When you’re in the development world long enough, you start getting used to the lingo — so much so that it almost becomes background noise. Terms thrown around in meetings or team chats start to feel second nature, and you barely stop to think about what they actually mean anymore.
Backend
What it sounds like: Something you pull a hamstring trying to stretch.
What it actually is: The secret underground bunker of your app. It’s where all the real work happens — databases, logic, API spells — but no one ever sees it… unless it breaks.
Frontend
What it sounds like: The face you put on before a Zoom call.
What it actually is: The glammed-up part of your app that users interact with. It’s like putting makeup on a robot. Underneath? Still mostly chaos.
Is my front end ok?
🐛 Bugs
What it sounds like: Harmless little insects.
What it actually is: Evil digital gremlins hiding in your code, waiting to break things 5 minutes before the demo. Often found nesting in “that one line I didn’t touch.”
🧪 Works on My Local
What it sounds like: A farmer talking about his tractor.
What it actually is: Developer for: “It’s your problem now.” Translation: it works perfectly on my machine, and if it doesn’t work on yours, it’s obviously your environment’s fault. Probably the moon’s alignment too.
🔁 Hit the Restart
What it sounds like: Motivational life advice.
What it actually is: The modern version of “turn it off and on again.” Solves 90% of tech issues, 0% of emotional ones.
🧙♂️ Deploy
What it sounds like: Sending troops into battle.
What it actually is: A ritual sacrifice of code to the production gods. Can either go smoothly or trigger an emergency team meeting at 2am. No in-between.
💻 Full Stack Developer
What it sounds like: A well-fed pancake.
What it actually is: Someone who codes the backend, frontend, database, fixes the printer, resets your password, and still gets blamed when something crashes.
📦 API
What it sounds like: Something you yell when you stub your toe.
What it actually is: The diplomatic translator between different apps. They say: “Here’s your data, sir.” But they really mean: “Give me the right request format or I’ll return NULL and ruin your day.”
🛠️ Refactor
What it sounds like: Something they do to old buildings.
What it actually is: The fine art of rewriting your own code while judging past-you harshly. Also known as “How did I ever think this was a good idea?”
Have you got a fav?
