Engineering Glossary

From fundamental principles to cutting-edge practices, this glossary covers the full spectrum of software engineering terminology.

DevOps
Cloud Computing
Git
Containerization & Orchestration

YAML (Yet Another Markup Language)

Human-readable data serialization standard that can be used in conjunction with all programming languages.
DevOps

YAML Sprawl

Proliferation of YAML configuration files, often leading to maintenance and consistency challenges.
DevOps

Yak Shaving

Seemingly useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.
DevOps

Yarn

Fast, reliable, and secure dependency management tool for Node.js, offering improved performance and additional features over NPM.
DevOps

Yocto

Open-source collaboration project that helps developers create custom Linux-based systems.
DevOps

Yoda Conditions

Programming style where the constant goes before the variable in a conditional statement.
DevOps

You Build it You Run it

DevOps principle where development teams are also responsible for supporting the software in production.
DevOps

Zabbix

Open-source software tool to monitor various IT components, including networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services.
DevOps

Zero Downtime Deployment

Deployment method that ensures the application remains available to users during the entire update process.
DevOps

Zero Nines

A measure of system availability where no uptime guarantee is provided. It indicates a service with no specified reliability commitments or expectations.
DevOps

Zero Trust

Security concept centered on the belief that organizations should not automatically trust anything inside or outside its perimeters.
DevOps

Zero-day Attack

Cyber attack exploiting a vulnerability that is unknown to the software vendor or to antivirus vendors.
DevOps

Zipkin

Distributed tracing system that helps gather timing data needed to troubleshoot latency problems in service architectures.
DevOps

Zookeeper

Centralized service for maintaining configuration information, naming, providing distributed synchronization, and providing group services.
DevOps

Zsh (Z Shell)

Extended version of the Bourne Shell with many improvements, including some features of Bash, ksh, and tcsh.
DevOps

iOS Deployment

Process of distributing iOS applications to Apple devices, often through the App Store or enterprise distribution methods.
DevOps

macOS

Apple's Unix-based operating system for Macintosh computers, known for its user-friendly interface and tight integration with Apple hardware.
DevOps
@mention

@mention

A feature in Git platforms that allows users to notify specific team members or reference issues by using the @ symbol followed by a username.
API preview

API preview

A feature allowing developers to test and provide feedback on new Git API functionality before it's officially released.
Bare Repository

Bare Repository

A Git repository containing version control information without a working directory, typically used as a central repository for collaboration.
Bisect

Bisect

A Git command used to perform a binary search through a repository's history to identify the commit that introduced a bug or issue.
Bitbucket Pipelines

Bitbucket Pipelines

An integrated CI/CD service in Bitbucket for automating builds, tests, and deployments.
Blame

Blame

A Git feature that shows which user last modified each line of a file, helping developers trace changes and understand code history.
Blamestorming

Blamestorming

A collaborative process of analyzing Git blame information to identify the source of bugs or issues in a codebase.
Branch

Branch

A parallel version of a repository, allowing developers to work on different features or experiments without affecting the main codebase.
Branch policies

Branch policies

Rules enforced on Git branches to ensure code quality, require reviews, or restrict certain actions before merging.
Business plan

Business plan

A premium subscription tier offered by Git hosting services, providing advanced features and support for enterprise users.
CA certificate

CA certificate

A digital certificate issued by a Certificate Authority, used in Git to establish secure HTTPS connections and verify server identities.
Cache

Cache

A temporary storage area that holds frequently accessed data for quick retrieval, improving system performance.
Checkout

Checkout

A Git command used to switch between different branches or restore files from a specific commit in a repository's history.
Cherry-Pick

Cherry-Pick

A Git operation that applies the changes from a specific commit to the current branch, useful for selective code integration.
Cherry-picking

Cherry-picking

The practice of selecting and applying specific commits from one branch to another in Git, often used for targeted bug fixes.
Clone

Clone

The process of creating a local copy of a remote Git repository, allowing developers to work on the codebase independently.
Code owners file

Code owners file

A file specifying individuals or teams responsible for code in different parts of a repository.
Commit

Commit

Operation in version control systems that saves changes to the local repository, creating a new revision with a unique identifier.
Conflict

Conflict

A situation in Git where incompatible changes have been made to the same part of a file, requiring manual resolution before merging.
Continuous Integration

Continuous Integration

Practice of merging all developer working copies to a shared mainline several times a day.
DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph)

DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph)

Directed Acyclic Graph, the underlying data structure used by Git to represent the commit history and relationships between commits.
Detach HEAD

Detach HEAD

A Git operation that moves the HEAD pointer to a specific commit, allowing for temporary exploration of historical states.
Diff

Diff

A Git command or operation that shows the differences between two commits, branches, files, or other Git objects.
Downstream

Downstream

Refers to the direction of change propagation in Git, typically from a parent branch to its child branches or forks.
Explorer

Explorer

A feature in Git platforms for browsing repository contents, viewing files, and navigating through different branches.
Feature branch workflow

Feature branch workflow

A Git pattern where each new feature is developed in a dedicated branch, then merged back to the main branch.
Fetch

Fetch

A Git command that retrieves changes from a remote repository without automatically merging them into the local branch.
Force Push

Force Push

A Git push operation that overwrites the remote branch's history with the local branch, potentially causing data loss if used carelessly.
Fork

Fork

A personal copy of another user's repository on a Git hosting platform, allowing independent development without affecting the original project.
Free plan

Free plan

A no-cost tier offered by Git hosting services, typically with limited features and storage for individual users or small projects.
GPG (GNU Privacy Guard)

GPG (GNU Privacy Guard)

An encryption software used with Git for signing commits and tags, enhancing security and verification.
Gist

Gist

A simple way to share code snippets, notes, or small files using Git, often integrated into Git platforms.
Git

Git

Distributed version control system for tracking changes in source code during software development.
Git Alias

Git Alias

A custom shortcut command defined by users to simplify complex or frequently used Git operations.
Git Alternates

Git Alternates

A mechanism in Git allowing a repository to borrow objects from another repository, useful for saving disk space in large projects.
Git Annotate

Git Annotate

A Git command that shows the author and commit information for each line in a file, similar to the "blame" feature.
Git Assume Unchanged

Git Assume Unchanged

A Git feature that tells the system to temporarily ignore changes to a tracked file, useful for local configuration files.
Git Attributes

Git Attributes

A mechanism in Git for defining attributes on a per-path basis, controlling how Git handles certain files or directories.
Git Bisect

Git Bisect

A Git command used to perform a binary search through the commit history to find the commit that introduced a bug.
Git Bisect Run

Git Bisect Run

An automated version of Git Bisect that uses a script to determine if each checked-out commit is "good" or "bad".
Git Blame -C (Copy Detection)

Git Blame -C (Copy Detection)

An enhanced version of Git Blame that detects lines moved or copied from other files, providing better change tracking.
Git Bundle

Git Bundle

A Git command that creates a single file containing all the data needed to recreate a repository's branch or history.
Git Bundle Create/Verify

Git Bundle Create/Verify

Commands to create and verify Git bundles, useful for transferring repository data without using a network.
Git Cheat Sheet

Git Cheat Sheet

A quick reference guide summarizing common Git commands and their usage, helpful for both beginners and experienced users.
Git Cherry

Git Cherry

A Git command used to find commits that haven't been merged upstream, useful for identifying changes to be applied to another branch.
Git Clean

Git Clean

A command to remove untracked files from the working directory, helping to maintain a clean repository state.
Git Commit --amend

Git Commit --amend

A command that allows you to modify the most recent commit, adding new changes or updating the commit message.
Git Commit Amend

Git Commit Amend

A command that allows you to modify the most recent commit, changing its message or contents, and update it without creating a new commit.
Git Commit Hooks

Git Commit Hooks

Scripts that run automatically before or after a commit, allowing you to enforce rules, format code, or perform checks on changes.
Git Commit Templates

Git Commit Templates

Predefined structures for commit messages, helping maintain consistency and include necessary information in commits.
Git Commit Trailers

Git Commit Trailers

Metadata added to the end of commit messages, often used for things like issue references or sign-offs.
Git Commit-graph

Git Commit-graph

A file format used to store commit graph structure, improving performance for operations that traverse commit history.
Git Commit-graph Verify

Git Commit-graph Verify

A command to check the integrity and validity of the commit-graph file in a Git repository.
Git Commit-tree

Git Commit-tree

A low-level Git command used to create a new commit object from an existing tree object.
Git Config

Git Config

A command and system for setting configuration options for Git on a global, local, or repository level.
Git Count-objects

Git Count-objects

A diagnostic command that provides statistics about the number and size of objects in a Git repository.
Git Credential Helper

Git Credential Helper

A system that securely stores and retrieves credentials for Git operations, reducing the need for manual authentication.
Git Daemon

Git Daemon

A lightweight server for the Git protocol, allowing anonymous read access to Git repositories.
Git Dangling Objects

Git Dangling Objects

Objects in Git that are not reachable from any reference, often created during rebasing or other history-altering operations.
Git Describe

Git Describe

A command that generates a human-readable name for a commit based on the most recent tag and additional commit information.
Git Diff

Git Diff

A command that shows changes between commits, branches, files, or the working directory and the index.
Git Diff Algorithms

Git Diff Algorithms

Various methods used by Git to compute differences between versions of files, optimizing for different scenarios.
Git Diff Tool

Git Diff Tool

An external program or interface used to visualize differences between files or commits in a more user-friendly manner.
Git Fetch --All

Git Fetch --All

A command that fetches updates from all remote repositories configured in a Git project.
Git Filter-branch

Git Filter-branch

A powerful tool for rewriting Git history, allowing for large-scale changes across many commits.
Git Flow

Git Flow

A branching model for Git that defines a strict branching structure designed to support multiple parallel developments.
Git Fork

Git Fork

The process of creating a personal copy of someone else's project, allowing for independent development without affecting the original.
Git Fsck

Git Fsck

A command that verifies the connectivity and validity of objects in the Git database.
Git Fsck (File System Check)

Git Fsck (File System Check)

Verifies the integrity of objects in the Git database, checking for corruption and inconsistencies.
Git GPG verification

Git GPG verification

A security feature in Git that uses GPG to sign and verify commits and tags, ensuring authenticity.
Git Garbage Collection (gc)

Git Garbage Collection (gc)

A process that optimizes the Git repository by removing unnecessary files and compressing objects.
Git Gc (Garbage Collection)

Git Gc (Garbage Collection)

Short for Git Garbage Collection, a command to clean up unnecessary files and optimize the repository.
Git Grep

Git Grep

A command for searching files in a Git repository using regular expressions or simple string matching.
Git Hook

Git Hook

A script that Git automatically runs before or after specific events, like commits or merges, to customize workflows and enforce rules.
Git Hooks

Git Hooks

Same as Git Hook, scripts triggered by various Git actions to automate tasks or enforce policies.
Git Ignore

Git Ignore

A mechanism to specify intentionally untracked files that Git should ignore, typically defined in a .gitignore file.
Git Index Format

Git Index Format

The internal format used by Git to store the staging area information, representing the next commit to be made.
Git Init

Git Init

A command used to initialize a new Git repository, creating the necessary directory structure for version control.
Git Interactive Rebase

Git Interactive Rebase

A feature allowing users to modify commits in their branch history, useful for cleaning up before merging.
Git Internals (objects, refs, etc.)

Git Internals (objects, refs, etc.)

The underlying data structures and mechanisms Git uses to store and manage version control information.
Git Interpret-trailers

Git Interpret-trailers

A command to parse and manipulate the trailer lines typically found at the end of commit messages.
Git LFS (Large File Storage)

Git LFS (Large File Storage)

A system that manages large files by storing them outside the main repository, replacing them with lightweight pointers to improve performance and efficiency.
Git Large File Storage (LFS)

Git Large File Storage (LFS)

An extension that replaces large files with text pointers in Git, while storing the file contents on a remote server.
Git Log

Git Log

A command to display the commit history of a repository, showing details like author, date, and commit message.
Git Maintenance

Git Maintenance

A set of tasks performed to keep a Git repository in good condition, including garbage collection and optimization.
Git Merge Strategies

Git Merge Strategies

Different algorithms used by Git to combine separate development histories when merging branches.
Git Merge Tools

Git Merge Tools

External programs or interfaces used to resolve merge conflicts in a more visual and user-friendly manner.
Git Merge-base

Git Merge-base

A command that finds the best common ancestor between two commits, useful for determining the point where branches diverged.
Git Multi-pack Index (MIDX)

Git Multi-pack Index (MIDX)

A feature that improves performance for repositories with many pack files by creating an index across multiple packs.
Git Namespaces

Git Namespaces

A feature allowing multiple references (like branches or tags) with the same name to coexist by separating them into different namespaces.
Git Notes

Git Notes

A way to add or inspect object notes, allowing additional information to be attached to Git objects without changing their SHA-1 hash.
Git Object Storage

Git Object Storage

The system Git uses to store all the versions of files, commits, and other objects in a content-addressable filesystem.
Git Pack Files

Git Pack Files

Compressed files containing Git objects, used to efficiently store and transfer repository data.
Git Packfile Format

Git Packfile Format

The internal format used by Git to store multiple objects efficiently in a single file, reducing disk usage and improving performance.
Git Partial Clone

Git Partial Clone

A feature allowing users to clone a repository without downloading all of its objects, saving bandwidth and storage.
Git Patch

Git Patch

A file format representing changes between versions, used for sharing and applying modifications across different repositories.
Git Plumbing Commands

Git Plumbing Commands

Low-level Git commands that expose the internal workings of Git, primarily used for scripting and advanced operations.
Git Porcelain Commands

Git Porcelain Commands

User-friendly commands for everyday tasks, like git status and git commit, designed for ease of use and clear output.
Git Protocol

Git Protocol

The native network protocol used by Git for efficient data transfer between repositories.
Git Prune

Git Prune

A command that removes objects that are no longer reachable from any references in the repository.

Serverless Containers

Container-based applications run on serverless platforms, combining containerization with auto-scaling.

Serverless Cost Optimization

Strategies to minimize expenses in serverless architectures while maintaining performance.

Serverless Data Analytics

Processing and analyzing data using serverless compute resources in the cloud, providing scalable and cost-effective insights.

Serverless Data Processing

Handling and transforming data using auto-scaling, event-driven cloud services, eliminating infrastructure management overhead.

Serverless Databases

Fully managed database services that scale automatically based on demand, eliminating the need for manual provisioning and management.

Serverless DevOps

Practices combining serverless architectures with DevOps principles for efficient cloud development.

Serverless ETL

Extract, Transform, Load processes using serverless compute for data integration in the cloud.

Serverless Integration

Connecting applications and data sources using serverless compute in cloud environments.

Serverless Microservices

Building application components as independent, auto-scaling functions in the cloud.

Serverless Networking

Network management and routing tailored for serverless architectures in cloud environments.

Serverless Resource Optimization

Techniques for efficient use of compute, storage, and network resources in serverless systems.

Serverless Security

Protecting serverless applications from vulnerabilities and attacks in cloud environments.

Serverless Security Frameworks

Tools and practices for implementing security in serverless cloud architectures.

Serverless Security Platforms

Comprehensive solutions for protecting serverless applications and data in the cloud.

Serverless Web Applications

Websites built and hosted using serverless cloud services for automatic scaling.

Serverless Workflows

Orchestrating sequences of serverless functions to create complex, scalable processes.

Service Control Policies (AWS)

Rules for managing permissions in AWS Organizations across multiple accounts, enforcing security and compliance standards.

Service Discovery

Automated detection of services and their network locations in cloud environments.

Service Level Objectives (SLOs)

Targets for service performance and availability in cloud environments, defining quality standards for cloud services.

Service Mesh Control Plane

Central component managing configuration and policies in a service mesh architecture.

Service Mesh Data Plane

Component handling inter-service communication in a service mesh architecture, managing traffic flow and security.

Service Mesh Interface

Standardized APIs for interacting with service mesh technologies in cloud environments.

Service Mesh Observability

Monitoring and analyzing traffic and behavior within a service mesh architecture.

Service Mesh Security

Protecting inter-service communication within a service mesh in cloud environments.

Sharding

Distributing data across multiple database instances to improve performance and scalability in cloud environments.

Showback and Chargeback

Systems for tracking and allocating cloud resource costs within an organization.

Sidecar Pattern

Deploying components of an application as separate containers alongside the main container in cloud environments.

Sidecars

Helper containers deployed alongside main application containers to provide additional functionality in cloud environments.

Silicon Photonics in Cloud Networking

Using light-based chips for high-speed data transmission in cloud data centers, improving network performance and efficiency.

Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Platforms

Tools for implementing SRE practices in cloud environments, focusing on automation and reliability.

Smart Contract Platforms

Cloud-based systems for creating, deploying, and managing self-executing digital contracts.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

Approach to cloud network management using software-based controllers instead of hardware.

Software-Defined Power Distribution

Managing and optimizing power allocation in cloud data centers through software control.

Software-Defined Storage (SDS)

Abstracting storage services from underlying hardware in cloud environments for flexible management.

Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)

Technology for efficiently routing traffic between cloud and on-premises resources.

Spatial Computing

Integrating digital information with the physical world in cloud-based augmented and virtual reality systems.

Spatial Databases

Cloud databases optimized for storing and querying location-based data, essential for geospatial applications and analytics.

Speech Recognition

Cloud-based service for converting spoken language into text, enabling voice-controlled interfaces and transcription.

Spot Instance Management

Strategies for efficiently using and monitoring discounted, interruptible cloud compute resources.

Spot Instance Management Platforms

Tools for optimizing the use of discounted, interruptible cloud compute resources.

Spot Instance Optimization

Techniques for maximizing cost savings and availability when using discounted, interruptible cloud resources.

Spot Instances

Discounted, interruptible cloud compute resources available for bidding, offering cost savings for flexible workloads.

State Management

Techniques for maintaining application data consistency in distributed cloud environments.

Stateful Serverless Computing

Serverless architectures that maintain state between function invocations in the cloud.

Stateless Functions

Cloud-based functions that don't retain state between invocations, enhancing scalability.

Step Functions (AWS)

AWS service for coordinating multiple Lambda functions into serverless workflows.

Storage Class Memory (SCM)

High-performance, low-latency memory technology bridging DRAM and SSDs in cloud infrastructure.

Storage QoS (Quality of Service)

Mechanisms to ensure consistent performance levels for storage resources in cloud environments.

Storage Tiering Optimization

Automatically moving data between storage tiers based on access patterns to balance cost and performance.

Stream Processing (e.g., Amazon Kinesis, Azure Stream Analytics)

Real-time analysis of continuously flowing data in cloud environments, enabling instant insights and rapid decision-making.

Stream Processing at Scale

Handling and analyzing large volumes of real-time data streams in cloud environments.

Streaming SQL Engines

Cloud-based systems for querying continuous data streams using SQL-like syntax, enabling real-time data analysis.

Subnet

Segmented portion of a cloud network with its own IP address range, allowing for improved security and traffic management.

Sustainability Reporting Platforms

Tools for tracking and reporting environmental metrics of cloud resource usage, promoting eco-friendly cloud computing.

Sustainability Reporting for Cloud Services

Documenting environmental impact and energy efficiency of cloud operations, promoting transparency and accountability.

Sustainability-Aware Resource Scheduling

Allocating cloud resources with consideration for environmental impact, optimizing for energy efficiency.

Sustainability-Driven Optimization

Improving cloud resource efficiency to minimize environmental impact while maintaining performance and reliability.

Sustainable Cloud Computing

Practices and technologies minimizing the environmental impact of cloud operations.

Sustainable Cloud Migration

Moving to the cloud with strategies to minimize environmental impact, optimizing resource usage and energy efficiency.

Sustainable Data Center Design

Creating cloud facilities with minimal environmental impact and maximum energy efficiency.

Swarm Intelligence for Cloud Optimization

Using collective behavior algorithms to optimize cloud resource allocation, improving efficiency and performance.

Swarm Robotics in the Cloud

Coordinating multiple robots using cloud-based swarm intelligence algorithms, enabling scalable and adaptive robotic systems.

Synthetic Data Generation

Creating artificial datasets for testing and development in cloud environments, preserving privacy and expanding data availability.

Synthetic Media Generation Platforms

Cloud services for creating AI-generated images, videos, and audio, enabling content creation at scale.

Tactile Internet Interfaces

Ultra-low latency network interfaces for real-time tactile feedback in cloud applications.

Tagging Strategies

Methods for labeling cloud resources to improve organization, management, and cost allocation.

Telco Cloud

Cloud infrastructure specifically designed for telecommunications service providers.

Telepresence Robotics Control Systems

Cloud-based platforms for remotely operating robots with real-time feedback, enabling distant manipulation and interaction.

Text-to-Speech

Cloud service converting written text into spoken words, often used in accessibility and voice interface applications.

Time Series Forecasting as a Service

Cloud-based predictive analytics for time-dependent data, used for trend analysis and future projections.

Time-Series Databases

Cloud databases optimized for storing and querying time-stamped data, essential for IoT and monitoring applications.

TinyML

Deploying machine learning models on resource-constrained IoT devices connected to the cloud.

Tokenization Services

Cloud-based tools for replacing sensitive data with non-sensitive tokens to enhance security.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Comprehensive assessment of direct and indirect costs associated with cloud adoption and usage.

Transfer Learning

Technique of using pre-trained AI models for new tasks, reducing training time and data requirements in the cloud.

Transit Gateway

Cloud networking service that connects VPCs, on-premises networks, and other cloud services.

Twelve-Factor App Methodology

Set of best practices for building scalable, maintainable cloud-native applications.

Unikernels

Lightweight, single-purpose machine images for running cloud applications with minimal overhead.

Unit Economics in the Cloud

Analysis of costs and revenues associated with individual cloud service units or transactions.

Universal Cloud API Standards

Efforts to create standardized interfaces for interacting with various cloud services.

VPN Connection

Secure, encrypted link between a local network and cloud resources, enabling private access to cloud services over public networks.

VR Streaming

Cloud-based delivery of virtual reality content to end-user devices, enabling immersive experiences without local processing.

Vector Databases

Cloud databases optimized for storing and querying high-dimensional vector data, often used in AI applications.

Version Control in the Cloud

Managing and tracking changes to code and configurations in cloud-based repositories.

Vertical Scaling (Scale Up)

Increasing the capacity of a single cloud resource by adding more power (CPU, RAM, etc.).

Virtual Cloud Network (VCN)

Software-defined network providing connectivity for cloud resources, enabling secure and flexible communication.

Virtual Environments as a Service

Cloud-based platforms offering customizable, isolated development and testing environments.

Virtual Machines (e.g., Amazon EC2, Azure Virtual Machines)

Emulations of computer systems providing scalable, isolated environments in the cloud.

Virtual Network Appliances

Software-based network devices deployed in cloud environments for various networking functions.

Virtual Network Functions (VNF)

Software implementations of network functions running on cloud infrastructure, replacing traditional hardware appliances.

Virtual Reality (VR) Cloud

Cloud-based services for creating, rendering, and delivering virtual reality experiences.

Virtual Reality Cloud Workspaces

Cloud-hosted VR environments for collaborative work and data visualization, enabling immersive remote collaboration.

Voice User Interfaces (VUI) for Cloud Services

Speech-based interfaces for interacting with cloud applications and services, enhancing accessibility and user experience.

Volumetric Display Computation Services

Cloud-based processing for generating 3D holographic or volumetric images, enabling immersive visualization applications.

Volumetric Video Streaming

Cloud services for delivering 3D video content for immersive viewing experiences.

Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)

Metric measuring water consumption efficiency in cloud data centers, promoting sustainable resource management.

Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) Monitoring

Tracking water consumption and efficiency in cloud data center operations, promoting sustainable resource management.

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Cloud-based security service that filters and monitors HTTP traffic between web applications and the Internet.

WebAssembly (Wasm) in the Cloud

Low-level language for running high-performance applications in cloud-based web browsers.

WebAssembly in the Cloud

Binary instruction format enabling high-performance execution of code in cloud-based web environments.

Pod Anti-Affinity

Kubernetes scheduling constraint that prevents pods from being co-located with other pods based on labels.

Pod Disruption Budget

Kubernetes object that limits the number of pods of a replicated application that can be down simultaneously.

Pod Lifecycle

Stages a pod goes through from creation to termination, including pending, running, succeeded, failed, and unknown phases.

Pod Monitors

Custom resources in Prometheus Operator for declaratively defining how groups of pods should be monitored.

Pod Networking

Mechanisms and configurations for enabling network communication between pods in a Kubernetes cluster.

Pod Overhead

Additional resources consumed by pod infrastructure on top of the container requests and limits.

Pod Phase

High-level summary of where a pod is in its lifecycle, used for pod status reporting and monitoring.

Pod Priority and Preemption

Kubernetes feature allowing importance-based scheduling and eviction of pods when resources are constrained.

Pod Security Context

Kubernetes object defining privilege and access control settings for a pod or container, enhancing security.

Pod Security Policies (PSP)

Deprecated Kubernetes feature for cluster-level control over pod security sensitive aspects.

Pod Security Standards

Kubernetes-defined levels (privileged, baseline, restricted) of security settings for pods.

PodDisruptionBudget

Kubernetes object limiting the number of pods that can be down simultaneously for a given application.

PodSandbox

Isolation boundary for one or more containers in a pod, providing shared kernel namespaces and cgroups.

PodSecurityPolicy

Deprecated cluster-level resource controlling security-sensitive aspects of pod specification.

Podman for Daemonless Containers

Tool for managing containers and images without a container daemon, compatible with Docker CLI.

Polaris for Best Practices Validation

Open-source tool for checking Kubernetes resources against configurable best practices, enhancing reliability.

Polyglot Persistence

Use of multiple data storage technologies in microservices architectures to best fit varying data storage needs.

Port Address Translation (PAT)

Network address translation technique used in container networking for mapping ports, enabling external access.

Port Mapping

Process of forwarding a network port from the host to a container, enabling external access to containerized services.

Portainer for Container Management

Web-based management UI for Docker environments, simplifying container operations and monitoring.

Portworx

Cloud-native storage platform providing persistent storage for containerized applications in multi-cloud environments.

Portworx PX-Store

Software-defined storage solution by Portworx for containerized stateful applications in Kubernetes.

Predicates

Kubernetes scheduling policies that filter out nodes that cannot run a pod, based on resource requirements and constraints.

Preemption

Kubernetes process of evicting lower-priority pods to schedule higher-priority pods when resources are constrained.

PrintColumn

CustomResourceDefinition feature for defining custom columns in kubectl output for custom resources.

Priorities

Kubernetes scheduling policies that rank nodes that have passed the predicate phase, determining the best placement for a pod.

Priority Classes

Kubernetes objects defining the relative importance of pods, used in scheduling and preemption decisions.

Priority and Preemption

Kubernetes feature allowing pods to be assigned different priorities, influencing scheduling and eviction decisions.

Privileged Containers

Containers running with elevated permissions, potentially accessing host resources and devices.

Progressive Delivery

Deployment strategy gradually rolling out changes to a subset of users or servers, monitoring for issues.

Project Calico eBPF Datapath

High-performance networking mode in Calico using extended Berkeley Packet Filter for packet processing.

Projected Volumes

Kubernetes volume type that maps several existing volume sources into the same directory, combining multiple configs.

Prometheus

Open-source systems monitoring and alerting toolkit, widely used for Kubernetes and container monitoring.

Prometheus Alertmanager

Component of Prometheus handling alerts, including silencing, inhibition, aggregation, and notifications.

Prometheus Operator

Kubernetes operator that makes it easy to deploy and manage Prometheus instances, simplifying monitoring setup.

Prometheus Pushgateway

Component allowing ephemeral and batch jobs to expose their metrics to Prometheus, enhancing monitoring coverage.

Prometheus Remote Write

Feature allowing Prometheus to send samples to compatible remote storage systems, enabling long-term storage.

Prometheus Rules

Definitions for recording rules and alerting rules in Prometheus, allowing for complex queries and alert conditions.

Protocol Selection

Process of choosing the appropriate network protocol for container communication based on requirements.

Quality of Service (QoS) Classes

Kubernetes classifications (Guaranteed, Burstable, BestEffort) for pods based on resource requirements and limits.

Qualys Container Security

Platform providing vulnerability management, policy compliance, and runtime defense for containers.

Quay.io

Container registry by Red Hat offering advanced features like vulnerability scanning and fine-grained access controls.

RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)

Kubernetes authorization mechanism for fine-grained control over the actions users can perform.

RBAC Best Practices

Guidelines for implementing secure and manageable role-based access control in Kubernetes environments.

RBAC for Multitenancy

Use of role-based access control to implement isolation and access management in multi-tenant Kubernetes clusters.

RDMA in Container Networks

Integration of Remote Direct Memory Access for high-performance, low-latency container networking.

Rancher for Multi-cluster Management

Platform for managing multiple Kubernetes clusters across different cloud providers and on-premises.

Rate Limiting Pattern

Technique to control the rate of requests or traffic in distributed systems, often implemented in API gateways.

Raw Block Volumes

Kubernetes volume type providing direct access to a block device for applications requiring this capability.

Reactive Systems

Architectural approach emphasizing responsiveness, resilience, elasticity, and message-driven communication in distributed systems.

Read-only Root Filesystem

Security practice of mounting a container's root filesystem as read-only to prevent runtime modifications.

ReadOnly Volumes

Kubernetes volumes mounted with read-only access, enhancing security by preventing modifications.

Registry

Service for storing and distributing container images, crucial for managing and deploying containerized applications.

Registry API

HTTP API provided by container registries for image management, authentication, and metadata retrieval.

Registry Authentication

Process of verifying the identity of clients making requests to containerized services or APIs.

Registry Caching

Technique of locally caching container images to improve pull times and reduce network usage.

Registry Mirroring

Process of replicating container images across multiple registries for improved availability and reduced latency.

Registry Webhooks

Mechanism for registries to send notifications about events such as image pushes, pulls, or deletions.

Release Trains

Scheduled, periodic releases of software components, often used in microservices architectures for coordinated updates.

ReplicaSet

Kubernetes controller ensuring a specified number of pod replicas are running at any given time.

Request Authentication

Process of verifying the identity of clients making requests to containerized services or APIs.

Request Mirroring

Technique of duplicating incoming requests to a separate service instance for testing or debugging purposes.

Resource Bin Packing

Scheduling strategy aiming to consolidate workloads onto a minimal number of nodes for efficient resource utilization.

Resource Limits

Constraints set on the amount of compute resources (CPU, memory) a container can consume, preventing resource hogging.

Resource Quotas

Kubernetes objects for limiting aggregate resource consumption per namespace, ensuring fair resource allocation.

Resource Requests

Specifications of the minimum amount of compute resources required by a container, aiding in scheduling decisions.

Resource Requests and Limits Tuning

Process of optimizing resource allocations for containers to balance performance and efficiency.

ResourceQuota

Kubernetes object providing constraints that limit aggregate resource consumption per namespace.

Retry Budgets

Limits on the number of retry attempts for failed operations in distributed systems to prevent cascading failures.

Retry Logic

Implementation of automatic reattempts for failed operations in microservices to improve system resilience.

Retry Pattern

Design pattern for handling transient failures in distributed systems by automatically repeating failed operations.

Role

Kubernetes RBAC object defining a set of permissions within a particular namespace, controlling access to resources.

RoleBinding

Kubernetes RBAC object that binds a role to a set of users or service accounts within a namespace.

RoleBindings and ClusterRoleBindings

Kubernetes objects associating Roles and ClusterRoles with users, groups, or service accounts.

Roles and ClusterRoles

Kubernetes RBAC objects defining sets of permissions at namespace or cluster level respectively.

Rollbacks

Process of reverting a deployment to a previous version in case of issues with the current version.

Rolling Updates

Deployment strategy where new versions of an application are gradually rolled out by replacing instances incrementally.

Romana for Layer 3 Networking

Networking solution for Kubernetes providing native Layer 3 networking without overlays for improved performance.

Rook

Open-source cloud-native storage orchestrator for Kubernetes, providing the platform, framework, and support for storage solutions.

Rook Storage Orchestrator

Kubernetes operator for file, block, and object storage systems, automating deployment and management of storage services.

Rootless Containers

Containers running without root privileges, enhancing security by reducing the potential impact of container breakouts.

RunC

Lightweight, portable container runtime adhering to the OCI specification, used as a low-level runtime by container engines.

RunC Internals

Inner workings and components of the RunC container runtime, including its interaction with Linux kernel features.

Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP)

Security technology that detects and prevents real-time attacks on containerized applications.

Runtime Security

Measures and tools for protecting containerized applications during execution, including threat detection and prevention.

Runtime Threat Detection

Process of identifying and alerting on security threats to running containers and orchestration platforms.

RuntimeService

CRI component responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of a container, including creation, execution, and deletion.

SELinux Policies

Security policies enforcing mandatory access controls on containers and pods in Linux-based systems.

SLO-based Monitoring

Monitoring approach focusing on Service Level Objectives to ensure application performance and reliability.

SMI (Service Mesh Interface)

Standard specification for service meshes on Kubernetes, providing a common interface for various implementations.

SPIFFE/SPIRE for Workload Identity

Standards and implementation for securely identifying and authenticating workloads in dynamic environments.

SR-IOV for Container Networks

Use of Single Root I/O Virtualization to provide high-performance networking for containers.

Saga Pattern

Design pattern for managing data consistency across microservices in distributed transactions.

Saga Pattern for Distributed Transactions

Implementation of the Saga pattern to maintain data consistency in microservices architectures.

Sandbox Runtimes

Container runtimes providing additional isolation between the container and the host system for enhanced security.

Sandboxing

Techniques for isolating running containers from the host system and each other to enhance security.

Scale Subresource

Kubernetes API for directly managing the number of replicas of a workload without modifying the entire object.

Scheduler

Kubernetes component responsible for assigning pods to nodes based on resource requirements, policies, and constraints.

Scheduler Extender

External process allowing custom logic to be added to the Kubernetes scheduling decisions.

Scheduling Algorithms

Methods used by Kubernetes scheduler to determine the best node placement for pods based on various factors.