Real-time technology glossary

A 502 error code, also known as a 502 Bad Gateway error, is an HTTP status code indicating a server problem. Specifically, it means that one server on the network received an invalid response from another server.

Learn about Amazon Elastic File System, its functionalities, and use cases. Find how it provides scalable, highly available, and elastic storage solutions for various applications.

Apache Camel is an open-source framework for building enterprise integration patterns (EIPs) and routing messages between different software systems. It provides a rule-based routing and mediation engine that allows you to define routing and processing rules in domain-specific languages, such as Java, XML, or Groovy.

API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules, protocols, and tools that allow different software applications to communicate.

APNs, or Apple Push Notification Service, is a service created by Apple that allows third-party developers to send notifications from their servers to iOS devices (iPhone, iPad), macOS devices, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. It is crucial for delivering real-time alerts and updates to users, such as messages, app alerts, and notifications for other relevant events.

The application layer, situated at the topmost level of both the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model and the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) stack, is fundamental to backend development. Its primary role is to deliver high-level functionalities and interfaces that enable backend applications to access network services effectively.

Assembly line automation uses automated systems to carry out the various steps involved in the assembly process.

Augmented Analytics is the integration of AI-enabled cognitive services (natural language processing, knowledge engines) to provide a new way to analyze, process, crunch, and derive insights from data.

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, server, app or device to proceed to log in to a system and access its resources.

Authorization is the process of granting permissions to a user, application, or server to access and modify resources on a system.

AWS AppSync is an Amazon Web Service for developing scalable, secure, real-time applications. It employs GraphQL for data querying, manipulation, and integration from multiple data sources.

Understand AWS CloudTrail, a service recording AWS API calls, assisting in governance, compliance, operational auditing, and risk auditing. Discover its uses for security analysis, troubleshooting, and effective change management.

Learn about AWS CloudWatch, a service for monitoring AWS resources and applications. Understand how it collects data, and supports troubleshooting, resource optimization, and security audits.

Cloudcraft is an Amazon web-based tool for designing cloud architecture diagrams. It's primarily used by architects, developers, and system administrators to visualize their cloud infrastructure.

AWS CodeDeploy is a fully managed deployment service that automates software deployments to compute services like Amazon EC2 instances, AWS Lambda functions, or other instances running on-premises.

AWS Direct Connect is a cloud service that establishes a dedicated network connection from your premises to AWS, bypassing public internet for consistent performance.

An explanation of AWS EventBridge, detailing its purpose, operation, common use cases, and how it fits within event-driven architecture and alongside other event bus services.

AWS FSx is a managed file storage service offered by Amazon Web Services. Learn how this service integrates with existing applications, its uses, and its core features.

A look at AWS SNS, a managed publish-subscribe messaging service from Amazon Web Services. It decouples microservices and distributed systems and enables large-scale notifications.

Dive into AWS Step Functions, a service for orchestrating AWS Lambda functions and various AWS services. Learn about its functioning, use cases, and how to integrate it with PubNub.

Azure Application Gateway, as a part of Microsoft Azure’s cloud services, distributes web traffic to applications. It includes features like URL-based routing, secure sockets layer termination, and a Web Application Firewall.

The term "backend" in computing and software development refers to the server-side of an application or website. It manages the application's logic, database interactions, user authentication, and server configuration.

A polling backend is a method used in software systems and networking to regularly check for updates or changes in the state of a resource or service. This is commonly used in various applications, especially in real-time data processing, user interfaces, and asynchronous programming.

Batching requests is the process of combining API calls or data to decrease the amount of requests a client has to make.

BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless, and highly scalable data warehouse service provided by Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It's primarily used by developers, and data analysts to visualize their data.

Bidirectional-streams Over Synchronous HTTP (BOSH) is a transport protocol that creates bi-directional TCP connectivity between client and server.

BAA (Business Associate Agreement) is a contract between a HIPAA-covered entity (the organization who is delivering the product), and HIPAA business associates (the organization or vendor working with the entity to store, transmit, or process PHI).

Container as a Service (CaaS) is a cloud service model providing users with container-based virtualization. It allows developers and IT departments to upload, organize, run, scale, manage, and stop containers using containerization & microservices technologies.

A Chat API is a collection of programmable building blocks that can be used to provide real-time chat features to an application or website.

CIS benchmarks are industry-standard guidelines developed by the Center for Internet Security (CIS) to help organizations secure their systems against cybersecurity threats. These benchmarks recommended security configurations and best practices for various operating systems, software applications, and network devices.

Collaborative applications enable multiple users to interact with one another in real-time.

Comet is a web application design paradigm that describes a continuous, two-way interaction between a server and a web browser using native HTTP methods.

A communication protocol is a standardized set of rules and conventions that dictate how data is exchanged between devices or systems in a network. It outlines the data format, the transmission method, error detection and correction procedures, and other aspects necessary for reliable communication. These protocols ensure that devices can understand each other and communicate effectively, facilitating the seamless exchange of information across networks.

See IoT (Internet of Things)

Connection management in networking refers to establishing, maintaining, and terminating connections between devices or systems within a network. In the web, connections typically refer to logical associations or pathways enabling communication between server devices.

Discover the mechanisms of consistent hashing, its importance in distributed systems like caches and databases, and its role in seamless data distribution while scaling.

Data Integration involves consolidating and processing data from various sources into a unified structure for richer insights. Find out how this process works, its components, benefits, and practical uses in diverse fields.

Data stream is a continuous flow of data, typically in real-time or near real-time. It’s generated from various sources such as IoT sensors, logs, social media feeds, financial transactions, or user web activities on websites and applications. 

Data transmission is the process of transferring digital data (bits or bytes) between two or more devices or systems. It involves sending information from a source to a destination, typically over communication mediums such as cables, optical fibers, or wireless connections.

See Real-Time Delivery Application

A Directions API is a service that software developers can use to plot routes between places on a map and provide guidance on how to get there.

Understand the concept of Distributed Computing, how it works, its use cases, and how PubNub leverages it for efficient, real-time data handling.

Uncover what DNS (Domain Name System) is, how it converts comprehensible domain names into IP addresses, and its varied applications including CDN, email delivery, and IoT.

DORA metrics, developed by the DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) team, are key performance indicators used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of a software delivery organization. These metrics provide insights into the performance of DevOps practices and help organizations improve their software development and delivery processes.

Duplex communication is a system where data can be transmitted in both directions between two devices. It comes in two types: half-duplex, where transmission occurs in one direction at a time (like walkie-talkies), and full-duplex, where simultaneous two-way transmission is possible (like phone calls).

eCommerce or electronic commerce is when a transaction occurs using the internet. An example is when a customer (the buyer) purchases one or more products or services online from a virtual storefront (the seller).

eLearning is when learning happens online using digital resources. eLearning can replace or supplement a traditional face-to-face school classroom with online courses or course content (called blended learning).

End users are individuals & bots who ultimately use a product, service, or system, often for its intended purpose. In the context of technology, end users are the final consumers of software, hardware, or digital services. They interact directly with the product or service, utilizing its features and functionalities to accomplish tasks or meet their needs.

In computing and networking, an endpoint is a device or a software application that acts as a connection point to send and receive data. Endpoints can be physical devices like computers, smartphones, servers, or virtual entities like software services or processes running on a system.

Discover how event-driven virtual services can be used to create online businesses. Learn the basic structure of these services and how they are applied in modern technology.

Explainable AI is an AI service whose outputs can be explained, and all processes and machine learning are accessible to be analyzed.

Fan-out is a messaging pattern where messages are broadcast in a one-to-many arrangement. A basic example of this pattern can be seen in the functionality of a Publish/Subscribe messaging system, as Pub/Sub implies the ability to route messages from a single sender to multiple receivers.

Fault tolerance is the ability of a system to continue functioning correctly in the event of hardware or software failures. It involves implementing redundancy, error detection, and error correction mechanisms to ensure that the system can detect faults and either correct them or manage them to maintain operational continuity and data integrity. This is crucial for critical applications where uninterrupted service is essential.

Faye is a publish/subscribe messaging protocol that is built on the Bayeux protocol, a messaging system utilized for transporting asynchronous messages over HTTP.

Google’s FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging) is the Android implementation of Push messaging to deliver asynchronous messages from a server to an Android device.

Know about Firebase, Google's cloud-based development platform. Discover its services like real-time databases, user authentication, cloud storage, analytics, and more

The firehose API is a steady stream of all available data from a source in real time

Fleet and vehicle tracking is the process of equipping vehicles so they can be tracked and monitored by a remote administrator.

FaaS is a category of cloud capabilities that contributes to the pursuit of serverless computing.

The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, has created new privacy rights for EU consumers while raising new challenges for businesses, advertisers, and ad networks.

Geocoding (also known as forward geocoding to distinguish it from reverse geocoding) is that it is the process of converting addresses (e.g. a house number, street name, zip code), into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude).

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a database and management hub containing a collection of spatial or geographic data.

Geohashing is a geocoding method used to encode geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) into a short string of digits and letters delineating an area on a map, which is called a cell, with varying resolutions. The more characters in the string, the more precise the location.

Geostatistics comprises a collection of statistical methods used to model spatial/temporal data and discern patterns in geographical phenomena, which by nature are subject to space-related and time-related variations.

See Fleet and Vehicle Tracking

The differences between gRPC and REST, two key API architectures. Understand their unique philosophies, technical implementations, and shared similarities in networked applications.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ensures the protection and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI).

HTTP Long Polling is a variation of standard polling that emulates a server pushing messages to a client (or browser) efficiently

HTTP Streaming is a push-style data transfer technique that allows a web server to continuously send data to a client over a single HTTP connection that remains open indefinitely.

HTTP/2 is the new version of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), superseding HTTP/1.1 with several optimizations designed to improve the speed of web communications.

HTTP/3 is an IETF standard (Internet Engineering Task Force) that was formally adopted in June 2022 as the new version of HTTP.

Human-machine interfaces (HMI) are computer-based systems allowing human operators to interact with automation and industrial control systems.

In-app chat is a chat interface within an app or product, enabling users to communicate in real time privately or in a group.

Industrial automation is the application of control systems and technologies to automate processes in industries, enhancing efficiency and productivity while reducing human intervention.

ICS uses a combination of hardware and software components to control and monitor industrial processes.

IaaS is a model of cloud computing in which all physical infrastructure to support a computing environment is provided by a third party.

An intrapreneur works within an organization using entrepreneurial skills to drive innovation and growth. Learn how fostering an intrapreneurial culture can benefit businesses, especially in the tech industry.

The Internet of Things, frequently shortened to IoT, refers to physical devices fitted with sensors and network connectivity which connect and exchange data with other devices and systems.

See IoT (Internet of Things)

An IoT (Internet of Things) platform is a software solution designed to facilitate the development, deployment, and management of IoT devices and applications. It acts as a middleware architecture layer that connects IoT devices to the cloud, enabling data collection, analysis, and control.

See Geocoding

IP Messaging describes the general use of TCP/IP (the Internet protocol) to provide messaging capabilities to web and mobile applications.

Explore the essential uses of JavaScript, a versatile web programming language, with a focus on its application in PubNub's real-time infrastructure for creating dynamic applications.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is an open standard messaging format used to exchange data between, and within, all types of web applications and servers.

Learn how Kanban and Scrum, two major project management frameworks in Agile methodology, function. Visualize task management with Kanban; implement systematic roles with Scrum.

Ladder Logic is a graphical programming language used to program Programmable Logic Controllers.

See eCommerce application.

See eCommerce application.

See Virtual Events

See Virtual Events

See Virtual Events

Localization (l10n) is of making something specific to a particular location, including language, culture, legal and compliance, imagery, or financial modifications. 

Logstash is an open-source data processing pipeline tool that ingests, transforms, and ships data from various sources to various destinations. Part of the Elastic Stack, it supports real-time data collection and transformation using a pluggable architecture with input, filter, and output plugins. Commonly used for centralized logging, data transformation, and real-time analytics, Logstash enables workflows and immediate insights by feeding data into systems like Elasticsearch or PubNub Iluminate for analysis.

MES systems are real-time information systems designed to optimize the production process and provide real-time visibility into manufacturing operations.

A map API allows developers to build location-based apps and features including: geocoding, reverse geocoding, geolocation, directions and navigation.

A map marker is a symbolic pin or place marker that identifies a location (position) on a map.

Messaging API refers to any service that enables developers to implement messaging technologies in an application via a single programmable interface.

See Virtual Spaces

A microservice is a special form of SOA in which apps are built in terms of distinct modular services, each responsible for a specific function.

MQTT is a lightweight protocol typically used with IoT devices that are designed to be power efficient and consume minimal bandwidth.

An MSA Agreement is a contract that outlines responsibilities, service quality, and payment details. It is applicable in various sectors, such as IT services, consulting, and software development.

See Collaboration

See Directions API

Networking connects and interlinking computing devices, systems, and software applications to enable online communication, data exchange, and resource sharing. This encompasses a wide range of technologies, protocols, and methodologies that facilitate these connections..

ngrok is a cross-platform application that enables developers to expose a local development server to the Internet with minimal effort.

NTP, or Network Time Protocol, is a networking protocol used to synchronize the clocks of computers over a network to a precise time source. It operates in a hierarchical system of time sources (stratum levels) to provide accurate time, typically within milliseconds. NTP uses a client-server model, adjusting clocks gradually for precision, and includes features to ensure secure and reliable timekeeping.

The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is a conceptual framework that standardizes the functions of a telecommunication or computing system into seven layers: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application. It facilitates alignment between different networking technologies and communication protocols, ensuring interoperability, troubleshooting, and education in network systems.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a metric used to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of a manufacturing process.

PHI (Protected Health Information) is a category of information that includes all individually-identifiable health information.

Learn about platform engineering, a specialized area of software engineering that focuses on developing and maintaining software infrastructure and systems. Understand how it aids application development and its use cases.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a model of cloud computing where a ready-made computing environment is made available to developers to test and deploy apps.

The Privacy Shield program is a data protection framework for US organizations who seek to become compliant with current European and/or Swiss privacy regulations regarding the transfer of EU residents' personal data to the US.

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are ruggedized computers used in industrial automation. They control machinery by processing inputs, executing programmed logic, and sending commands to outputs, ensuring efficient and reliable operation in various industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and energy. They are highly reliable and efficient, performing simple to complex tasks. Initially developed in the 1960s to replace mechanical relays.

A proxy is a system or server that sits between a client (end-user) and a server (such as a website server), intercepting requests from the client and forwarding them to the server, then returning the server’s response to the client. Proxy is a middleman in networking. 

A Push Notification or Push Message is an asynchronous message typically sent from a server to a device instructing the device to perform some action.

QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) is a transport layer network protocol developed by Google. It aims to improve the performance of connection-oriented web applications by reducing latency and providing better congestion control. 

A rate limit is software technique used in computing to control the rate of traffic sent or received by a network, system, or online service. It involves setting limits on the number of requests or actions that can be performed within a specific time period.

Real time computing, or reactive computing, is a concept that describes any computing system that must respond to changes in the environment according to definite time constraints, usually on the order of milliseconds.

Real-time integration refers to the process of connecting and synchronizing different software systems, applications, or data sources in such a way that information is exchanged and updated instantaneously or with minimal latency ie. when an event or state change occurs in one system, it is immediately reflected in another system without any noticeable delay.

Real-time messaging refers to the distribution and delivery of messages that are designed to be consumed or otherwise used in real time (i.e. as events occur and no later).

A real-time application (RTA) is software that provides to the end-user with delivery updates in real-time as events happen or circumstances and conditions change. It processes and delivers information to users or other systems immediately or with minimal delay (latency)

A real-time data API is a collection of APIs that provide data that represents an immediate change in an environment.

RTMP or Real Time Messaging Protocol is a proprietary system that is utilized for streaming live video feeds to devices running Flash.

A Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) is a microprocessor-based electronic device used in industrial process control and monitoring systems.

A ridesharing company matches drivers of vehicles for hire with passengers using mobile or web-based applications

SDK is a set of tools, libraries, documentation, and samples that developers use to create software applications for specific platforms, frameworks, or programming languages. SDKs provide developers with everything they need to build applications that interact with particular systems, APIs, or hardware.

Server-Sent Events (SSE), are a way of pushing messages to a client (or browser) without having to poll for the information.

Serverless compute refers to the practice of running application code on servers that are provisioned as-needed by a third party cloud provider.

See Fleet and Vehicle Tracking

Session management in web applications refers to the process of tracking and managing the state of interactions between a user and a web application over multiple requests.

"Share location" typically refers to the action of sending your current geographical coordinates to another person or service through a digital platform. This feature is commonly found in messaging apps, social media platforms, or navigation applications.

Microsoft ASP.NET developed SignalR, a software library that utilizes traditional HTTP connections that allow real-time connectivity between server and clients.

Smart notifications are advanced systems that deliver timely, relevant, and personalized information across various devices and platforms. They use AI, machine learning and data analytics to enhance notification effectiveness and improve user experience.

SMS (Short Message Service) is a way to send short, 160-character text messages from one mobile device to another over the cellular telephone network.

SNMP stands for Simple Network Management Protocol. It's a widely used networking protocol for monitoring and managing network devices such as routers, switches, servers, and printers. SNMP enables network administrators to collect information about web devices and monitor their performance, configuration, and health.

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a messaging protocol that comprises a strict set of rules governing data transfer between clients and servers.

Socket.IO is a cross-browser JavaScript library that provides bidirectional, event-driven communication for use in real-time applications.

Providing insights into software consulting, its benefits, applications, and how it aids businesses in navigating complex digital landscapes and achieving strategic goals.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a model of cloud computing in which complete applications are hosted in the cloud (i.e. on the Internet) and offered to consumers on-demand, usually via web browser.

With the challenge of exchanging information online growing in difficulty due to the sizes of video and picture files, the SPDY protocol was developed by Google to aid in efficient data exchange, especially as websites continue to grow more robust.

Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS) is a fully managed message queuing service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It allows you to decouple and scale microservices, distributed systems, and serverless applications.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) is a system that enables the monitoring and control of industrial processes and facilities.

Syslog is a protocol for generating, transmitting, and storing system log messages in computer networks. It enables devices and applications to send event notifications to a centralized server for monitoring, troubleshooting, and security analysis. Messages contain metadata like severity level, timestamp, and source, aiding in efficient network management.

System integration involves combining various subsystems and apps (backend, frontend, middleware) into a single, cohesive system to ensure that they work together seamlessly.

Telemedicine is real-time and remote medical, diagnostic, and treatment of health and health-related services.

Dive into the concept of telemetry, how it works, and its diverse applications in healthcare, Industrial IoT, the automotive industry, and real-time analytics.

"Time frame" typically refers to a specified period during which an action, process, or event is expected to occur or be completed. It's a defined duration within which something is planned or expected to happen.

Tunneling (patch) in networking refers to a technique where one communication protocol packet is encapsulated within another protocol and then sent over a network. This allows data from one network protocol to be transmitted over another protocol's network. Networking uses packets in a specific manner to encapsulate one protocol's packet within another protocol's packet for transmission over a network.

Discover what Unity is, how it works, its use cases beyond gaming, and how it can be used with PubNub for real-time messaging in applications.

Unity is a powerful, cross-platform engine that has created for more than 50% of the world's video games.

Understand what a Vector Database tech is, how it works, its use cases in AI, content management, bioinformatics and more, along with related material from PubNub Blogs.

BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless, and highly scalable data warehouse service provided by Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It's primarily used by developers, and data analysts to visualize their data.

Video chat describes visual, remote communication between two or more parties, each equipped with a camera and microphone to see and hear the other participants.

A virtual event is any event where participants engage remotely with centrally delivered content. Virtual events may be interactive, where attendees can engage with each other and the host or can be purely passive, with attendees just watching the content.

Vulnerability management is process of finding, evaluating, and fixing security weaknesses in an organization's IT systems. It involves identifying vulnerabilities, assessing their severity, prioritizing fixes, implementing solutions, and verifying their effectiveness. Continuous monitoring and reporting ensure ongoing protection against potential threats.

A webhook is a technique used by a web application to send notifications to a specific, user-defined URL when something happens.

WebSocket is a transport protocol defined by a persistent, bidirectional communication channel between server and client that takes place over a single TCP socket connection.

A Geolocation API is a communication interface between a client device or application (client-side), and an application or service (server-side) that identifies and returns information about the client’s geographical location.

Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax) is a web development protocol that serves as a technique used to effectively send and retrieve data in the background without having to refresh a webpage.

NestJS is a backend framework for building scalable, and reliable server-side applications in TypeScript (Angular) or JavaScript. NestJS utilizes TypeScript's features such as decorators, interfaces, and dependency injection to provide a more structured and maintainable solution for developers.

Publish-Subscribe is a software design pattern that describes the flow of messages between applications, devices, or services in terms of a publisher-to-subscriber relationship.

XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) is an open source, decentralized messaging protocol that was born from Jabber, an early real-time chat protocol.