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Glossaries

Terms

API

  • Plural: APIs
  • Expansion: Application Programming Interface

A set of defined rules and protocols that enables different software applications to communicate with each other, bypassing the need for a human user interface.

Argument

  • Plural: Arguments
  • Abbreviation: Arg / Args

The actual values passed into a function when it is invoked or called.

argument1 = 10
argument2 = 194

def add(parameter1, parameter2):
    x = parameter1 + parameter2
    print(x)

add(argument1, argument2)

Function

  • Plural: Functions
  • Abbreviation: Func

A self-contained block of reusable code designed to perform a specific, well-defined task.

Hash

  • Plural: Hashes
  • Abbreviation: N/A

A fixed-length string of characters generated by a mathematical algorithm from an input of any size.

Key Features:

  1. Deterministic: The exact same input always produces the exact same output.
  2. Fixed Size: Regardless of input size, the resulting hash length is constant.
  3. One-Way: It is computationally infeasible to reverse the process to retrieve the original data.
  4. Avalanche Effect: Even a microscopic change in the input yields a radically different hash output.

Parameters

  • Plural: Parameters
  • Abbreviation: Param / Params

The named variables listed inside a function's definition that accept incoming arguments.

argument1 = 10
argument2 = 194

def add(parameter1, parameter2):
    x = parameter1 + parameter2
    print(x)

add(argument1, argument2)

Repository

  • Plural: Repositories
  • Abbreviation: Repo

A centralized storage location used for keeping, organizing, and managing files, data, or source code versions.

Shell

  • Plural: Shells
  • Abbreviation: N/A

A command-line interpreter that exposes an operating system's services to a user or program, facilitating text-based command execution.

Standard Error (STDERR)

  • Plural: STDERR streams
  • Abbreviation: STDERR

The default communication channel where a program writes error messages, diagnostic data, and failure logs.

Standard Input (STDIN)

  • Plural: STDIN streams
  • Abbreviation: STDIN

The default communication channel through which a program receives input data, typically from the keyboard or piped from another command.

Standard Output (STDOUT)

  • Plural: STDOUT streams
  • Abbreviation: STDOUT

The default communication channel where a program writes its normal output data or results.

Tag

  • Plural: Tags
  • Abbreviation: N/A

A metadata label, marker, or identifier attached to an object to categorize, track, or sort it within a specific system.