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

Docker Container

A lightweight, portable unit that packages an application and its dependencies, allowing it to run consistently across different environments.
DevOps

Docker Log Management

Process of collecting, storing, and analyzing logs generated by Docker containers.
DevOps

Dokku

Mini-Heroku powered by Docker, helping developers quickly deploy their applications.
DevOps

Domain Drive Design (DDD)

Software design approach focusing on modeling software to match a domain according to input from domain experts.
DevOps

Drone

Cloud-native continuous integration and delivery platform that uses a simple YAML configuration file to define and execute pipelines.
DevOps

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

Security testing methodology that analyzes a running application to find vulnerabilities.
DevOps

Dynamic Infrastructure

IT infrastructure that can be programmatically allocated and managed, often associated with cloud computing and Infrastructure as Code.
DevOps

Dynatrace

Platform for application performance management, AI operations, cloud infrastructure monitoring, and digital experience management.
DevOps

EC2

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud; web service providing resizable compute capacity in the cloud.
DevOps

EKS

Managed Kubernetes service for easy deployment on AWS without the need to install and operate your own Kubernetes clusters.
DevOps

Edge Computing

Distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the location where it is needed.
DevOps

ElasticSearch

Distributed, RESTful search and analytics engine capable of addressing a growing number of use cases.
DevOps

Elasticity

Ability of a system to automatically scale up or down based on demand, crucial for efficient resource utilization in cloud environments.
DevOps

Emergent Design

Design approach where the architecture of a system evolves gradually as the system is developed.
DevOps

Enabling Team

Group that helps other teams to deliver software more effectively, often by providing tools and platforms.
DevOps

Encapsulation

Bundling of data with the methods that operate on that data, restricting direct access to some of an object's components.
DevOps

End-to-End Testing (EE Testing)

Methodology used to test whether the flow of an application is performing as designed from start to finish.
DevOps

Endpoint Security

Approach to protecting computer networks that are remotely bridged to client devices.
DevOps

Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)

Use of software and architectural principles to integrate enterprise applications.
DevOps

Enterprise Security

Overarching strategy and implementation of security measures across an entire organization.
DevOps

Environment

Set of conditions under which a piece of software is developed, tested, or run, including hardware, configuration, and other software.
DevOps

Environment Variable

Dynamic-named value that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer.
DevOps

Environments

Different setups where software can be run, such as development, testing, staging, and production.
DevOps

Envoy

High-performance distributed proxy designed for cloud-native applications, often used as a service mesh component.
DevOps

Ephemeral Environments

Temporary, disposable environments created on-demand for testing or development, ensuring consistency and isolation.
DevOps

Error Budget

Acceptable amount of unplanned downtime or errors a service can experience without consequences.
DevOps

Error Log

Record of error messages generated by a software application or system, crucial for troubleshooting and monitoring.
DevOps

Error Tracking

Process of identifying, recording, and analyzing errors in software applications to improve reliability and user experience.
DevOps

Eucalyptus

Open-source software for building AWS-compatible private and hybrid cloud computing environments.
DevOps

Event Log

Record of events taking place in the execution of a system to provide an audit trail.
DevOps

Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)

Design paradigm in which the flow of the program is determined by events such as user actions, sensor outputs, or messages from other programs.
DevOps

Everything as Code (EaC)

Approach to managing all aspects of IT infrastructure and operations through code.
DevOps

Excessive Data Exposure

Security issue where an API returns more data than necessary, potentially revealing sensitive information.
DevOps

Exploratory Testing

Approach to software testing that emphasizes the tester's freedom and creativity to uncover issues.
DevOps

FAI (Fully Automatic Installer)

Tool for unattended mass installation of Linux systems, streamlining the process of setting up multiple machines.
DevOps

Fabric

Python library and command-line tool for streamlining the use of SSH for application deployment or systems administration tasks.
DevOps

Fail Fast

Design principle promoting immediate reporting of failures to enable quick detection and resolution of issues.
DevOps

Failed Builds

Instances where the compilation or integration process of software fails due to errors.
DevOps

False Positive

Error in evaluation where a condition is mistakenly flagged as true when it is actually false.
DevOps

Fargate

AWS serverless compute engine for containers that works with both Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS.
DevOps

Fault Tolerance

Property that enables a system to continue operating properly in the event of the failure of some of its components.
DevOps

Fear-driven Development

Anti-pattern where developers make decisions based on fear rather than best practices or data.
DevOps

Feature Branching

Practice of creating a separate branch in version control for each feature during development.
DevOps

Feature Flagging

Technique allowing teams to modify system behavior without changing code, enabling gradual rollouts and A/B testing.
DevOps

Feature Flags

Technique in software development that turns certain functionality on and off during runtime, without deploying new code.
DevOps

Feature Management

Practice of using feature flags to control and manage the lifecycle of features in software applications.
DevOps

Feature Toggle

Technique in software development for turning features on or off quickly without changing code.
DevOps

Fig

Tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications, now replaced by Docker Compose.
DevOps

File Inclusion

Vulnerability that allows an attacker to include a file, usually exploiting dynamic file inclusion mechanisms implemented in the target application.
DevOps

FinDevOps

Application of DevOps principles to financial services, emphasizing security and compliance.
DevOps

FinOps

Practice bringing financial accountability to cloud spending, enabling teams to balance speed, cost, and quality in business decisions.
DevOps

First Input Delay (FID)

Measure of responsiveness that quantifies the experience users feel when trying to interact with unresponsive pages.
DevOps

Five Nines

Discover the gold standard of system reliability: "five nines" uptime. Learn what 99.999% availability means, its importance, and the challenges in achieving this elite DevOps goal.
DevOps

Flaky Test

Test that sometimes passes and sometimes fails without any code changes, often causing frustration in CI/CD pipelines.
DevOps

Flow

The smooth, continuous movement of code from development to production, emphasizing automation, collaboration, and rapid feedback to optimize software delivery.
DevOps

Flow Metrics

Measurements used to understand and optimize the flow of work through a system, crucial in lean and agile methodologies.
DevOps

Flutter

Google's UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase.
DevOps

Flynn

Open-source platform designed to simplify deploying and maintaining applications, offering a heroku-like experience using Docker containers.
DevOps

Foreman

Open-source tool for complete lifecycle management of physical and virtual servers, automating repetitive tasks and simplifying provisioning.
DevOps

Four Key Metrics

Set of metrics (lead time, deployment frequency, mean time to restore, change failure rate) used to measure software delivery performance.
DevOps

Four Nines

Explore the concept of "four nines" in system reliability. Learn what 99.99% uptime means, its importance in DevOps, and strategies to achieve this high availability standard.
DevOps

Four-eyes Principle

Security measure requiring two individuals to approve or perform an action, reducing the risk of fraud or errors.
DevOps

Fpm

Tool to easily build packages such as rpms, debs, and more, simplifying the process of creating software packages for different systems.
DevOps

Full Stack Observability

Comprehensive visibility into all parts of a software system, from front-end to back-end.
DevOps

Function-as-a-Service (FaaS)

Cloud computing service that allows execution of code in response to events without complex infrastructure.
DevOps

Functional Testing

Type of testing that verifies that each function of the software application operates according to the specification.
DevOps

Functions as a Service

Cloud computing execution model where developers run and manage application functionalities without the complexity of building and maintaining infrastructure.
DevOps

Fuzz Testing

Automated software testing technique that involves providing invalid, unexpected, or random data as inputs to a computer program.
DevOps

Gain Privileges

Process or action of obtaining higher levels of access or permissions in a system.
DevOps

Ganglia

Scalable distributed monitoring system for high-performance computing systems such as clusters and grids.
DevOps

Gemba

Japanese term meaning "the actual place," used in management to emphasize the importance of direct observation.
DevOps

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area.
DevOps

Gift Card Fraud

Unauthorized or deceptive use of gift cards for financial gain, often involving stolen card numbers or exploitation of card systems.
DevOps

Git Branch

Lightweight movable pointer to a commit in Git version control, allowing for parallel development and experimentation.
DevOps

Git Repository

Storage location for a Git project, containing all the files and their revision history.
DevOps

GitHub

Web-based hosting service for version control using Git, offering collaboration features, code review, and integration with various development tools.
DevOps

GitHub Actions

GitHub's built-in continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platform, allowing automated build, test, and deployment workflows.
DevOps

GitLab

Web-based DevOps lifecycle tool that provides a Git-repository manager with wiki, issue-tracking and CI/CD pipeline features.
DevOps

GitOps

Framework applying DevOps best practices like version control, collaboration, compliance, and CI/CD to infrastructure automation.
DevOps

GitOps Operator

Software agent that implements GitOps practices, reconciling the desired state in Git with the actual state of the system.
DevOps

Gitflow Workflow

Git workflow that defines a strict branching model designed around the project release.
DevOps

Gitlab CI

GitLab's built-in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment tool, allowing automated testing and deployment of code changes.
DevOps

GoCD

Open-source continuous delivery server to model and visualize complex workflows.
DevOps

Golden Image

Pre-configured template for a virtual machine, used to create standardized instances.
DevOps

Google App Engine

Platform as a Service for developing and hosting web applications in Google-managed data centers.
DevOps

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Suite of cloud computing services running on the same infrastructure that Google uses internally.
DevOps

Governance

The policies, controls, and standards to ensure compliance, security, and quality across the software delivery pipeline while maintaining agility and efficiency.
DevOps

Gradle

Powerful build automation tool that supports multi-language development and offers a flexible, plugin-based architecture for customization.
DevOps

Grafana

Open-source platform for monitoring and observability, allowing users to visualize, alert on, and understand metrics from various data sources.
DevOps

Graphite

Monitoring tool that stores numeric time-series data and renders graphs of this data on demand.
DevOps

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; U.S. legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.
DevOps

HTTP Requests

Messages sent by clients to initiate actions on servers, forming the foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web.
DevOps

Hadoop Architecture

Framework that allows for the distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of computers.
DevOps

HashiCorp Vault

Tool for securely accessing secrets like API keys, passwords, and certificates, central to modern secret management strategies.
DevOps

Heartbeat Monitoring

Continuous monitoring of a system or service to check if it's operational, often used in high-availability setups.
DevOps

Helm Chart

Package format for defining, installing, and upgrading complex Kubernetes applications, simplifying the deployment process.
DevOps

Heroku

Cloud platform as a service (PaaS) supporting several programming languages, used for deploying, managing, and scaling modern apps.
DevOps

High Availability

Characteristic of a system designed to avoid loss of service by reducing or managing failures.
DevOps

Hybrid Cloud

Computing environment that uses a mix of on-premises, private cloud and third-party, public cloud services.
DevOps

Hypothesis-Driven Development

Approach where features are treated as experiments to validate business outcomes.
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.

Edge ML

Machine learning models deployed and executed on edge devices, often with cloud-based training or updates.

Edge Model Compression

Techniques for reducing the size of AI models to run efficiently on resource-constrained edge devices.

Edge Natural Language Processing

Performing text analysis and language understanding tasks on edge devices with cloud support.

Edge Orchestration

Managing and coordinating distributed edge computing resources and their interaction with the cloud.

Edge Predictive Maintenance

Using AI on edge devices to forecast equipment failures, with cloud-based model updates and analysis.

Edge Reinforcement Learning

Training AI agents on edge devices through interaction with the environment, supported by cloud resources.

Edge Security

Measures to protect data, devices, and applications at the network edge in cloud-connected systems.

Edge Service Mesh

Distributed network layer for managing service-to-service communication in edge computing environments.

Edge Storage

Data storage systems designed for edge devices with intermittent connectivity to cloud backends.

Edge Transfer Learning

Applying knowledge from pre-trained cloud models to new tasks on edge devices with limited data.

Edge-Native Development

Creating applications specifically designed to run on edge devices with cloud integration capabilities.

Edge-native Programming Models

Software development paradigms optimized for creating applications that run on edge devices.

Edge-to-Cloud Continuum

Seamless integration of edge computing resources with centralized cloud infrastructure and services.

Egress-only Internet Gateway

Cloud networking component allowing outbound internet communication while blocking inbound traffic.

Elastic Beanstalk (AWS)

Fully managed service for deploying and scaling web applications and services on AWS infrastructure.

Elastic IP

Static public IP address that can be dynamically assigned to cloud resources, providing consistent access points for applications.

Elastic Network Interface (ENI)

Virtual network interface that can be attached to instances in a VPC, providing flexible networking capabilities.

Elastic Network Interfaces

Virtual network cards that can be attached, detached, and moved between cloud instances.

Embedded Analytics

Integration of analytical capabilities directly into cloud-based applications and workflows.

Emotion AI Cloud Services

Cloud-based platforms for analyzing and responding to human emotions in various applications.

Emotional AI-driven Cloud Interfaces

Cloud services using AI to detect and respond to user emotions for enhanced interactions.

Encryption (at rest and in transit)

Protecting data by encoding it both when stored and while moving between cloud systems.

Encryption at Rest and in Transit

Techniques for securing data both when stored in cloud systems and while being transmitted.

Energy-Aware Auto-Scaling

Cloud resource scaling that considers energy consumption alongside performance metrics.

Energy-Aware Scheduling

Allocating cloud resources to tasks with consideration for energy consumption and efficiency.

Energy-Efficient Algorithms

Computing methods designed to minimize energy consumption in cloud environments.

Energy-aware Cloud Scheduling

Allocating cloud resources to optimize energy efficiency while meeting performance requirements.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Cloud Reporting

Documenting cloud providers' sustainability and ethical practices for stakeholder transparency.

Envoy Proxy

Open-source edge and service proxy designed for cloud-native applications, providing features like load balancing and observability.

Ethical AI Guidelines Compliance

Adherence to principles ensuring fair and responsible use of AI in cloud environments.

Event Grid (Azure)

Fully managed event routing service for building event-driven applications in Azure.

Event Sourcing

Storing the state of a system as a sequence of events in cloud-based applications.

Event Stream Processing

Real-time analysis of data streams in cloud environments for immediate insights.

Event-Driven Architecture

System design where actions are triggered by events in cloud environments, enabling responsive and scalable applications.

Event-Driven Integration

Connecting cloud services and applications based on event occurrences, enabling real-time data flow and processing.

Event-driven APIs

APIs that trigger or respond to events in cloud-native applications, enabling real-time data processing and integration.

Event-driven Programming Models

Developing cloud applications that respond to and generate events, enabling reactive and scalable architectures.

EventBridge (AWS)

Serverless event bus for building event-driven applications in AWS, facilitating communication between various services.

Eventual Consistency

Data consistency model where all replicas eventually reach a consistent state in distributed cloud systems.

Exascale Cloud Computing

Cloud systems capable of at least one exaFLOPS, or a billion billion calculations per second.

Execution Environment

The runtime context in which cloud functions or applications operate, including libraries, dependencies, and configurations.

Experiment Tracking

Monitoring and recording parameters and results of machine learning experiments in cloud environments.

Explainable AI (XAI) Platforms

Cloud services for making AI decision-making processes more transparent and interpretable.

Explainable AI Frameworks

Tools for developing AI models with transparent decision-making processes in cloud environments.

Explainable AI Platforms

Cloud services offering tools to make AI models' decision-making processes more understandable.

ExpressRoute (Azure)

Service for creating private connections between Azure datacenters and on-premises infrastructure.

Extract, Load, Transform (ELT)

Data integration process where transformation occurs after loading data into the cloud target system.

Extract, Transform, Load (ETL)

Process of extracting data from sources, transforming it to fit operational needs, and loading into a target database in the cloud.

Far-Edge Computing

Extending cloud capabilities to devices at the extreme edge of the network, like IoT sensors.

Feature Flag Management

Tools for dynamically enabling or disabling features in cloud applications without code deployments.

Feature Store

Centralized repository for storing, managing, and serving machine learning features in cloud environments.

Federated Analytics

Analyzing data across multiple cloud or edge locations without centralizing the raw data.

Federated Databases

System allowing integrated data access across multiple autonomous database management systems in the cloud.

Federated Learning

Machine learning technique that trains algorithms across decentralized devices or servers holding local data samples.

Federated Learning Orchestration

Coordinating federated learning processes across multiple edge devices or cloud nodes.

Federated Learning Platforms

Cloud-based systems for implementing and managing federated learning across distributed datasets.

Federated Learning at the Edge

Applying federated learning techniques to train models on edge devices connected to cloud systems.

Federated Query Engines

Tools for executing queries across multiple distributed databases or data sources in cloud environments.

File Storage

Cloud service for storing and accessing file data through shared file systems, providing scalable and manageable data storage.

File Storage (e.g., Amazon EFS, Azure Files)

Cloud services providing scalable file storage accessible from multiple compute instances.

FinOps Automation

Tools and processes for automating financial operations and optimization in cloud environments.

FinOps Operating Model

Framework for managing and optimizing cloud costs across an organization, aligning financial and operational goals.

FinOps Optimization Engines

AI-driven tools for continuously optimizing cloud spend and resource allocation.

Firewall

Security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic in cloud environments.

Fission

Open-source, Kubernetes-native serverless framework for building microservices in the cloud, simplifying application deployment.

Fog Computing

Extending cloud computing to the edge of the network, bringing processing closer to data sources.

Forecasting

Using historical data and algorithms to predict future trends or values in cloud-based analytics.

Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) Services

Cloud-based encryption allowing computations on encrypted data without decryption.

Function Composition Frameworks

Tools for building complex serverless applications by combining multiple cloud functions.

Function as a Service (FaaS)

Cloud computing model where developers run and manage application functionalities without complex infrastructure.

GDPR Compliance in the Cloud

Adhering to EU data protection regulations in cloud-based data processing and storage.

GPU Instances

Cloud compute instances equipped with Graphics Processing Units for parallel processing tasks.

Generative AI Platforms

Cloud-based services for creating AI models that can generate new content or data.

Geospatial Data Processing at Scale

Cloud-based systems for analyzing large volumes of location-based data efficiently.

Gesture-based Cloud Interfaces

User interfaces that interpret hand or body movements to interact with cloud services.

GitOps Workflows

Methodology using Git repositories as the source of truth for declarative infrastructure and applications in the cloud.

Global Accelerator

Service that improves availability and performance of applications by optimizing traffic routing across cloud regions.

Globally Distributed Databases

Database systems that replicate and distribute data across multiple geographic locations in the cloud.

Google Cloud Organization Policy

Rules and constraints applied to resources within a Google Cloud organization, enforcing governance and compliance.

Graph Analytics Platforms

Cloud services for analyzing and visualizing complex relationships in large datasets using graph structures.

Graph Databases

NoSQL databases designed to store and query data with complex relationships in cloud environments.

Green Cloud Computing

Practices and technologies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of cloud data centers and operations.

Green Software Engineering

Practices for developing cloud software that minimizes energy consumption and environmental impact.

Green Software Engineering Practices

Techniques for developing cloud applications that optimize resource usage and reduce environmental impact.

HIPAA Compliance in the Cloud

Adhering to US healthcare data protection regulations in cloud-based systems and applications.

Haptic Feedback over the Cloud

Transmitting touch and motion sensations through cloud-connected devices for immersive experiences.

Health Checks

Automated tests to verify the availability and proper functioning of cloud resources and services.

Heat Reuse from Data Centers

Utilizing excess heat generated by cloud data centers for other purposes, improving energy efficiency.

Helm Charts

Packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources for deploying applications in cloud environments.

Heterogeneous Distributed Databases

Systems managing data across diverse database types and locations in cloud environments.

High-Performance Computing (HPC)

Using cloud resources for solving complex computational problems requiring significant processing power.

Holographic Cloud Interfaces

Advanced 3D visualization interfaces for interacting with cloud services and data.

Holographic Data Centers

Conceptual cloud data centers using holographic technology for data storage and processing.

Holographic Data Storage

Experimental technology using holograms to store data in cloud environments, potentially offering high density.

Holographic Storage

Experimental data storage technique using holograms in cloud systems for high-density, long-term preservation.

Homomorphic Encryption Services

Cloud-based offerings that enable computations on encrypted data without decryption.

Homomorphic Encryption as a Service

Cloud-based service offering encryption that allows computations on encrypted data.

Homomorphic Encryption in the Cloud

Encryption technique allowing computations on encrypted data without decryption in cloud environments.

Horizontal Scaling (Scale Out)

Adding more machines to a cloud system to distribute load and increase capacity.

Human-Robot Interaction in the Cloud

Cloud-based systems facilitating communication between humans and robots or AI agents.

Ceph RadosGW

Object storage gateway for Ceph, providing S3-compatible API for container storage needs in Kubernetes.

Cgroup (Control Group)

Linux kernel feature for limiting, prioritizing, and isolating resource usage of container groups.

Change Data Capture (CDC)

Technique for tracking and capturing changes in databases, useful in microservices architectures.

Chaos Engineering in CI/CD

Practice of intentionally injecting failures in CI/CD pipelines to improve system resilience.

Chaos Mesh for Reliability Testing

Platform for simulating various abnormal scenarios in Kubernetes environments to test reliability.

Checkov for IaC Security Scanning

Static code analysis tool for detecting misconfigurations in Infrastructure as Code deployments.

Cilium

Open-source networking, observability, and security solution for container workloads based on eBPF.

Cilium Service Mesh

eBPF-powered service mesh offering high-performance traffic management and security for microservices.

Cilium's Hubble for Network Observability

Observability platform for Kubernetes providing deep visibility into container network flows.

Cilium's eBPF Datapath

High-performance networking mode in Cilium using extended Berkeley Packet Filter for packet processing and security.

CircleCI

Continuous integration and delivery platform supporting containerized application testing and deployment.

Circuit Breaker Pattern

Fault tolerance pattern preventing cascading failures in distributed containerized systems.

Circuit Breaking

Technique to detect failures and prevent system overload in microservices architectures, enhancing resilience.

Claim Check Pattern for Large Messages

Design pattern for handling large payloads in microservices by storing data externally, improving efficiency.

Clair for Static Image Analysis

Open-source tool for static analysis of vulnerabilities in container images, enhancing security.

Cloud Controller Manager

Kubernetes component managing interactions between cluster and cloud provider APIs, enabling cloud integration.

Cloud Native Application Bundle (CNAB)

Specification for packaging and managing distributed applications across different environments.

Cloud-Native Buildpacks

Tooling for building container images from source code without Dockerfiles, adhering to best practices.

Cloud-Native Design Patterns

Architectural patterns specifically tailored for distributed, containerized applications in cloud environments.

CloudEvents

Specification for describing event data in common formats, facilitating event-driven architectures in cloud environments.

CloudEvents Specification

Isolation technique in containerized microservices to prevent failure propagation across the system.

Cluster

Group of servers or other resources that work together as a single system to provide high availability.

Cluster API

Kubernetes project for declarative management and provisioning of clusters using Kubernetes-style APIs.

Cluster API Provider

Implementation of Cluster API for specific infrastructure providers, enabling cluster lifecycle management.

Cluster Autoscaler

Kubernetes component that automatically adjusts the size of a cluster based on resource demands.

Cluster Capacity Planning

Process of estimating and allocating resources needed for container workloads in a cluster.

Cluster Federation

Mechanism for coordinating multiple Kubernetes clusters, enabling multi-cluster application deployment and management.

Cluster Mesh

Interconnected network of container clusters, enabling cross-cluster communication and resource sharing.

Cluster Networking

Network configuration and management within and between container clusters, enabling inter-container communication.

Cluster Upgrade Process

Procedure for updating the Kubernetes version and components of a cluster while minimizing disruptions.

Cluster-level Logging

Centralized logging solution capturing logs from all containers and nodes in a cluster, aiding in troubleshooting.

ClusterAutoscaler

Kubernetes component that automatically adjusts the number of nodes in a cluster based on resource utilization.

ClusterIP

Kubernetes service type that exposes the service on an internal IP within the cluster, facilitating internal communication.

ClusterIP Services

Kubernetes services accessible only within the cluster, used for internal communication between pods.

ClusterRole

Kubernetes RBAC resource defining permissions across an entire cluster, not limited to a single namespace.

ClusterRoleBinding

Kubernetes RBAC resource that binds a ClusterRole to users, groups, or service accounts across all namespaces.

ClusterServiceVersion (CSV)

Custom resource in Operator Lifecycle Manager describing a specific version of an Operator.

Codefresh GitOps

GitOps platform for managing and automating containerized application deployments, streamlining CD workflows.

Cold Start Optimization

Techniques to reduce initialization time of containers, particularly important in serverless environments.

Compensating Transaction Pattern

Design pattern for handling failures in distributed container-based systems by reversing or compensating actions.

ConfigMap

Kubernetes API object used to store non-confidential data in key-value pairs, accessible by pods.

Consul Connect

Service mesh feature of Consul providing secure service-to-service communication with automatic TLS encryption.

Container

Standardized unit of software that packages code and all its dependencies for quick, reliable deployment.

Container Breakout Techniques

Methods used by attackers to escape container isolation and access the host system, posing security risks.

Container Engine

Software responsible for managing container lifecycle, including creation, execution, and destruction.

Container Escape

Security vulnerability allowing a process to break out of container isolation and access the host system.

Container Escape Prevention

Security measures and best practices to prevent containers from breaking out of their isolation.

Container Escape Vulnerabilities

Weaknesses in container runtimes or configurations that could allow processes to escape isolation.

Container Health Checks

Mechanisms to verify the health and readiness of containerized applications, ensuring service availability.

Container Host

Physical or virtual machine running the container runtime and hosting containers, providing the execution environment.

Container Image Promotion

Process of moving container images through different environments (e.g., dev, test, prod) in a controlled manner.

Container Image Signing

Cryptographic process of digitally signing container images to ensure their integrity and authenticity during distribution.

Container Lifecycle

Stages a container goes through from creation to termination, including running, paused, and stopped states.

Container Lifecycle Management

Processes and tools for managing containers throughout their lifecycle, from creation to deletion.

Container Logging

Process of capturing and managing log output from containerized applications for monitoring and troubleshooting.

Container Manifest

Configuration file specifying how to build a container image, including base image, commands, and environment setup.

Container Metrics

Quantitative measures of container performance, resource usage, and health, used for monitoring and optimization.

Container Network Interface (CNI)

Specification and libraries for configuring network interfaces in Linux containers, standardizing networking.

Container Network Interface (CNI) Spec

Standard for developing plugins to configure network interfaces in Linux containers, ensuring interoperability.

Container Networking Model

Architecture and principles governing how containers communicate within and across hosts in orchestrated environments.

Container Orchestration

Automated arrangement, coordination, and management of software containers, crucial in large-scale deployments.

Container Probes (Liveness, Readiness, Startup)

Kubernetes mechanisms (liveness, readiness, startup) for checking container health and controlling lifecycle.

Container Real User Monitoring (RUM)

Technique for capturing and analyzing real user interactions with containerized applications.

Container Restart Policies

Rules defining how containers should be restarted in case of failures or exits, enhancing application resilience.

Container Runtime

Software responsible for running containers, managing their lifecycle from creation to deletion.

Container Runtime Security

Measures and tools to protect containers during execution, preventing unauthorized access or malicious activities.

Container Shims

Lightweight processes that manage the lifecycle of containers and provide abstraction between runtimes.

Container Storage Interface (CSI)

Standardized interface for container orchestration platforms to interact with storage systems.

Container Storage Interface (CSI) Spec

Standard for developing storage plugins for container orchestration platforms, enabling storage extensibility.

Container Vulnerability Scanning

Process of identifying security vulnerabilities in container images and their dependencies.

Content Trust

Mechanism for verifying the integrity and authenticity of container images before deployment.

Continuous Deployment

Automated process of releasing container images to production environments after passing tests.

Continuous Verification

Ongoing process of validating deployed containers against defined policies and expectations.

Contiv-VPP for High-performance Networking

Container networking solution using VPP (Vector Packet Processing) for optimized performance.

Contract-First API Development

Approach prioritizing API definition before implementation, crucial for microservices architecture.

Control Groups (cgroups)

Linux kernel feature for limiting, prioritizing, and isolating resource usage of container groups.

Control Plane

Components managing the overall state of a container cluster, including API server, scheduler, and controllers.

Control Plane Upgrade

Process of updating the core components of a container orchestration system while maintaining cluster stability.

Controller Manager

Kubernetes component running controller processes to regulate the state of the cluster, maintaining desired state.

Controller Runtime

Software framework for building Kubernetes controllers and operators, simplifying custom resource management.

Conversion Webhooks

Kubernetes feature allowing custom resource API version conversions via external webhooks.

Copy-on-Write (CoW)

Storage optimization technique used in container filesystems to reduce duplication and improve efficiency.

Cordon

Process of marking a node as unschedulable in Kubernetes, preventing new pods from being assigned to it.

CoreDNS

Flexible, extensible DNS server used for service discovery in Kubernetes clusters, replacing kube-dns.

Cortex

Horizontally scalable, multi-tenant, long-term storage for Prometheus metrics, enhancing monitoring capabilities.

Cortex for Multi-tenant Prometheus

Use of Cortex to provide isolated Prometheus monitoring for multiple users or teams in shared environments.

CronJob

Kubernetes object for creating time-based jobs, running containers on a schedule for automated tasks.

CronJob Patterns

Kubernetes patterns for running batch processes and scheduled tasks in containerized environments.

Cross-namespace Operators

Kubernetes operators capable of managing resources across multiple namespaces, enabling broader automation.

Custom Metrics API

Kubernetes API extension allowing pods to consume custom metrics for autoscaling and monitoring.

Custom Resource

Extension of the Kubernetes API that defines new, custom resource types specific to a cluster's needs.

Custom Resource Conversion

Process of converting custom resources between different API versions in Kubernetes, enabling API evolution.

Custom Resource Definition (CRD)

Kubernetes API extension allowing the definition of custom resources, enabling cluster customization.

Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs)

Kubernetes feature for extending the API with custom resources, enabling cluster customization.

Custom Resources

User-defined API objects in Kubernetes, extending the core functionality of the platform for specific use cases.

Custom Scheduler

Alternative or additional scheduler implementation for Kubernetes, allowing custom pod placement logic.

Custom Schedulers

Alternative scheduling implementations in Kubernetes for custom pod placement strategies, enabling specialized scheduling logic.

DNS for Services and Pods

Kubernetes feature providing DNS-based service discovery for containers within the cluster.

DPDK in Container Networks

Use of Data Plane Development Kit for high-performance packet processing in container networks.

DaemonSet

Kubernetes object ensuring that all (or some) nodes run a copy of a specific pod, useful for cluster-wide services.