codex-lv2-may-2025

Glossary of Key Terms

A

AI Chatbot

An artificial intelligence program designed to simulate conversation with human users, often to provide information, complete tasks, or offer guidance. → Related: Inference (AI), Prompt Engineering, Text Generation (AI)

API Token

A unique, secret key used to authenticate and authorize access to an API. Acts as a digital password. → Related: Secret Variables, Postman

B

Bootstrap

A CSS framework for responsive, mobile-first front-end development. Includes Grid System, Typography, Container, and utilities. → Related: Flex (Flexbox), Column Design, Breakpoint

Breakpoint

A screen size where the website layout adapts for responsiveness. → Related: Bootstrap, Mobile-First

C

Callback Function

A function passed as an argument to another function, often used in asynchronous programming. → Related: Event Handler, Draw Loop (Game Development)

Camel Case

A naming style where the first word is lowercase and subsequent words are capitalized (e.g., myFunctionName). → Related: Snake Case

Class Attribute

An HTML attribute assigning class names to elements for styling and selection. → Related: CSS, ID Attribute, Parent-Child Structure

Code.org

An educational platform for K–12 computer science. → Related: getText, setText, onEvent

Collision (Game Development)

When two or more objects/sprites touch, triggering game logic. → Related: Sprite, Draw Loop (Game Development)

Column Design

A technique that organizes content into vertical sections. → Related: Bootstrap, Grid System

Commit (Git)

A snapshot of project changes in Git. Identified by a Hash. → Related: git commit, Diff (Git), GitHub

Concatenate (String Concatenation)

Joining two or more strings together (e.g., "Hello" + "World"). → Related: String

Configuration File

A file specifying initial settings for software. → Related: Secret Variables

Console Log

console.log() outputs values/messages to the browser’s developer console. → Related: Debugging

Container (Bootstrap)

A wrapper element in Bootstrap for layout control. → Related: Bootstrap

Counter Pattern

A programming pattern for incrementing or decrementing a variable (e.g., scores, loops). → Related: Variables

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

A language for styling web pages. → Related: Class Attribute, ID Attribute, Flex (Flexbox), Opacity (CSS)

D

Debugging

Finding and fixing software errors. → Related: Syntax Error, Console Log

Destructure

JavaScript syntax to unpack values from arrays/objects into variables. → Related: Pojo (Plain Old JavaScript Object)

Diff (Git)

Shows differences between two versions of files. → Related: Commit (Git), git status, GitHub

Div Tag (<div>)

An HTML container element with no effect until styled. → Related: Tag (HTML), Parent-Child Structure

Draw Loop (Game Development)

A repeating loop that updates game state and redraws visuals. → Related: Sprite, Collision (Game Development)

E

Emmet

A text editor plugin that expands shorthand into full HTML/CSS code. → Related: HTML, CSS

Event Handler

Code that runs when an event (click, key press, load) occurs. → Related: Callback Function, onEvent (Code.org)

F

Fireworks (Company)

A company mentioned in AI inference context. → Related: Inference (AI), Text Generation (AI)

Flex (Flexbox)

A CSS layout system for aligning and distributing items. Used in Bootstrap’s grid. → Related: Grid System, Float (CSS)

Float (CSS)

A CSS property to position elements to the left or right. → Related: Flex (Flexbox)

Function Signature

Definition of a function: name, return type, parameters. → Related: Parameter

G

getText (Code.org)

A block to retrieve text from input fields. → Related: setText, onEvent

git add

Stages file changes for the next commit. → Related: git commit, Commit (Git)

git clone

Creates a copy of a Git repository. → Related: GitHub

git commit

Saves staged changes to repository history. → Related: Commit (Git)

git init

Creates a new Git repository.

git pull

Updates local repo with remote changes. → Related: git push

git push

Sends local commits to remote repo. → Related: git pull

git status

Shows staged, unstaged, and untracked files. → Related: Diff (Git)

GitHub

A platform for hosting Git repositories and collaboration. → Related: Commit (Git), git clone, Hash (Git)

Global Variable

A variable accessible throughout a program. → Related: Variables

Grid System (Bootstrap)

A responsive 12-column system for layouts. → Related: Bootstrap, Flex (Flexbox), Column Design

H

Hash (Git)

Unique identifier for each commit (SHA-1). → Related: Commit (Git)

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

The standard markup for web pages. → Related: Tag (HTML), Div Tag

I

ID Attribute

HTML attribute for unique element identifiers. → Related: Class Attribute

if Statement

A conditional block that executes only if true.

Indentation

Spaces/tabs to structure code for readability.

Inference (AI)

Using a trained model to predict outputs. → Related: AI Chatbot, Text Generation (AI)

L

Live Server

Local dev server that auto-refreshes browser on file save.

M

Mkdir (Make Directory)

Command-line utility to create folders.

Mobile-First

Designing primarily for mobile, then scaling up. → Related: Breakpoint

Multiple Screens

Handling different views in apps/games.

O

onEvent (Code.org)

Runs code when an event occurs on a UI element. → Related: Event Handler

Opacity (CSS)

CSS property that controls transparency.

P

Parameter

Variable passed to a function. → Related: Function Signature

Parent-Child Structure (HTML/CSS)

Hierarchical relationship between HTML elements. → Related: Div Tag, Tag (HTML)

Pojo (Plain Old JavaScript Object)

Simple data-holding object without methods. → Related: Destructure

Postman

Tool for testing/documenting APIs. → Related: API Token

Prompt Engineering

Crafting prompts for AI to optimize responses. → Related: AI Chatbot

Properties (Programming)

Attributes of objects/elements. → Related: Sprite

S

setProperty (Code.org)

Changes a UI element property.

setText (Code.org)

Sets text inside a UI element.

Secret Variables

Hidden environment variables (e.g., API keys). → Related: API Token, Configuration File

Self-Paced

Work/learning at one’s own speed.

Semicolon

Statement terminator in many languages.

Snake Case

Naming convention using underscores (e.g., my_variable). → Related: Camel Case

Sprite

2D image/animation in games. → Related: Collision (Game Development), Draw Loop (Game Development)

String

Sequence of text characters. → Related: Concatenate

Syntax Error

Code error due to rule violation. → Related: Debugging

T

Tag (HTML)

Keywords in angle brackets (e.g., <p>). → Related: HTML

Terminal

Text-based interface for system commands. → Related: Mkdir

Text Generation (AI)

AI task of producing human-like text. → Related: AI Chatbot, Inference (AI)

Typography (Bootstrap)

Text styles and formatting in Bootstrap. → Related: Bootstrap

U

Undefined (Error)

Error when variable exists but has no value.

V

Variables

Named storage for values in programs. → Related: Global Variable, Counter Pattern

VS Code (Visual Studio Code)

Microsoft’s popular code editor with Git, debugging, extensions.