Developer to English Dictionary

A dictionary of common programming terms and their English definitions.

All Terms

Algorithm [al-goh-ri-thm]

A set of steps or rules designed to solve a problem, much like following a recipe but with fewer tasty results and more debugging.
Algorithmic Alchemy [al-goh-rith-mik al-kuh-mee]

The mystical process of transforming a mundane problem into a sleek, efficient algorithm, akin to turning lead into digital gold.
Application Programming Interface (API) [ap-li-kay-shun pro-gram-ing in-ter-fays]

The magical bridge that lets two programs talk to each other, like a matchmaking service for software, but one that occasionally ghosts you.
Array [uh-ray]

A collection of items stored in a single variable, like a neatly organized sock drawer, until a bug turns it into a jumbled mess.
Back End [bak end]

The hidden machinery behind a website or app, where the real magic happens, often powered by code, coffee, and existential despair.
Bike Shedding [bahyk shed-ing]

Endless debates over unimportant project details, like arguing about the shade of blue for a button while the server's on fire.
Binary [bahy-nuh-ree]

The language of computers, composed of 1s and 0s, like Morse code but for machines with no sense of humor.
Bit Rot [bit rot]

The phenomenon where software or data degrades over time, like a digital fruit left out too long in the sun.
Bleeding Edge [bleeh-ding ej]

Using technology so new it might spontaneously combust, offering both the thrill of innovation and the terror of potential disaster.
Boat Programming [boht proh-gram-ing]

The act of complicating a programming scenario with irrelevant, often bizarre context, like wondering if your code would run differently on a boat.
Boilerplate Code [boy-ler-playt kohd]

The boring, repetitive code you copy-paste because no one has automated it yet, the programmer’s equivalent of writing ‘Dear Sir/Madam.’
Branching and Merging [bran-ching and mur-jing]

Creating different versions (branches) of code for simultaneous development, then merging them, like a tree fort construction project.