SFTP
/ˌɛs-ɛf-ti-ˈpi/
n. “Securely moving files without looking over your shoulder.”
SFTP, short for SSH File Transfer Protocol or sometimes Secure File Transfer Protocol, is a network protocol that provides secure file transfer capabilities over the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol. Unlike traditional FTP, which sends data in plaintext, SFTP encrypts both commands and data, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in transit.
File Transfer Protocol
/ˌɛf-ti-ˈpi/
n. “Moving files, one connection at a time.”
FTP, short for File Transfer Protocol, is one of the oldest network protocols designed to transfer files between a client and a server over a TCP/IP network. Dating back to the 1970s, it established a standardized way for computers to send, receive, and manage files remotely, long before cloud storage and modern APIs existed.
XMLHttpRequest
/ˌɛks-ɛm-ɛl-ˌhɪt-ti-pi rɪˈkwɛst/
n. “Old school, but still gets the job done.”
XMLHttpRequest, often abbreviated as XHR, is a JavaScript API that enables web browsers to send HTTP requests to servers and receive responses without needing to reload the entire page. Introduced in the early 2000s, it became the backbone of what we now call AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), allowing dynamic updates and interactive web applications.
fetch
/fɛtʃ/
v. “Go get it — straight from the source.”
fetch is a modern JavaScript API for making network requests, replacing older mechanisms like XMLHttpRequest. It provides a clean, promise-based interface to request resources such as HTML, JSON, or binary data from servers, making asynchronous operations much more readable and manageable.
Client for URL
/kərl/
n. “Talk to the internet without a browser.”
cURL, Client for URL, is a command-line tool and library (libcurl) for transferring data with URLs. It supports a vast array of protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, and more, making it a Swiss Army knife for internet communication and scripting.
Create, Read, Update, Delete
/krʊd/
n. “Create, Read, Update, Delete — the alphabet of persistent data.”
CRUD is an acronym representing the four fundamental operations that can be performed on persistent storage or resources in a database or application: Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These operations form the backbone of most software systems, allowing users and applications to manage data effectively.
REST
/rɛst/
n. “Architect it once, call it anywhere.”
REST, short for Representational State Transfer, is an architectural style for designing networked applications. It emphasizes a stateless client-server communication model where resources are identified by URIs, and interactions are carried out using standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE.
DELETE
/dɪ-ˈliːt/
n. “Gone. No take-backs.”
DELETE is an HTTP request method used to remove a resource from a server. When a client issues a DELETE request to a specific URI, the server is instructed to permanently remove that resource, or at least mark it as deleted depending on implementation. Unlike PATCH or PUT, which modify resources, DELETE is purely destructive — its purpose is removal.
PATCH
/pætʃ/
n. “Fix it, tweak it, change just what’s needed.”
PATCH is an HTTP request method used to apply partial modifications to a resource on a server. Unlike PUT, which replaces the entire resource, PATCH allows clients to send only the fields or sections that need updating. This makes PATCH ideal for efficient updates where only a small portion of a resource has changed.
PUT
/pʊt/
n. “Replace it, overwrite it, make it exactly this.”
PUT is an HTTP request method used to update or replace a resource on a server with the data provided in the request body. Unlike POST, which typically creates a new resource or triggers an action, PUT is idempotent — sending the same request multiple times results in the same state on the server without creating duplicates.