# Glossary Quick reference for technical terms used throughout this course. Don't worry about memorizing these now - refer back as needed. --- ## A ### Agent A specialized AI personality with domain expertise (e.g., frontend, security). Defined in `.agent.md` files with YAML frontmatter containing at minimum a `description` field. ### API Application Programming Interface. A way for programs to communicate with each other. --- ## C ### CI/CD Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment. Automated testing and deployment pipelines. ### CLI Command Line Interface. A text-based way to interact with software (like this tool!). ### Context Window The amount of text an AI can consider at once. Like a desk that can only hold so much. When you add files, conversation history, and system prompts, they all take up space in this window. ### Context Manager A Python construct using the `with` statement that automatically handles setup and cleanup (like opening and closing files). Example: `with open("file.txt") as f:` ensures the file is closed even if an error occurs. ### Conventional Commit A commit message format that follows a standardized structure: `type(scope): description`. Common types include `feat` (new feature), `fix` (bug fix), `docs` (documentation), `refactor`, and `test`. Example: `feat(auth): add password reset flow`. ### Dataclass A Python decorator (`@dataclass`) that automatically generates `__init__`, `__repr__`, and other methods for classes that primarily store data. Used in the book app to define the `Book` class with fields like `title`, `author`, `year`, and `read`. --- ## F ### Frontmatter Metadata at the top of a Markdown file enclosed in `---` delimiters. Used in agent and skill files to define properties like `description` and `name` in YAML format. --- ## G ### Glob Pattern A pattern using wildcards to match file paths (e.g., `*.py` matches all Python files, `*.js` matches all JavaScript files). --- ## J ### JWT JSON Web Token. A secure way to transmit authentication information between systems. --- ## M ### MCP Model Context Protocol. A standard for connecting AI assistants to external data sources. --- ### Memory (Copilot CLI) A feature that lets Copilot CLI remember facts and preferences *across all sessions*, not just within a single one. Unlike session history (which saves a specific conversation), memory persists globally and is applied automatically in future sessions. Managed with the `/memory` slash command (`/memory on`, `/memory off`, `/memory show`). Memory can be scoped to your user account (visible across all repositories) or to a specific repository (shared with collaborators). --- ## N ### npx A Node.js tool that runs npm packages without installing them globally. Used in MCP server configurations to launch servers (e.g., `npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem`). --- ## O ### OWASP Open Web Application Security Project. An organization that publishes security best practices and maintains the "OWASP Top 10" list of most critical web application security risks. --- ## P ### PEP 8 Python Enhancement Proposal 8. The official style guide for Python code, covering naming conventions (snake_case for functions, PascalCase for classes), indentation (4 spaces), and code layout. Following PEP 8 makes Python code consistent and readable. ### Pre-commit Hook A script that runs automatically before each `git commit`. Can be used to run Copilot security reviews or code quality checks before code is committed. ### pytest A popular Python testing framework known for its simple syntax, powerful fixtures, and rich plugin ecosystem. Used throughout this course for testing the book app. Tests are run with `python -m pytest tests/`. ### Programmatic Mode Running Copilot with `-p` flag for single commands without interaction. --- ## R ### Rate Limiting Restrictions on how many requests you can make to an API within a time period. Copilot may temporarily limit responses if you exceed your plan's usage quota. --- ## S ### Session A conversation with Copilot that maintains context and can be resumed later. ### Skill A folder with instructions that Copilot automatically loads when relevant to your prompt. Defined in `SKILL.md` files with YAML frontmatter. ### Slash Command Commands starting with `/` that control Copilot (e.g., `/help`, `/clear`, `/model`). --- ## T ### Token A unit of text that AI models process. Roughly 4 characters or 0.75 words. Used to measure both input (your prompts and context) and output (AI responses). ### Type Hints Python annotations that indicate the expected types of function parameters and return values (e.g., `def add_book(title: str, year: int) -> Book:`). They don't enforce types at runtime but help with code clarity, IDE support, and static analysis tools like mypy. --- ## W ### WCAG Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Standards published by W3C for making web content accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG 2.1 AA is a common compliance target. --- ## Y ### YAML YAML Ain't Markup Language. A human-readable data format used for configuration. In this course, YAML appears in agent and skill frontmatter (the `---` delimited block at the top of `.agent.md` and `SKILL.md` files).