Glossary
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Due to the Data (Use and Access) Act coming into law on 19 June 2025, this guidance is under review and may be subject to change. The Plans for new and updated guidance page will tell you about which guidance will be updated and when this will happen.
Glossary
- Application Programming Interface (API): A computing interface which defines interactions between multiple software intermediaries.
- Client: A system or program that requests the activity of one or more other systems or programmes, called servers, to accomplish specific tasks. In a client/server environment, the web user’s interface — such as a web browser, is usually the client.
- First party: The online service the subscriber or user is visiting. For example, in a web browser context, if the individual visits the website https://example.com, Example.com is the first party.
- HTTP Header: Additional information passed between a client and a server in an HTTP request or response. For example, in a request header, information is provided about the request context, such as what browser is being used, so that the server may provide a correct response.
- JavaScript: A dynamic programming language used for web development.
- Persistent storage: When information is stored between browser sessions and can therefore have a longer duration.
- Session: A “session” is a reference to a certain timeframe for communication between two devices, two systems or two parts of a system. For example, session cookies generally expire when someone closes their browser or shortly afterwards.
- Software Development Kit (SDK): a set of tools used for developing applications provided by hardware and software providers. They usually include application programming interfaces (APIs), sample code and documentation etc.
- Subscriber: A person who is party to a contract with a provider or public electronic communications services for the supply of such services.
- Third party: an organisation that is distinct from the online service the subscriber or user is currently visiting. For example, in a web browser context, if an individual is visiting the website https://example.com, for analytics services provided by https://analytics.com about visitors to https://example.com, https://analytics.com would be considered a third party.
- User: Any person using a public electronic communications service.
- Web server: The central location that hosts web pages or a website and enables a remote “client” to access the material held.