Knowledge Base

The simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think and learn. AI encompasses various techniques including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.

A type of AI model trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like text. Examples include GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini. LLMs power chatbots, content generation, and code assistants.

A technique that combines LLMs with external knowledge retrieval to provide more accurate, up-to-date, and contextual responses. RAG systems use vector databases to store and retrieve relevant information.

An AI chatbot developed by OpenAI based on the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture. It can engage in conversations, answer questions, write code, and assist with various tasks.

A subset of AI that enables systems to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. ML algorithms build models from training data to make predictions or decisions.

A framework for developing applications powered by language models. It provides tools for prompt management, chains, agents, and integration with various LLMs and data sources.

A JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building user interfaces. React uses a component-based architecture and virtual DOM for efficient rendering. It's widely used for single-page applications (SPAs).

A React framework that enables server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and API routes. It provides built-in routing, image optimization, and excellent SEO capabilities.

A progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. Vue is known for its gentle learning curve, reactivity system, and single-file components. Nuxt.js extends Vue with SSR capabilities.

A JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 engine that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server. Node.js is popular for building scalable backend services, APIs, and real-time applications.

A typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript. TypeScript adds static type checking, interfaces, and other features that improve code quality and developer productivity.

Representational State Transfer API - an architectural style for designing networked applications. REST APIs use HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform CRUD operations on resources.

A query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need. Unlike REST, GraphQL provides a single endpoint and enables clients to specify the structure of the response.

A web application that uses modern web capabilities to deliver app-like experiences. PWAs can work offline, send push notifications, and be installed on devices like native apps.

Google's UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. Flutter uses Dart programming language and provides high-performance, beautiful UIs.

A framework for building native mobile apps using React and JavaScript. React Native allows developers to share code between iOS, Android, and web platforms while maintaining native performance.

Apple's programming language for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS development. Swift is known for its safety, speed, and modern syntax. SwiftUI is Apple's declarative UI framework built with Swift.

A modern programming language for Android development, officially supported by Google. Kotlin offers concise syntax, null safety, and full interoperability with Java.

Building applications that can run on multiple platforms (iOS, Android, web) from a single codebase. Popular frameworks include Flutter and React Native.

A set of practices combining software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten the development lifecycle and provide continuous delivery. DevOps emphasizes automation, collaboration, and monitoring.

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment - practices that automate the building, testing, and deployment of code. CI ensures code changes are regularly tested, while CD automates deployment to production.

A platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers. Containers package an application with all its dependencies, ensuring consistency across different environments.

An open-source container orchestration platform for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Kubernetes handles load balancing, self-healing, and rolling updates.

The world's most comprehensive cloud computing platform, offering over 200 services including computing, storage, databases, AI/ML, and more. AWS powers millions of applications worldwide.

An Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that allows you to define and provision cloud infrastructure using declarative configuration files. Terraform supports multiple cloud providers.

A cloud computing model where the cloud provider manages the infrastructure, automatically scaling resources as needed. Examples include AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Google Cloud Functions.

User Interface Design focuses on the visual elements of a product—colors, typography, buttons, icons, and layouts. Good UI design ensures the product is visually appealing and consistent.

User Experience Design focuses on the overall experience of using a product—how easy, efficient, and enjoyable it is. UX involves user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

A collection of reusable components, guidelines, and standards that ensure consistency across a product. Design systems include color palettes, typography, spacing, and component libraries.

A low-fidelity visual representation of a user interface, showing the basic structure and layout without detailed design. Wireframes help plan the information architecture and user flow.

A collaborative, cloud-based design tool for creating user interfaces, prototypes, and design systems. Figma allows real-time collaboration and is widely used in the design industry.

The systematic process of ensuring a product meets specified requirements and quality standards. QA involves planning, testing, and monitoring to prevent defects and improve quality.

Using software tools to execute tests automatically, reducing manual effort and improving test coverage. Popular tools include Cypress, Selenium, Playwright, and Jest.

Testing individual components or functions in isolation to ensure they work correctly. Unit tests are typically automated and run as part of the CI/CD pipeline.

End-to-End Testing validates the entire application flow from start to finish, simulating real user scenarios. E2E tests ensure all components work together correctly.

An iterative approach to project management and software development that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback. Agile methodologies include Scrum and Kanban.

An Agile framework for managing work through time-boxed iterations called sprints (usually 2 weeks). Scrum includes roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Team), ceremonies, and artifacts.

A fixed time period (typically 1-4 weeks) during which a specific set of work must be completed. At Semicolon Solution, we run 2-week sprints with Friday demos.

A version of a product with just enough features to be usable by early customers, who can then provide feedback for future development. MVPs help validate ideas quickly and cost-effectively.