Glossary of IT terms for the recruiter: Development, Testing, Project Management. Part 1

After our victory, a long time of revival and strict new challenges comes to life for all of us. We can already say that the job market will change significantly – both for recruiters and job seekers. But due to the fact that recruiting in IT has an international background, we can cautiously assume that it will continue to be active. So, if you want to go down this road, you need to prepare thoroughly. In the near future, we will definitely do a review of IT recruiting courses and schools. But “a whale shall be eaten in chunks”, don’t you agree? Therefore, in the first turn, we publish a glossary of the common IT terms that a recruiter may encounter even before starting to dig into the profession. And, in the next year, there will definitely be no time to look around for too long.
Undoubtedly, for the recruiter IT terms are very important when working with candidates. IT professionals regularly use words that are understood only by those who are familiar with the matter. And if you are new to Tech-recruiting or IT-project management, understanding of the IT-terminology for a recruiter may seem like a mission impossible. But don’t panic! We’ve chosen the most important and necessary ones.

Development

Bug is an operation error in a software product caused by an incomplete code. Sometimes the word is used as an adjective: “Your code is too buggy”.
Cloud is a software or service running online, allowing you to store and work with data.
MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is a development method in which a product with basic functionality is introduced to the market. Thus, an extended product is released after the feedback from users is collected. Because a product which seems brilliant to developers may fail if users do not need it. This is why a simplified version is developed, after which the creators of the product monitor if people like it or not?
Pull request is an offer to change code in someone’s repository (place where software packages are stored). In this way, they will get to the owners of the project.
Database is an organized set of data stored electronically in a computer system. Databases can be relational (data is stored in tables and rows) and non-relational (stored in collections of JSON documents).
Backup is a copy of computer data that can be used in the future to restore the original if the data is lost.
Library is a set of ready-made code that users use to optimize the tasks. For example, Python’s Pillow library is used to work with graphics, Almanac Converter is used to work with dates and time. And Scribe Java is an easy-to-use library for user authorization.
Some of the words below are familiar to non-IT people, but they often mean something completely different. Here are some examples.
Compiler is a program that translates computer code written in one programming language (the primary language) into another one (the target language).
Open Source is an approach to creating open source programs or a program with open source code. Examples of the Open Source projects: Firefox browser, Google Chrome, content management systems for the websites WordPress and Drupal, virtual planetariums NASA World Wind and Google Sky.
A pet project is a secondary project on which a developer can work in his or her spare time. Such mini-projects are often developed to pump up the skills: for example, if you need to learn a new programming language or learn an unfamiliar technology.
A feature is a function or peculiarity of a product. There are several kinds of features.
Basic feature is the main function of the product. For example, the basic feature of a messenger is to send messages.
Wow-feature is a feature which can make the user be a fan of the product. Examples: the automatic shutdown of the iron or the front camera. Important: wow-feature quickly loses its uniqueness, because competitors are actively introducing it in their projects.
Killer-feature is the unique feature of a product, which distinguishes it among its competitors.
Framework is a prearranged set of solutions for development. There are million nuances under the bonnet of the framework: working with the file system and databases, error handling, password protection, and more. For example, Angular.JS is Google’s JavaScript framework for dynamic web applications. And Bootstrap is used to create websites with adaptive layout.
Usability is an assessment of the ease of an application or website usage. The usability of features, interface and navigation are being assessed. For example, if the user is confused by the navigation of the website, cannot register or make an online payment, the usability level of the web resource can be considered low.

Testing and processes

Pen test is a simulation of a cyber attack on a system to check it for vulnerability.
Smoke test is an initial software testing to determine if the product is stable and of high quality. Consists of a minimal set of tests to verify the software. Smoke tests are performed each time a team receives a new version of a system, deeming it relatively unstable.
Load is a software testing during which an item or system is subject to an increased load to determine productivity. A framework can be used as a tool for analyzing the website performance.
Regressive testing is a software testing that helps make sure that an amendment or modification does not disrupt all functions. Regressive testing should be done every time a program/website is adjusted.
Code review is the process of improving the quality of the code and the product as a whole. Provided by analyzing the source code – manually or with automated review tools.

Project Management

Agile is an agile approach to project management, which allows companies to become more adaptive, optimizes processes and does not overload the team. Agile team performs the work in small steps or iterations of 1-3 weeks. The customer accepts the results of each of them and suggests changes, after which the team finalizes the product. There are several Agile methodologies (frameworks): Scrum, Kanban and others. According to surveys, about half of the companies in 19 countries use them (Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and others).
Daily are the daily team meetings for 15 minutes during which everyone shares their daily tasks and lets them know if he/she needs help with them.
One-to-one are the individual meetings between a manager and a subordinate to discuss work issues or career development.
Performance Review is an approach in personnel evaluation to estimate the performance of each employee in the company. During a review, current performance, productivity, and plans are discussed. For example, Google has an annual performance review and separate monthly performance reviews. And Tesla fired 700 employees after measuring their performance, and the level was low.
Scrum is a flexible project management methodology for effective control of the development processes. Scrum is efficient to use at the start of a project, since it allows for a more precise timing of the release and close interaction with the team.
Product backlog is a list of tasks for creation and improvement of the product. The product owner, project manager or scrum master is responsible for the backlog.
Planning Poker (Scrum poker) is a method used by the teams to foresee the scope of project management tasks. It allows you to involve all the participants in the evaluation process and to determine the complexity of the task in a limited amount of time. According to studies, such estimates are less optimistic, but more precise.
Release is the final version of a software product. It may be public or private. The release is preceded by the release of alpha and beta versions of the software.
Continuation of the glossary where we consider the types of companies and the operational vocabulary of the IT recruiter is here.