… what does it all mean?
At Solid Ground, we believe in clear, honest communication—so here’s a simple breakdown of common website terms, explained in plain English for business owners, nonprofits, and anyone who just wants to understand what’s going on behind the screen.
HTML, CSS, and “Code”
- HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language—it’s the basic structure of a web page. Think of it as the framing of a house.
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is what styles the site—colors, fonts, layout. It’s like the paint, flooring, and cabinets.
If you’re not coding your own site, you won’t touch these—but knowing the terms helps.
Responsive Design vs. Mobile-Friendly
- Responsive design means your site adjusts gracefully to any screen size—desktop, tablet, or mobile.
- Mobile-friendly means it functions on a phone, but not always elegantly. We build responsive sites so your customers get the best experience everywhere.
Hosting vs. Domain
- Your domain is your address (like
yourbusiness.com). - Your hosting is the land and building that site sits on.
Solid Ground helps you manage both, so you don’t have to worry about tech stuff.
Front End vs. Back End
- Front end: What visitors see—your homepage, services, images.
- Back end: The admin side—where you log in to update content, manage settings, and add blog posts.
Plugins, Themes & Updates
- Theme: The foundation of your website’s design. We use a lightweight theme called GeneratePress.
- Plugins: Add-ons that give your site more features (like contact forms or photo galleries).
- Updates: Regular improvements for security and performance. We handle these for our maintenance clients.
Need help translating tech into plain language? Contact Solid Ground for an honest, jargon-free web experience.