This site's jargon, explained without the jargon.

The encrypted version of the protocol that carries a page between browser and server: without the final S, anyone on the same network (a public Wi-Fi, for example) could read or alter what's being transmitted. This site forces HTTPS on every page, without exception.

The digital document that makes HTTPS possible: it proves the site really is what it claims to be, and supplies the key that encrypts the connection. "SSL" remains the common name, even though the technology actually in use today is called TLS. This is what the SSL Labs tool, referenced on the Proof page, checks and grades.

An instruction sent by the server telling the browser: "never connect to this site any other way than HTTPS, even if offered an http:// address". It closes a small window of vulnerability that would otherwise exist on the very first load.

A list of rules, sent by the server with every page, telling the browser precisely which scripts, styles and resources are allowed to run. It's one of the most effective defenses against malicious code injection: even if an unwanted script slipped in somewhere, the browser would refuse to run it.

An ordinary cookie, but set with attributes that limit the damage if it were intercepted: Secure (never sent outside HTTPS), HttpOnly (invisible to any script, even a malicious one) and SameSite (never sent from another site). The language cookie already set on this site follows that same spirit. The site's forms, for their part, are protected by a CSRF token (see that term).

A single-use, invisible code embedded in a form to verify that a request genuinely comes from the site's real page, not from a third-party site trying to act on a visitor's behalf without their knowledge. If it's missing or doesn't match, the request is rejected before it's even read. On this site, the forms (contact, quote) are protected this way: the token is signed and verified server-side, alongside a check on the request's origin.

A one-way fingerprint: you can compute the hash of a file or a password, but never recover the original from its hash. Useful for verifying a file hasn't been altered (two identical files always produce the same hash), without ever needing to keep the original to compare against.

The General Data Protection Regulation, the European law governing the collection and use of personal data since 2018. There's no official "GDPR certification": a site either complies or it doesn't, it's never a badge to display.

A cookie that tracks a visitor to build traffic statistics or ad targeting (Google Analytics is the best-known example). This site sets none: 0 cookies of that kind, a promise already stated publicly in the privacy policy.

Any piece of information that can identify a person, alone or combined with others: a name, an email, an IP address. That's the exact scope the GDPR governs, no more, no less.

The ability to switch provider without starting from scratch: recovering the code, the content, the access, and carrying on elsewhere. Guaranteed by contract for every AXIOM project (code handed over within 15 days on request, see the Terms of Sale); see also the comparison page, where this criterion varies widely between options.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international reference for digital accessibility. They come in three levels (A, AA, AAA) and successive versions (2.0, 2.1, 2.2): this site targets level AA of version 2.2, the tier generally treated as a reasonable goal, and the one most often legally required.

The brightness gap between a piece of text and its background, measured as a ratio (e.g. 4.5:1). Below a certain threshold, text becomes hard to read for someone with low vision, or simply in direct sunlight on a phone screen.

Software that reads a page's content aloud, used notably by blind or low-vision people (VoiceOver on iPhone/Mac, NVDA or JAWS on Windows). A site can look correct visually while remaining unreadable by this kind of tool if it's poorly structured.

The ability to browse and use a site entirely without a mouse: Tab to move to the next interactive element, Enter to confirm, Escape to close a panel. A necessity for some people with motor disabilities, and a good general indicator of a site's rigor.

A short description, invisible on screen but read aloud by a screen reader, attached to every image that carries information. A purely decorative icon, by contrast, should be explicitly hidden from those same tools, so it never clutters a reading for nothing.

A hosting plan where several sites share the same server resources: cheaper than a dedicated server, but with fewer settings directly accessible.

A piece of code written by someone else, built into the site rather than rewritten from scratch. Each one provides a real service, but is also one more thing to keep an eye on (a discovered vulnerability, an abandoned project). This site exposes no CMS and no third-party extension to what you actually visit: a single server-side dependency, invisible, reserved for sending emails.

A "content management system" (WordPress is the best-known example): an interface that lets you edit a site's text and images yourself without touching the code. This site isn't one by default; some degree of content autonomy can be added depending on the project, see the comparison page for the detail of that trade-off.

A "programming interface": the entry point through which two systems exchange data without a human stepping in. On this site, the server diagnostic on the Proof page calls an internal API on every domain check, while the price estimator, by contrast, computes everything directly in the browser, without ever calling it.

The unique web address that gives access to a site (e.g. axiomtruenorth.com). It has to be renewed every year, or the site becomes unreachable overnight.

Three metrics defined by Google to measure a page's real-world experience: how fast the main content appears, how visually stable the page stays while loading (nothing jumping around at the last moment), and how responsive it is to first interactions. They also factor into search ranking.

A simple file that lists a site's addresses, to help a search engine discover all of them rather than relying only on internal links.

Markup invisible on screen, embedded in the page's code, that describes its content in a vocabulary search engines understand directly (a company's name, an FAQ question...). Never information displayed nowhere else: what's marked up here always matches what's actually shown on the page.

The total amount of data transferred to display a page: the HTML, but also the fonts, images and scripts it loads. A figure genuinely measured in each visitor's browser, never estimated.

Search Engine Optimization: the set of techniques that improve a site's visibility in natural search results, without ever paying to appear there, unlike an ad.

The visible part of a site, the part a visitor interacts with directly: layout, interface, interactions.

The hidden part of a site, handling business logic, sending emails, or calling APIs: never directly visible, but essential to how it runs.

The JavaScript library used to build this site's interface: it breaks the page down into reusable components rather than writing everything in a single file.

An extension of JavaScript that adds static typing: coding errors get caught before the code even runs, rather than discovered once the site is live.

The CSS framework used to style this site through predefined utility classes, rather than writing a separate stylesheet for every component.

The design approach that lets a site automatically adapt to the visitor's screen size: mobile, tablet or desktop, from one single codebase.

The unique 14-digit number that identifies a business establishment in France. Findable on this site in the footer and in the legal notices.

The legal status AXIOM TrueNorth operates under: a sole proprietorship with reduced administrative steps and simplified taxation.

The document detailing proposed services, their price and their conditions, before any client commitment. Always free and without obligation at AXIOM TrueNorth.

A page designed specifically to convert a visitor into a lead or customer, typically as part of a marketing campaign.

UX (User Experience) refers to the visitor's overall experience; UI (User Interface) refers to the graphical interface itself. Both are complementary in creating a pleasant, effective site.