Vocabulary: Lessons 1 & 2
📚 Key Terms and Concepts
This vocabulary guide covers important terms and concepts from Lesson 1: VSCode Installation and Introduction and Lesson 2: Create a Local Git Repository and Connect to GitHub.
🖥️ VSCode Terms (Lesson 1)
VSCode (Visual Studio Code)
- A free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft
- Provides features like syntax highlighting, debugging, and extensions
- Popular among web developers for its lightweight design and powerful features
IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
- A software application that provides comprehensive tools for software development
- Combines code editing, debugging, and other development tools in one interface
- VSCode is considered a lightweight IDE
Extension
- A software add-on that adds new features or functionality to VSCode
- Can provide language support, themes, debugging tools, and more
- Installed through the Extensions marketplace in VSCode
Terminal
- A text-based interface for running commands on your computer
- In VSCode, it’s an integrated terminal that allows you to run commands without leaving the editor
- Accessible via
Ctrl+` (backtick) or View → Terminal
File Explorer
- The left sidebar in VSCode that shows your project files and folders
- Allows you to navigate, create, rename, and delete files
- Shows the folder structure of your current project
Editor
- The main area in VSCode where you write and edit code
- Supports multiple tabs for working with different files
- Provides features like syntax highlighting and auto-completion
🔧 Git and GitHub Terms (Lesson 2)
Git
- A distributed version control system for tracking changes in source code
- Allows multiple people to work on the same project
- Keeps a complete history of all changes made to files
Repository (Repo)
- A directory that contains your project files and Git tracking information
- Can be local (on your computer) or remote (on a server like GitHub)
- Contains all the files, folders, and version history for a project
Local Repository
- A Git repository that exists on your computer
- Contains your working files and the
.git folder with version history
- Created using
git init
Remote Repository
- A Git repository that exists on a remote server (like GitHub)
- Serves as a backup and allows collaboration with others
- Connected to your local repo using
git remote add
GitHub
- A web-based platform for hosting Git repositories
- Provides features like issue tracking, pull requests, and project management
- Allows you to share code and collaborate with others
Commit
- A snapshot of your project at a specific point in time
- Records changes you’ve made to files
- Each commit has a unique identifier and a message describing the changes
Push
- The act of sending your local commits to a remote repository
- Updates the remote repository with your latest changes
- Uses
git push command
Branch
- A separate line of development within a repository
- Allows you to work on features without affecting the main code
- The default branch is usually called
main or master
Origin
- The default name for the remote repository you’re connected to
- Usually points to your GitHub repository
- Set up using
git remote add origin [URL]
Upstream
- The remote branch that your local branch tracks
- Set up using
git push -u origin main
- Allows you to use
git push and git pull without specifying the remote
📁 File System Terms
Directory/Folder
- A container that holds files and other folders
- Used to organize your project structure
- Created using
mkdir command
Path
- The location of a file or folder in the file system
- Can be absolute (from root) or relative (from current location)
- Examples:
/Users/username/projects/my-website or ./index.html
Current Directory
- The folder you’re currently working in
- Shown by the
pwd command
- Referenced as
. in commands
Parent Directory
- The folder that contains the current directory
- Referenced as
.. in commands
- Used to navigate up in the file system
🎯 Command Line Terms
Terminal/Command Line
- A text-based interface for interacting with your computer
- Allows you to run commands and navigate the file system
- Can be opened independently or within VSCode
Command
- An instruction you give to the computer via the terminal
- Examples:
ls, cd, git init, mkdir
- Usually followed by options or arguments
Argument
- Additional information you provide to a command
- Examples:
mkdir my-website (where my-website is the argument)
- Tells the command what to act upon
Flag/Option
- A modifier that changes how a command behaves
- Usually starts with
- or --
- Examples:
ls -la, git commit -m "message"
🔗 Web Development Terms
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
- The standard markup language for creating web pages
- Defines the structure and content of a webpage
- Files typically have
.html extension
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- A style sheet language used for describing the presentation of HTML documents
- Controls layout, colors, fonts, and other visual aspects
- Files typically have
.css extension
index.html
- The default file name for the main page of a website
- Usually the first file visitors see when they visit your site
- Contains the basic structure of your webpage
💡 Pro Tips
- Take notes on new terms as you encounter them
- Practice using these terms in context
- Don’t worry if you don’t remember everything at first
- Refer back to this guide when you need a refresher
- Build your vocabulary gradually as you work through the lessons