| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A record | A DNS record that maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. |
| AAAA record | A DNS record that maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. |
| Alias | An additional name mapped to an existing site or mail destination; its behavior depends on the service. |
| Apex / root domain | The domain itself, such as example.com, without a subdomain prefix. |
| Authoritative DNS | The DNS service responsible for publishing a domain's records. |
| Authorization / EPP code | A private code used to authorize supported domain transfers. |
| Backup | A recoverable copy of data, with a known scope and date. |
| Bandwidth | The rate or capacity of a network connection, often measured in Mbps. Some hosting plans use this label for a monthly data-transfer allowance; check the units. |
| Data-transfer allowance | The volume of data a plan allows over a period, such as GB per month. This is different from storage and connection speed. |
| Cache | A retained copy of data or a response, used until refreshed or expired. |
| Certificate chain | Certificates that connect a website certificate to a trusted certificate authority. |
| CNAME record | A DNS record mapping one hostname to another hostname. |
| Control Center | Lucid's customer dashboard for hosting services, domains, account details, and supported website management tasks. |
| CSR | Certificate signing request: public request information generated with a corresponding private key. |
| Database | Structured application data, often managed through MariaDB or MySQL on web hosting. |
| DKIM | A method that signs outgoing mail so recipients can verify its signing domain. |
| DMARC | A policy and reporting framework that evaluates alignment with the visible email From domain. |
| DNS | Domain Name System: the system used to look up domain-related records. |
| DNS readiness | A recorded check that a website's relevant DNS points to the hosting service; it does not establish email, certificate, or application health. |
| DNSSEC | DNS signatures and trust records that allow validation of DNS answers. |
| Document root | The filesystem directory from which a particular website serves its public content. |
| Domain | A registered name used for services such as websites and email. |
| DS record | A record at the parent DNS zone that links to a signed child zone's key information. |
| FTP / FTPS | File Transfer Protocol and its TLS-protected form. Plain FTP does not protect credentials in transit. |
| Hosting | Server resources used to run a website and any included services. |
| Hosting service ID | The stable identifier shown for a hosting service, used to distinguish it from domains, websites, and individual orders. |
| HTTP status | A response code such as 200, 301, 404, or 500 that describes a web request's outcome. |
| HTTPS / TLS | Encrypted web transport with certificate-based identity checks. SSL is still used as a product label. |
| IMAP | Mail access that synchronizes messages and folders with the mail server. |
| Mail alias | An address that routes messages to another mailbox or destination. |
| MX record | A DNS record identifying the servers that accept mail for a domain. |
| Nameserver | A DNS server. Registrar nameserver settings delegate the domain to a DNS provider. |
| PHP | A server-side language used by WordPress and many other web applications. |
| POP3 | Mail retrieval protocol whose download and retention behavior depends on the client settings. |
| Primary domain | The domain selected for a hosting service's main setup. |
| Private key | Secret cryptographic material used with a certificate; do not publish or email it. |
| Propagation | Informal term for changes becoming visible as DNS updates and caches refresh. |
| Provisioning | Creating and configuring the purchased hosting service. |
| Quota | A resource limit, such as disk space or mailbox storage. |
| RDAP | Registration Data Access Protocol: a way to retrieve domain registration information. |
| Redemption | A post-expiry or deletion state in which some domains may need a restoration process. |
| Registrar | The company through which a domain's registration is managed. |
| Registrant | The person or organization recorded as the domain's registered name holder. |
| Registry | The operator responsible for a domain extension's registration system. |
| SFTP | SSH File Transfer Protocol, an encrypted file-transfer protocol distinct from FTPS. |
| SMTP | The protocol used to submit and relay outgoing email. |
| SPF | A DNS-published policy identifying permitted mail-sending infrastructure for a domain. |
| SSH | Encrypted remote access; shell access depends on the hosting account's permissions. |
| Staging | A separate testing copy of a website, isolated from production activity. |
| Subdomain | A name below a domain, such as shop.example.com. |
| Sub-server | A Virtualmin site managed beneath a parent virtual server, subject to account permissions. |
| TLD / extension | The ending of a domain name, such as .com; some purchase suffixes contain multiple labels. |
| TTL | Time to live: how long a DNS answer may remain cached. |
| TXT verification | A DNS text record containing a supplied value to prove control of a hostname before adding its website to hosting. |
| Virtual server | In Virtualmin, a managed domain/site configuration; the term does not imply a dedicated VPS. |
| Virtualmin | The hosting panel used to manage the domain's enabled website, database, and mail features. |
| Wildcard certificate | A certificate covering a matching level of subdomains; check separate apex coverage. |
Related: Start here, Frequently asked questions.
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