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IT terminology: programmers' slang

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IT terminology: programmers' slang

Dive into the quirky world of IT vocabulary with us. From the sprint races that aren't about speed to the scrum that isn't a rugby game, the IT world is chock-full of terms that are as fascinating as they are essential. If you've been scratching your head over terms like 'frontend', 'backend', or even 'framework', you're in the right place!

And hey, if this feels a tad overwhelming at any point, remember that Beetroot Academy has your back. With experienced teachers and a hands-on approach, we make this jargon feel like a friendly chat over coffee. So, sit back, relax, and embark on this enlightening journey together. The world of "programmer slang" and "IT terminology" awaits!

General IT Lingo: everyone's talking tech

In the age of digitization, IT isn't just confined to the hardcore programmers or the tech nerds in the basement. Whether you're chatting with friends about a new app or collaborating with a colleague on a remote project, certain tech terms have made their way into our daily conversations. Let's break down some of the most common ones:

  • Sprint: No, we're not talking about dashing around in the park! In the IT world, especially in agile methodology, a sprint refers to a set period in which specific tasks or goals need to be completed and ready for review.

  • Scrum: Again, it’s not rugby! It’s a framework within which people can address complex problems while delivering high-value products creatively and productively.

  • Feature: Not the highlight of a movie, but an individual functional element of software. Think of it as one particular ability or function of an app.

  • Framework: This isn't about the structure of a building. In the tech realm, a framework refers to a collection of tools, libraries, and best practices that developers can use to build more efficiently.

  • Backend and Frontend: Imagine a theater. The frontend is the stage where you see all the action, i.e., what you interact with, like a website’s design. The backend? The behind-the-scenes machinery and processes make the show run smoothly.

  • Deploy: Sending out the troops? Almost! In IT terms, deploying means to launch or set up software so that it’s ready to be used.

  • Cache: No, it's not a hidden treasure. In IT, caching temporarily stores data to reduce load times for frequently accessed info.

  • Deadline: Okay, you probably know – and might not love this one! It’s the date or time by which a task or project should be completed. And in IT? Yep, they’re as crucial as anywhere else.

At Beetroot Academy, we understand that these terms might sound like a mouthful now. But with our structured courses and passionate teachers, we guarantee that in no time, you'll be using them as effortlessly as your everyday slang. And who knows? Maybe at the next party, you'll be the go-to tech guru, confidently spewing out "programming terms" and "computer terms"!

Deep dive into programmer's lexicon

While many in the IT sphere share some common lingo, programmers have their very own set of jargon. This secret language makes those magical apps and software come to life. Let's decrypt some of these intriguing terms:

  • Variable: Think of it as a storage box where you can put any item (data) and label it. Today, it might contain a number, tomorrow maybe a string of text.

  • Function: Just like it sounds, it's something that 'functions' or works to perform a specific task. Give it a job, and it’ll get it done.

  • Conditional Statement: The tech version of 'If this, then that.' It's like a crossroad where a program decides which path to take based on certain conditions.

  • Loop: Ever had a song stuck on repeat? Loops in programming are somewhat similar. They repeat a task until told otherwise.

  • Array: A tidy shelf where you line up similar items. In programming, it’s a collection of related data, neatly organized in a sequence.

  • Class & Object: Imagine a blueprint (Class) of a house and the actual built house (Object). The blueprint defines how the house should be, while multiple houses can be built from that same blueprint.

  • Interface: It’s like a to-do list that a program promises to follow. An agreement on how software components should behave.

  • Algorithm: A recipe, but for tech. It’s a step-by-step procedure or formula to solve a problem.

  • Documentation: The ultimate guidebook. It explains how the software works, making life easier for developers who come after.

  • Recursion: Ever stood between two mirrors, seeing infinite reflections? In programming, recursion is when a function calls itself.

  • Syntax: The grammar of programming. Just as sentences need to be structured correctly, codes need the right syntax to run smoothly.

  • Database: A massive digital library where all data lives. It's organized and retrievable.

  • API (Application Programming Interface): Think of it as a waiter. You request a dish (data), and the waiter (API) fetches it from the kitchen (software) for you.

  • Debugging: The detective work of the coding world. It involves finding and fixing issues in the code.

These terms might seem a bit overwhelming, but remember, every expert was once a beginner. 

Words in the wild: real-life scenarios of using IT slang

In a bustling IT environment, it's not just about knowing the words but about using them seamlessly in daily interactions. Let's picture some everyday situations where you might hear this jargon thrown around:

  • Sprint: When developers say, “We’re starting a new sprint next week,” they’re not prepping for a race. They’re gearing up for a set period during which specific tasks or features must be completed and made ready for review.

  • Bugfix: Imagine hearing, "I spent all night working on that bugfix!" No, they didn't turn into an exterminator. They were addressing and resolving a glitch in the software.

  • Scrum: In a team meeting, if the project manager mentions, "Our daily scrum is at 10 AM," it’s not rugby practice. It’s a brief gathering where the team checks in on progress and hurdles.

  • Staging: Overheard a colleague say, "Let’s push this to stage first"? They suggest testing the changes in an environment that mimics the live product.

  • Feature: During a brainstorming session, someone might exclaim, "That's a great feature idea!" They’re not talking about a film but an addition or enhancement to the software.

  • Framework: "Which framework are you using for this project?" It's not about constructing a building but a software structure that offers certain functionalities.

  • Deploy: If the lead developer states, "We’re ready to deploy the new version," it's launch time for the updated software or application.

  • Cache: When a team member mutters, "Clear your cache to see the changes," they aren’t discussing hiding treasures. They’re suggesting a refresh of stored data to view recent updates.

  • Deadline: Just like in any other industry, when someone stresses, "We can’t miss the deadline!" they’re marking the time by which a task or project must be completed. Time's ticking!

  • Backup: "Always have a backup!" No, it's not about calling in extra help but ensuring there's a saved copy of your work or data in case things go south.

These phrases and many more become integral to the IT vernacular once you start immersing yourself in the tech world. 

From procrastination to production: the emotional roller-coaster of IT terminology

Ah, the joys of tech lingo! But behind every term, there’s an emotion attached, a little story waiting to be told. Here's a light-hearted look at the emotional undertones some of these IT terms carry with them:

  • Scoping: When trying to understand the size of the challenge ahead. It's like scanning the buffet to decide how many trips you’ll need to make.

  • Motivation: That initial burst of energy when you're handed a new project. It's like the excitement of starting a new Netflix series. Only... more technical.

  • Procrastination: The art of avoiding that one pesky task. It’s like knowing you should be hitting the gym but somehow ending up on a Beetroot Academy course page. (Not that we're complaining!)

  • Estimate: That daunting moment when you try to predict how long a task will take. Akin to guessing the number of candies in a jar, but with more at stake.

  • Story Points: It's not a fairytale scoring system, but it does let you gauge the complexity of tasks. Think of it as rating your tasks on a 'piece of cake' scale to 'I’m gonna need a bigger coffee'.

  • Performance Review: The jittery feel you get before knowing how you've been doing. It is like waiting for your exam results, but with the possibility of a raise.

  • Feature: That proud moment when you create something shiny and new. It’s like adding a splash of color to a painting.

  • Bugfix: The sheer determination (and sometimes frustration) of hunting down an error. Imagine playing ‘Where’s Waldo?’ but Waldo keeps moving.

  • Deploy: The adrenaline rush before sending out your project into the world. It’s like watching your child leave for college. Exciting, but nerve-wracking.

  • Release: And... breathe out. It’s like finally finishing a marathon. It's time to celebrate before gearing up for the next one.

These terms don't just represent tasks or processes; they encapsulate the highs and lows, the challenges, and the victories that IT professionals face daily. 

Quirky codewords: the lighthearted side of ITjJargon

While the IT sphere is known for its complex terminologies and intricate codes, it also has its fair share of amusing jargon that brings a chuckle or two. Let's unveil some of these tongue-in-cheek terms:

  • Cringineer: A mashup of 'cringe' and 'engineer'. It's someone whose coding practices or solutions might make other engineers wince. "Did he really use a loop inside a loop? Such a cringineer move!"

  • Cargo Cult Programming: Copying and pasting code snippets without understanding their function, just hoping they'd work. It's like performing rituals without knowing their meaning. "He's just doing cargo cult programming. No wonder the app's always glitchy!"

  • Rubber Duck Debugging: The act of explaining your code line by line to an inanimate rubber duck with the hope that, in the process, you'll stumble upon the solution to your problem. "I spent hours on that bug until some rubber duck debugging did the trick!"

  • Heisenbug: A bug that seems to disappear or change behavior when studying it, much like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in physics. "I swear the code crashed every time yesterday, but now this Heisenbug just won't show up!"

  • Zombie Process: Not as spooky as it sounds, it's just a process that has completed execution but still has an entry in the process table. "There are too many zombies in the system; we need a cleanup!"

  • Bikeshedding: The act of giving disproportionate weight to trivial issues while more serious concerns loom large, also known as Parkinson's Law of Triviality. "We spent three hours debating font colors and five minutes on functionality. Classic bikeshedding!"

  • Smurf Naming Convention: When developers add a common prefix to a group of related classes, everything sounds 'smurfy'. "With the SmurfController handling the SmurfPayload, the smurfy app was set!"

  • Goat Sacrifice: A humorous term for the seemingly nonsensical rituals developers might perform to try and fix baffling issues. "I've tried everything; maybe a goat sacrifice will solve this bug!"

  • Magic Numbers: Literal numbers are used in code without any explanatory context, leaving other developers guessing their significance. "Why is there a random '42' in the code? Talk about magic numbers!"

  • Mad Girlfriend Bug: A bug that doesn't reveal itself until you've committed and are about to ship, reminiscent of unresolved issues that crop up at inopportune times. "Everything was working fine, and then this mad girlfriend bug popped up right before the demo!"

While these terms may seem whimsical, they add color and humor to the otherwise stern world of IT. After all, a good laugh is the best debugger!

Wrapping up the coding carnival

Whew! What a whirlwind journey through the bustling streets of IT jargon. We wandered through general tech talk, took a deep dive into the programmer's specific lexicon, and even rode the emotional waves of IT terminology. It’s been quite the roller-coaster, hasn’t it?

Remember, every term we've explored is a small piece of the vast, intricate puzzle that forms the IT world. An ever-evolving world, brimming with challenges, and bursting with opportunities. And as cryptic as some of these terms may seem now, they'll become second nature with a bit of practice, patience, and the right guidance.

Speaking of guidance, at Beetroot Academy, we aim not only to familiarize you with these terms but also to instill a deep understanding so you can confidently navigate the tech universe. With a dash of fun, a sprinkle of warmth, and heaps of expertise, our courses are designed to transform you from a novice into an IT aficionado.

So, if you've ever found yourself lost in a tech conversation or stumbled upon an IT term that left you scratching your head, know that Beetroot Academy is here to help. We're just a click away, ready to unravel the mysteries of the tech realm together.

Until then, keep the curiosity alive, keep exploring, and remember — every great coder once started by decoding these very terms. 

Happy coding, tech enthusiasts!

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Why using Times New Roman is a sin?

History corner

Not quite unusual for computer fonts, Times New Roman has been around since before computers became a thing. The British newspaper The Times commissioned it in 1931 as a retro update from a regular 19th-century font to something more solid with a strong 18th-century vibe. Old broom sure knows the corners (or so the saying goes), but you can see how the font may feel outdated in the 2020s.

Aesthetics

It would not be a stretch to say Times New Roman looks ancient, as we already know it was designed this way. Even Roman in the name is a nod to the Italian school of printing from (15th century!). Seeing old-fashioned characters on a groundbreaking visual device, CRT screen, was weird enough. Now that we have modern LCD screens with much higher resolution and fidelity, a font capturing aesthetics from 300 years ago feels crystal odd.

Fonts classification is usually much more objective than old-fashioned or modern. One reason why Times New Roman may give an archaic vibe is that it is a serif font. All letters (or other characters) come with decorative lines, which range from very subtle to indeed something you would see in an 18th-century newspaper. Note how you can’t see any tails on the letters in this article—or almost any website created in the last 10 years.

Serif and Sans serif versions of Inria font from Black[Foundry]

Practicality vs Usability

Times New Roman, much like a lot of newspaper fonts, is rather narrow. It is a mostly business decision: you gotta fit in as much text on a page as possible—even during the times (ha-ha!) when the ratio of ads to stories was much lower. At the end of the day, all publications did that and it’s not like many people would’ve changed morning newspapers just because one is a bit easier to read than the rest.

Computers, however, do not have the same limitation. You don’t pay more for publishing an article or sending a document with much more reasonable line spacing and kerning than the average Victorian newspaper. If it’s the intermediary audience (e.g. client that commissioned an article) that needs to save costs, they can always change character size or pick a narrow font themselves.

Furthermore, the mobile boom is not helping narrow fonts like Times New Roman. Most devices connected to the internet now have a vertical layout. Trying to squeeze in extra characters on screens with little horizontal space will bring nothing but frustration for the reader. Interestingly, The Times had to adapt similarly in print: they had to create yet another Times New Roman-inspired typeface after moving from broadsheet to tabloid in 2004. These days, a narrow font is a compromise on usability that you don’t actually have to make—and people would appreciate it if you didn’t.

Perception

One could argue that a document in Times New Roman screams laziness or indifference. If the sender didn’t change the default option to something more balanced, it communicates that they either did not want to make your experience better or did not bother to do that. That kind of attitude does not help to secure a job or scholarship.

On the other hand, certain institutions would have you use nothing but Times New Roman. Some universities strongly encourage if not outright mandate the use of Times new Roman for papers, and so do scientific journals. Older government forms coming as templates to be filled out in Word would not play nice if you try to change the font. That being said, such restrictions are getting scarcer, especially with the rise of Mac. The OS and default office-like apps there have a default font different from Times New Roman (and a new one every few years at that).

The current default font on MacOS

Summing up, the cardinal sin of Times New Roman is defaulting to it without consideration. The font is a must in very few scenarios, but you see it much more often than that. Even Microsoft agrees something has to change: the default font for Word has been Calibri since 2007.

Times New Roman alternatives

The above-mentioned Calibri is a spiritual successor to Times New Roman. It is now the default font for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It is a sans serif font (no decorative lines) that looks perfectly fine on both screens and paper.

If you want to ditch the default and stay sleek, Georgia is a great option. It is a serif font but letter strokes are much more subtle than what you see with Times New Roman. Georgia does not look outdated and works better for vertical screens, as it is not too tight on the horizontal space.

Should you feel like going barebones, Helvetica is the right font. It is a sans serif font looking as bland as it gets—in a good way. Helvetica lacks elements that would make it look too modern, but it also has no archaic elements that would make the font too classic. I think we can trust Apple on that: they used a spin on Helvetica, Helvetica Neue, as the MacOS system font for two years.

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Why Ukrainians are worth any donation for tech education

Somehow, I felt a big future for tech when the Internet connection was provided in my dormitory

I'm from Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. I studied in Kharkiv and was supposed to become a radio-electronic engineer, but in 2001 I understood exactly what I wanted to do. It was the time when the Internet “appeared” in our dormitory. I liked what was happening there and felt a future was behind it. So I switched to web development. I bought some books, and for the next two years, I had the luxury of free time to study without having to work. 2003 I graduated from the university, and within one month, I found my first work as a PHP developer. I was the happiest junior developer who was paid for the work he liked. I remember my first salary — $250 transferred via Western Union from the USA — was like a fortune. Back then, there were no web developers among my friends. Compared to nowadays, it wasn't that hype. But for me, it was evident that this was a future. I told my friends that all the companies I knew would need a website or should be represented online somehow. And I wanted to be a part of this evolution.

Starting my career in tech


Pink Floyd, my lifetime project, and three kids 

I was always a fan of the music of the 70s, and Pink Floyd was my favorite band. But there was no website dedicated to Pink Floyd in Russian or Ukrainian. So I decided to do that on my own. I reached out to the person who did the official newsletters about Pink Floyd to help me with that, and long story short — I made a website, and it turned18 recently. This fan website is the most extended project in my life, but I switched it off because I didn’t want to contribute to the Russian-speaking community anymore. The most crucial thing is the following. Remember I mentioned that person who worked on the official newsletters about Pink Floyd? She is currently my wife, and we are bringing up two kids. We used to make jokes that we actually had three kids — our first one was the Pink Floyd website.

Pink Floyd fan website


From a web developer to a start-up founder

After two years of work in Moscow, I was back in Kyiv. I didn't like living in Russia, so moving back to Ukraine was obvious. At this time, I stepped out of web development, and in 2007 I started my own business. All went well, but the political regime of Yanukovych reminded me of Russia, so we decided to move to Poland and work remotely. Since 2014, when the war started, it has been impossible to run my business in Ukraine.

And after a 7-year break in web development, a dozen hours of upskilling, and 60 interviews, I have found a new job in Berlin as a senior back-end developer. Now in 2022, I'm a co-founder of the tech startup countX, and all my engineering team is from Ukraine.

How I met Beetroot Academy

It was a coincidence and proof that networking rules. One of my colleagues, Alex, also works as a teacher at Beetroot Academy, so I've heard a lot about this online school. When Alex introduced me to Dmytro, CEO of Beetroot Academy, I was ready to start our partnership. He told me about the fundraising campaign on a mission to help Ukrainian people affected by the war start a new career in tech. So I couldn't stay away from it and donated for scholarships — the less I could do in these challenging times. Now seven women from Donetsk and Luhansk regions are studying at Beetroot Academy, and I’m happy to be their mentor.

Sync with Natali, my mentee at Beetroot Academy


Why I support tech education for Ukrainians

Ukrainians, especially men who are out of the country, live with the feeling of guilt. My life is safe, but my three classmates are now fighting against Russia, risking their lives. People try to find their own way to help Ukrainians win this war, overcome the consequences and rebuild the country. So do I. 

I already had an idea of investing in tech education. That is where I can contribute as a professional and entrepreneur, so I chose to support the future of Ukraine this way. Many Ukrainians affected by war want to enter the tech industry and need an opportunity to do that. Tech education is one of the most impactful and cost-effective ways to help Ukrainians restore their lives and fight poverty after the war ends. I believe our country will be the next tech cluster after Silicon Valley in the USA and Bengaluru in India. Moreover, I want many Ukrainians to be a part of that success story. I contribute to it by donating for scholarships and would like to encourage others to support Beetroots Academy’s mission.

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What a front-end developer should know: basic terms for your glossary

What a front-end development is

Imagine a house. To have it running steadily, there should be a good foundation, building blocks, proper infrastructure, good furniture, designs, and usability functions. In web development, the front-end developer is somewhere in between the processes as he takes the ideas from the UI\UX team to turn them into clickable websites that work. Back-end developers, PMs, and QAs take care of the other vital parts, such as proper foundation, team and project management, and testing. 

So there's actually a front-end and back-end. We won't say which one is easier. Let's just leave one picture here for your understanding.

To light up a room, you have to click the button. Ensuring it is clickable is a job for a front-end developer; ensuring there is a light is a task for a back-end developer. Front-end web development is the art of using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a set of other tools for a website/app for a user to see and interact with them. 

Basic front-end development glossary

In front-end web development, there are vital terms you should know. We bet you've heard most of them, so let's just keep them handy in the list below. 

Programming languages or codes

For example, HTML

In development, you need to speak a language everyone understands — your machine, your code compiler, your user, and your project manager. Below are just a couple of languages we use in the front-end. They look different to everyone, but mean the same and help achieve the result — have the webpage ready and running.

HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is the code developers use to structure a webpage. Remember seeing a webpage made up of blocks, paragraphs, or tables? HTML helps with that. It originates from a code developed by WHATWG some 30 years ago, in 1993.

JavaScript, conveniently referred to as JS, is a programming language considered one of the cores for front-end development. Designed over 26 years ago, it is now used in almost every webpage you see. Even on the Beetroot Academy website, too :) JS is used to create animation, control multimedia, and generally work with dynamically updating content, buttons, banners, etc.  

Here, you can also look at some Javascript libraries — jQuery, React.js, and more here on Kinsta, for example.

Front-end development tools

Git, Google Fonts, W3C, and more

Compilers, linkers, code editors are essential for every front-end developer. These are basic tools that you will use in your daily routine — as home technicians use multitools for repairing the leakage, for example.

To name a few, there are Google Fonts to help you work with fonts, W3C Markup Validation Service to validate your code, and many more. 

Version control tools are also part of the list here, used for monitoring changes to your code. We guess you strive to make your code better and better each time. Hence, version controls will help manage the evolution of your code as it becomes clearer and more effective. Git is the most popular, and it's open and free of charge.

Design principles in front-end

In front-end development, we use responsive design to ensure our content fits every (or almost every) gadget and looks good on it. Recall how you open a webpage on your iPhone, reopen it on your laptop, and send it to granny's email — and it still looks good on your grandparents' old-fashioned computer? That's responsive design in action. 

Design automatically adapts to given dimensions, so all users feel comfortable interacting with the content. The feeling is the key here — because the front-end is mostly about what the user feels while using your web piece. 

CSS, closely connected to HTML, is a code used actually to style an HTML doc. It has everything to do with the colors, styles, and other properties.

Looks quite interesting, huh? Now that you're familiar with the basic front-end development glossary, it's high time to learn the front-end. We hope you find this glossary helpful, no matter which tech direction you will choose. Keep it in your saved links to come back once in a while. 

Join our next group in May and start learning with tech industry experts to gain knowledge you need to work as a junior front-end developer.

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What is C#? Why is it cool? Does this programming language fit me?

The origin story of C#

While such languages as Python and PHP have existed for quite a long time, C# is regarded as a young programming language. Danish software engineer Anders Hejlsberg developed it in the year 2000. Today, he still works for Microsoft as the lead architect of C#. Anders Hejlsberg is also known for being the chief architect of Delphi and the original author of Turbo Pascal.

C# was originally named COOL, whereby the acronym stood for “C-like object-oriented language”. Alas, Microsoft could not hang onto this “cool name” because of trademark law.

C# is pronounced, “see sharp”. The name was taken from the musical notation, whereby a sharp symbol points that the written note should be played a semitone higher. The “sharp” suffix has been used by several other .NET languages that are editions of present languages, including J#, A#, and the functional programming language F#.

The base syntax of the C# is similar to C-style languages such as C, C++, and Java. This programming language most directly represents the underlying Common Language Infrastructure (CLI).

Does C# fit me?

If you plan to create apps for the Microsoft platform, you should definitely learn C#. The developers favor this language for being easy to use and well-designed. Also, it is often recommended programming language to use when creating games through the Unity Game engine.

C# used for:

  • Website development. It allows you to create dynamic websites on the .NET platform or open-source software.
  • Windows applications. Being created by Microsoft, the most used case for this language is developing programs and applications specific to the Microsoft platform's architecture.
  • Game development. C# integrates easily with the Unity engine. It can be used on any modern mobile device or console thanks to cross-platform.

A list of programs and applications written in C# includes Microsoft Visual Studio, Paint.NET, Windows Installer XML, Open Dental, FlashDevelop, KeePass, NMath, Pinta, Banshee, OpenRA.

Why should I learn C#?

Here are a few reasons to work with this particular programming language:

  • C# is readable, simple, and easy to use. Readable and compact code is extremely valuable for optimizing modern team-based software development.
  • C# runs on .NET runtime, which is solid and well-engineered.
  • It can save you time because this language was developed to make it easy to build powerful tools on top of it.
  • Programming language C# is scalable and easy to maintain. It is an open-source language and is led by Microsoft.
  • There’s a large C# developers’ community where you can go to ask, answer, or brainstorm.

The future looks bright for C# because of its popularity, versatility, and existing creations. If you want to have a solid foundation to become a master developer, you should learn this “cool” programming language.

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