Merge pull request #681 from ericsnekbytes/docs_glossary

Glossary improvements

docs/source/glossary.rst

@@ -6,27 +6,110 @@ Glossary
 
 .. glossary::
 
+   `client-server-architecture <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client%E2%80%93server_model>`_
+       A `software design pattern <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_pattern>`_ used by
+       Jupyter applications like **JupyterLab**. With this pattern, a server program (running
+       on a user's computer or on a server that can be accessed over a business or public
+       network) provides access to stored information (in JupyterLab's case, documents in
+       a folder such as notebooks and other data files), and a client program (the web
+       application and editing interface for JupyterLab in this case) connects to the
+       server program to view and interact with that data.
+
+   console
+       In modern times, a `console <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_console>`_ refers to a simple text-based program where you type commands for your
+       computer to run, also commonly called a `terminal <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_terminal>`_.
+
    command line
-       The terminal or console window where you type commands.
+       A simple text-based program where you type commands for your computer to run, also
+       called a `terminal <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_terminal>`_ or `console <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_console>`_.
 
    Command Prompt
        On Windows, this is the application where commands are typed into
-       a window for execution.
+       a window for execution. Also see `console <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_console>`_,
+       **command line**, or `terminal <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_terminal>`_.
 
    conda
-       The package manager for Anaconda.
+       The package management tool for Anaconda, which allows for easy
+       installation of Python libraries and other tools into an **environment**.
 
    config
-       Refers to the configuration files and process.
+       Refers to the configuration files, and related processes that affect how
+       Jupyter behaves.
+
+   environment
+       The name for the installed software, configurations, tools, and
+       `environment variables <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable>`_
+       that collectively define what capabilities a computer system has and how
+       it behaves. Missing or incorrect software, configurations or environment variables
+       can cause software to malfunction, or software development processes to fail. See
+       `this link <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runtime_system#Relation_to_runtime_environments>`_
+       for more information.
+
+   environment variable
+       See `this wiki link <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable>`_ for for information.
+
+   ipynb
+       The file extension (.ipynb) for saved notebook files, commonly
+       authored and edited with Jupyter web applications such as
+       JupyterLab or Jupyter Notebook. It stands for "IPython Notebook".
+
+   IPython
+       The earliest ancestor of **Project Jupyter**. It began as an improved
+       interactive Python **REPL**, then expanded to also contain a stored
+       notebook document format (.ipynb) and related tools, a web based
+       document authoring and editing tool (IPython Notebook), and more.
+       After the project became large enough, IPython was split into many
+       separate projects under the **Project Jupyter** umbrella through
+       **The Big Split.**
+
+   IPython Notebook
+       An early ancestor of the Jupyter Notebook application, this was one of
+       the first web-based applications for authoring and editing computational
+       notebook documents.
+
+   ipywidgets
+       A `python package for Jupyter <https://github.com/jupyter-widgets/ipywidgets>`_
+       that allows Notebook applications to create and embed interface components
+       like sliders or buttons in their notebooks.
+
+   Jovyan
+       A term for fans of Jupyter and members of the Jupyter community. This term
+       is `derived from <https://jupyter--681.org.readthedocs.build/en/681/community/content-community.html#what-is-a-jovyan>`_
+       the astronomical term "Jovian", meaning "Like Jupiter".
+
+   Jupyter
+       See **Project Jupyter**. Also occasionally used to refer to one of the Jupyter
+       frontend notebook editing applications (**Jupyter Notebook** or **JupyterLab**)
+       based on the context it's used in (this ambiguous usage can lead to
+       confusion, it's better to use the actual name of the application).
+
+   Jupyter Notebook (Application)
+       A simplified web application for authoring and editing computational
+       notebooks in the **.ipynb** format (a notebook file is also commonly referred
+       to as a Jupyter Notebook).
+
+   Jupyter Notebook (File Format)
+       A common name for a saved **.ipynb** Notebook file. For instance,
+       "I just made a Jupyter Notebook summarizing our lab results, I can
+       send it to you later today."
+
+   JupyterLab
+       A modern web application for authoring and editing interactive
+       computational notebooks.
 
    kernel
-       A kernel provides programming language support in Jupyter. IPython is
+       A kernel provides programming language support in Jupyter. **IPython** is
        the default kernel. Additional kernels include R, Julia, and many more.
 
+   Notebook
+       The generic name for a computational notebook document, such as a saved
+       .ipynb file format created by JupyterLab. Also sometimes used as a shorthand
+       to refer to Jupyter Notebook, the notebook editing application.
+
    Notebook Dashboard
-       The notebook user interface which shows a list of the notebooks, files,
-       and subdirectories in the directory where the notebook server is
-       started.
+       The notebook user interface in the **Jupyter Notebook Application** (see above)
+       which shows a list of the notebooks, files, and subdirectories in the directory
+       where the notebook server is started.
 
    pip
        Python package manager.
@@ -35,12 +118,26 @@ Glossary
        Not available in Jupyter. In IPython 3, profiles are collections of
        configuration and runtime files.
 
+   Project Jupyter
+       The umbrella project for many related tools for interactive computing
+       with interactive notebooks
+
    REPL
-      read-eval-print-loop.
+      Stands for "read-eval-print-loop". An `REPL <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Read%E2%80%93eval%E2%80%93print_loop>`_
+      is a program that reads user commands and inputs, evaluates them, and prints results for the user to view.
+      These steps run in a perpetual loop, allowing the user to prototype code,
+      interact with data, and view results on-the-fly, since the data and code
+      stay open in memory after evaluation while the REPL is running.
 
    terminal
-       A window used to type in commands to be executed (Linux and OS X).
+       In modern times, a `terminal <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_terminal>`_ refers to a simple text-based program where you type commands for your
+       computer to run, also commonly called a `console <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_console>`_.
+
+   The Big Split
+       An event and effort undertaken around 2015 by **IPython** developers to split up
+       the then-massive IPython project into a series of smaller, more focused
+       sub-projects under the Project Jupyter umbrella.
 
    widget
-       A user interface component, similar to a plugin, that allows customized
-       input, such as a slider.
+       A user interface component from `ipywidgets <https://github.com/jupyter-widgets/ipywidgets>`_,
+       similar to a plugin, that allows customized input, such as a slider.