AI app terms, in plain English

A code repository is the central, organized home where all of an app's source code lives. It tracks every change over time so a team can work on the same project without overwriting each other.

The frontend is the part of an app that people see and interact with, like the buttons, pages, and forms on a screen. It is everything the user touches directly.

The backend is the behind-the-scenes part of an app that stores data and does the real work after a user clicks a button. Users never see it, but it powers what they do see.

A database is an organized place where an app stores its information, such as customers, orders, and messages. It keeps data safe and lets the app find it quickly when needed.

Hosting means running your app on servers so it is available to people on the internet. Without hosting, your app would only exist on your own computer.

Deployment is the act of publishing a new version of your app so users can start using it. It is the moment your latest changes go live.

An API is a way for two pieces of software to talk to each other and share information or actions. It is like a messenger that lets one app request something from another.

A webhook is an automatic message one app sends to another the moment something happens, like a payment going through. It lets apps react to events in real time instead of constantly checking.

Authentication is the process of confirming who a user is, usually by checking their login and password. It answers the question "are you really who you say you are?"

Authorization decides what a user is allowed to do once they are logged in. It answers the question "now that we know who you are, what can you access?"

An AI model is software trained on large amounts of data so it can recognize patterns and make predictions or generate content. It is the engine behind features like chatbots and recommendations.

An LLM (large language model) is a type of AI trained to understand and produce human language. It powers tools that can write text, answer questions, and hold conversations.

A vector database is a special kind of database that stores information by meaning rather than exact words. It helps AI tools find related content even when the wording is different.

File storage is where an app keeps documents, images, videos, and other files. It lets your app save and retrieve those files reliably whenever they are needed.

Serverless means your app's code runs only when needed and the cloud provider handles the servers for you. You do not manage any machines and you pay only for what you use.

Cloud Run is a Google service that runs your app's code and automatically scales it up or down with demand. It removes the need to manage servers yourself.

Vercel is a service that publishes websites and web apps online and keeps them fast. It automatically goes live with new versions whenever your code changes.

Supabase is a ready-made backend that gives an app a database and user logins without building them from scratch. It is popular with teams that want to move quickly.

Retell AI helps businesses build AI voice agents that talk to callers naturally over the phone. It handles the speaking and listening so the AI can hold real conversations.

Twilio provides the phone and messaging connections apps use to send texts, make calls, and manage phone numbers. It links software to the real phone network.

OpenAI provides AI models, including ChatGPT, that can understand and write text and answer questions. Businesses connect to it to add smart, language-based features.

Claude is a family of AI models from Anthropic that can read, write, and reason with text. It is known for being helpful and careful with sensitive tasks.

Gemini is Google's family of AI models that can work with text, images, and more. It connects easily with other Google services for adding AI features.

Automation means setting up software to handle repetitive tasks on its own, without someone doing them by hand. It saves time and reduces mistakes on routine work.

A CRM (customer relationship management system) is a tool that keeps track of your contacts, deals, and conversations. It helps a team stay organized and follow up with customers at the right time.

A dashboard is a single screen that shows your most important numbers and information at a glance. It gives you a quick overview of how things are going without digging through reports.

Audit logs are records of who did what and when inside your app or system. They create a trail you can review later for security, troubleshooting, or compliance.

Secrets are sensitive pieces of information like passwords and API keys that an app needs but must keep hidden. They are stored securely so they are never exposed to the public.

Encryption scrambles information so that only authorized people can read it. It protects sensitive data even if someone manages to intercept or steal it.

A BAA (Business Associate Agreement) is a formal contract required under U.S. health privacy law when a vendor handles protected health information. It spells out how that vendor must safeguard the data.

"HIPAA aligned" means a product was designed with HIPAA's privacy and security controls in mind. It is not an automatic guarantee of compliance, which depends on how you set up and use the product and on having the right agreements in place.

SOC 2 is an independent audit that checks whether a company properly protects customer data. A SOC 2 report gives customers evidence that the vendor follows solid security practices.

A multi-tenant app is one shared system that serves many separate customers while keeping each customer's data private and walled off from the others. It is a common, efficient way to run software for many businesses at once.