Glossary

A

• Add-on – A package of features or integrations that can be installed to extend Sitefinity functionality without modifying the core system.
  For more information, see Sitefinity CMS add-ons.
• API (Application Programming Interface) – A set of methods exposed by Sitefinity to interact programmatically with content, data, and services. Sitefinity provides ODATA-based RESTful API.
  For more information, see Setup a service.
• Application Startup – The initialization process where Sitefinity configures services, dependency injection, and modules before serving requests. Developers can extend this via Startup.cs.
  For more information, see Sitefinity startup process.

B

• Backend (Administration Area) – The password-protected interface where editors, marketers, and developers manage content, users, settings, and modules.
  For more information, see Dashboard and navigation.

C

• Cache Providers – Configurable layers (in-memory, Redis, file system) used to improve performance of content delivery and personalization.
  For more information, see Sitefinity CMS caching.
• Claims-Based Authentication – The security model Sitefinity uses, supporting external providers (OAuth, OpenID Connect, ADFS).
  For more information, see Default authentication.
• Configuration Files – XML-based or code-based settings (located in the project structure in  ~/App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration) that define system behavior.
  For more information, see Configurations API.
• Content Block – A widget that allows editors to add formatted text, images, and links to a page.
  For more information, see Content blocks.
• Content Type – Defines structured content (e.g., News, Blog Post, Event) with specific fields. Custom content types can be created via the Module Builder.
  For more information, see Create content.
• Connector – A prebuilt integration (e.g., Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot) that enables Sitefinity to exchange data with third-party platforms.
  For more information, see Connect Sitefinity CMS to other systems.
• Content Personalization – A feature that delivers tailored content based on user segments, behavior, or demographics.
  For more information, see Personalize content.
• Custom Module – A developer-created feature that extends Sitefinity, often built with the Module Builder or via code.
  For more information, see Custom modules.

D

• DAM - A digital asset management (DAM) system helps you store, share, and organize all your digital content in a centralized location.
  Sitefinity CMS supports integration with Cloudinary and Frontify. For more information, see DAM libraries.
• Dynamic Module – A custom-built content structure (content type) defined by users to meet specific project needs.
  For more information, see Dynamic modules and the Module Builder.

F

• Fluent API – In software engineering, a fluent interface is an object-oriented API whose design relies extensively on method chaining. Its goal is to increase code legibility by creating a domain-specific language (DSL).
  For more information, see Use readable code with the Fluent API.

H

• Hybrid Mode – A development approach combining Sitefinity MVC widgets and ASP.NET Core/Next.js widgets on the same page, enabling gradual migration from MVC to ASP.NET Core or Next.js.
  For more information, see Upgrade paths recommendations.

I

• Insight (Sitefinity Insight) – The cloud-based analytics and personalization platform that tracks user behavior across touchpoints and provides AI-driven recommendations.
  For more information, see Get to know Sitefinity Insight.
• Layout – The structure of a page defined by layout elements (rows, columns, and sections).
  For more information, see Page templates.
• Licensing – Sitefinity offers different editions (DX, Enterprise) for the on-prem solution with feature sets tied to license type.
  For more information, see How to buy.
• LTS – Long term supported versions for Sitefinity CMS. For more information, see Progress Sitefinity Life Cycle Policy Guide.
• Module – A functional unit of Sitefinity (e.g., News, Blogs, Forums). It can be built-in or custom-created.
  For more information, see Modules.
• Module Builder – A tool to create custom dynamic modules without coding. Developers can extend these with custom logic.
  For more information, see Dynamic modules and the Module Builder.
• Multisite Management – A feature allowing multiple websites to run from a single Sitefinity instance with shared or separate content.
  For more information, see Multisite.

N

• NLB - Network Load Balancing (NLB) is a method of distributing incoming network traffic across multiple servers (nodes) to ensure high availability, scalability, and performance of a web application. For more information, see Continuous delivery and Load balancing.

O

• OAuth 2.0 - An authorization framework that allows a third-party application to access a user's protected resources without giving the user's credentials to that application.
• OData – A standard protocol used by Sitefinity’s Web Services for querying and manipulating content.
  For more information, see Setup a service and Odata.
• OpenAccess ORM – Object–relational mapping (ORM, O/RM, and O/R mapping tool) in computer science is a programming technique for converting data between a relational database and the memory (usually the heap) of an object-oriented programming language. This creates, in effect, a virtual object database that can be used from within the program. OpenAccess ORM is used in Sitefinity for data access. Custom data providers can also be used in Sitefinity CMS.
• OpenID Connect- An authentication protocol that builds on the OAuth 2.0 authorization framework to allow users to sign in to applications with a single identity provider (IdP).

P

• Page Template – A reusable page  layout that defines design, structure, and default widgets.
  For more information, see Page templates.
• Personalization Segment – A group of visitors that share similar behavioral patterns, based on historical data.
  For more information, see Personalization.
• Provider Model – Sitefinity’s extensibility framework for plugging in different data storage backends (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle).
  For more information, see Provider model.

R

• Roles – A way to group users and assign permissions for content management and system administration.
  For more information, see Roles.
• Responsive Design – Sitefinity templates and widgets that adapt automatically to different screen sizes.

S

• Sitefinity Cloud - A cloud deployment option, where Sitefinity CMS is provided either as a service fully managed by Progress Software (SaaS setup), or as a customizable application managed by the customer (PaaS setup).
  For more information, see Sitefinity Cloud documentation.
• Sitefinity CMS – A web content management system (CMS) by Progress Software, designed for enterprise-grade websites, marketing automation, and digital experience management.
  For more information, see Sitefinity CMS overview.
• Sitefinity Insight – The personalization and analytics SaaS that integrates with Sitefinity CMS.
  For more information, see Get to know Sitefinity Insight.
• Staging/Live Environments – Deployment environments used for development, testing, and production.
  For more information, see Continuous delivery.
• Startup.cs – A configuration file containing a class where developers register services, middleware, and Sitefinity-specific extensions.
  For more information, see Sitefinity CMS startup process.

T

• Taxonomies – Classification structures such as categories and tags used to organize content.
  For more information, see Classify content.
• Template Builder – The design tool for creating and editing page templates and layouts.
  For more information, see Page templates.

U

• User – An individual account that can log into Sitefinity, with permissions defined by roles.
  For more information, see Users.

W

• Widget – A reusable component placed on a page (e.g., navigation, forms, content lists).
  For more information, see ASP.NET Core widgets or Next.js renderer widgets.
• Workflow – Defines approval steps for content publishing (e.g., draft → review → published).
  For more information, see Workflows.