Tech terms, plain language.

The process of creating an app — designing screens, writing code, and connecting everything together. With Appzentic, AI does this for you based on your description.

Running your app to check that it works correctly before releasing it to real users. Like proofreading an email before you send it.

Converting your app's source code into a single installable file that a phone can run. Like baking — ingredients (code) go in, a finished product (APK or IPA) comes out.

Submitting your packaged app to Google Play or the App Store so that users around the world can find and download it.

How your app reaches users. Options include app stores (public), TestFlight (iOS beta testing), direct APK download (Android), or enterprise deployment (internal company use).

The human-readable text files that contain all the instructions for your app. Like a recipe — the AI writes it, you own it, and you can take it anywhere.

An app built specifically for iOS or Android using that platform's own language (Swift or Kotlin). Runs faster and feels more natural than a web app disguised as a native app.

A fake "native" app that's actually just a website displayed inside a plain container. Slower, less capable, and not accepted by some app stores. Appzentic does not build these.

A computer that's always on and connected to the internet, storing your app's data and handling requests from users. Like a kitchen that never closes — it processes orders 24/7.

The hidden server-side part of your app — handles user accounts, stores data, and processes business logic. Users never see it, but it powers everything.

The part of your app that users see and interact with — screens, buttons, forms. On mobile, this is the Swift or Kotlin code. On web, it's the HTML/CSS/JavaScript.

The "waiter" between your app and the server. Your app tells the API what it needs, the API fetches it from the database and brings it back. Lets your iOS, Android, and web apps all share the same data.

The human-friendly address for your app on the internet (e.g., myapp.com or myapp.appzentic.com). Without it, users would have to type a string of numbers to reach your app.

A security credential that encrypts the connection between your app and its users. The padlock icon you see in a browser means SSL is active. Required for any app that handles user data.

The internet's phone book. It translates domain names (myapp.com) into the actual server addresses (numbers) that computers use to find each other.

Files stored on remote servers rather than on your own computer — user profile pictures, video uploads, documents. Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Publishing your web app to a server so anyone with the URL can access it in a browser. After a web deploy, your app is live on the internet.

Launching your backend code on a server so your mobile and web apps can connect to it. Without an API deploy, your app's frontend has no data to display.

A temporary, private address where your web app and backend run so you can look at them immediately — before any build or deploy. Think of it as a dress rehearsal: quick to start, only for you, and thrown away when you're done.

Code that runs automatically on a timer instead of when a user taps something — a nightly sales report, an hourly price check, a weekly email digest. Named after the long-standing Unix scheduler, cron.

The technology behind real-time voice and video calls in apps — the same family of tech used by Google Meet and WhatsApp calls. It connects two devices directly to each other so audio and video travel with as little delay as possible.

The helpers that make WebRTC calls actually connect. Most phones sit behind home or mobile networks that block direct connections; STUN works out how to reach a device, and TURN relays the call when a direct link is impossible. Without them, calls fail for a large share of real users. Appzentic runs both, so your call app works out of the box.

Broadcasting video as it happens rather than uploading a finished file. The broadcaster publishes a stream (usually over a protocol called RTMP) to a media server, which relays it to everyone watching. Appzentic includes a shared streaming server for prototypes — enough for a demo and a handful of viewers, not a public launch.

Automatic email your app sends to one person because of something they did — a signup verification code, a password reset, an order confirmation. Different from marketing email, and sent through a dedicated service so it reliably lands in the inbox.

A locked-down space where a program runs with no access to anything outside it. Every app built on Appzentic runs inside one, with its own memory and CPU limits — so one app misbehaving can't reach another app's files or slow down the platform.

One conversation with the AI, together with all the code it produced. Each app you build lives in its own session — so switching projects means switching sessions, and the AI picks up that project's full history.

The kind of AI that understands and writes language — and, importantly here, code. Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, GLM, and Kimi are all LLMs. Each has different strengths; on Appzentic you choose which one works on your app.

Using your own account with an AI provider instead of Appzentic's. You paste in a key, and your chats bill to you rather than counting against your daily message allowance. Useful if you want to work heavily without upgrading your plan.

What you type to the AI. A good prompt says what you want and why, not how to code it — "users should be able to save a recipe and see it offline" works better than technical instructions.

A web app that loads once and then updates the screen without full page reloads, so it feels smooth like a phone app. Built with frameworks like React or Vue — both supported on Appzentic when your web app needs more than simple pages.

The two most widely used tools for building interactive web interfaces. You don't need to know either — but if your web app has a lot of moving parts, the AI will reach for one of them, and the resulting code is standard enough that any web developer can pick it up later.

Popular frameworks for building an app's backend — FastAPI for Python, Spring Boot for Java. Go uses its own standard tooling. All three are supported; the AI picks one based on your app, or uses whichever you ask for.

Optional tracking inside your own app that tells you how many people opened it, on which platform, and how many came back the next day. Off by default — you decide whether your app collects it.

An organized system for storing and retrieving data. Like a very organized filing cabinet — you can quickly find any record, update it, or delete it.

Stores data in rows and columns, like a spreadsheet — but with multiple related sheets. Good for structured data: orders, users, products, payments. Examples: MySQL, PostgreSQL. Best for: e-commerce, finance, anything with complex relationships.

Stores data as flexible JSON documents — like a collection of forms where each one can have slightly different fields. No rigid table structure needed. Example: MongoDB. Best for: content-heavy apps, social platforms, apps with varied data structures.

The fastest type of storage — stores simple pairs (like "username → session token"). Lives in memory, not disk, so it's extremely quick. Example: Redis. Best for: speeding up your app by storing frequently accessed data so the database isn't hit every time.

The installable file format for Android apps — like a .exe on Windows. You can share it directly as a download link or submit it to Google Play. Scan the QR code in your build results to install it on your Android phone.

A newer Android package format required by Google Play. Instead of one big APK, Google uses the AAB to generate an optimized APK for each device — smaller download size, better performance for end users.

The installable file format for iPhone and iPad apps — the iOS equivalent of an APK. Required for App Store submission and TestFlight distribution.

Apple's official platform for distributing iOS apps before they're on the App Store. You send an email invitation to your testers; they download the TestFlight app and install your build. Supports up to 10,000 testers. Free, but requires an Apple Developer account.

Your iPhone's unique hardware fingerprint — a long string of letters and numbers that identifies your specific device. Required when distributing an iOS app via Ad Hoc — only registered UDIDs can install the build. Found by connecting your iPhone to a Mac with Finder or iTunes.

An iOS distribution method where you install the app directly on specific registered devices (identified by UDID) without going through the App Store. Limited to 100 devices per year per Apple Developer account. Good for small-scale testing.

The official stores where users discover, download, and update apps. Google Play (Android) charges a one-time $25 registration fee. The App Store (iOS) charges $99/year. Both require app review before an app goes live.

A digital credential that proves an app was built by you and hasn't been tampered with. Required before any iOS or Android app can be distributed. Think of it as a wax seal that guarantees authenticity. When you publish under your own developer account, you provide your certificate to Appzentic for the build.

An iOS-specific file that links your app, your signing certificate, and the devices or distribution method it's authorized for. Works together with your .p12 certificate. Required for all iOS builds — whether for testing or App Store submission.

The Android signing key used to submit app updates to Google Play. It must be identical for every release you ever publish — a new key is treated as a different app. Appzentic generates one for you per app; download it from My Profile → Android and store it somewhere safe, because losing it means never being able to update that listing again.

Google's service that holds the final signing key for your app on your behalf. You sign uploads with your upload key, Google re-signs them for distribution. The benefit: if your upload key is ever lost or stolen, Google can reset it — without it, a lost key would end the app permanently.

A small settings file that iOS can install — the same mechanism company IT departments use to configure work iPhones. Appzentic uses one only to read your device's UDID so builds can be signed for your phone. It cannot see your photos, messages, or location, and you can delete it right after registering.

A credential from your Apple developer account that lets tools sign and upload apps on your behalf, without sharing your Apple ID password. Add one if you want builds signed under your own Apple team rather than Appzentic's shared one.

A paid Apple membership ($99/year) required to distribute iOS apps through TestFlight or the App Store. Without one, you can still build and test your app internally using Appzentic's shared account — but to publish under your own name on the App Store, you need your own.

A video streaming protocol that splits long videos into small chunks and adapts quality based on the viewer's internet speed. Instead of waiting for an entire video to download, playback starts almost immediately. Used in Appzentic's video apps for smooth, buffer-free viewing.

A web app with some app-like features — can be "installed" on your home screen and sometimes works offline. But it's still a web app at heart, not a native app, and can't access all phone hardware features.