Software Development Terms Beginning with M
map() in JavaScript
map() creates a new array that contains the result of invoking map()’s function argument on each item of the calling array.
Markup
Markup means annotate (that is, a note added to a piece of writing). They are the part of an HTML text that tells browsers how they should display the text.
match() in JavaScript
match() creates a new array containing all the patterns that match the method’s regular expression argument.
matchAll() in JavaScript
matchAll() creates a new iterator object containing all the patterns—including capturing groups—that match the method’s regular expression argument.
Metacharacters (RegExp)
Regular expression’s metacharacters are operators used to specify the precise type of characters you wish to find in a specific string.
Metadata
Metadata means data about data. In other words, metadata gives information about a document’s data.
Method
A method is a function used as the value of an object’s property.
Minification
Minification means reducing a codebase down to the elements required for the code to run. In other words, minification minifies an app’s file size by removing unnecessary content like spaces, multiple lines, indents, and comments.
Minimax Algorithm
A minimax algorithm is a recursive program written to find the best gameplay that minimizes any tendency to lose a game while maximizing any opportunity to win the game.
In other words, minimax is a recursive function created to help a player (the maximizer) decide on the gameplay that minimizes the maximum possibility to lose a game.
Mock (TDD)
Mock is a test double used to mimic an external dependency without considering the responses the dependency may return.
Modem
A modem is a piece of electronic device that converts analog signals to digital signals and vice versa.
Modifiers (RegExp)
Modifiers are operators used to specify how you want the computer to interpret a regular expression pattern.
Module (NodeJS)
A module in NodeJS is any file in the node_modules folder that the computer can load through Node’s require() function.
Module Bundler (JavaScript)
A module bundler is a tool developers use to bundle an app’s modules and dependencies into a single browser-compatible JavaScript file.
Modules (JavaScript)
A JavaScript module is a file that allows you to export its code. Therefore, allowing other JavaScript files to import and use the exported code as their dependencies.
Mounting Phase (ReactJS)
A component’s mounting phase is when the component instance is being created and rendered into the DOM.
Multi-Line (RegExp)
Regular expression’s multi-line flag (m) tells the computer to do a multiline search for a RegExp pattern.
Multi-Page Application
A multi-page application (MPA) is a web app in which each of its unique URL file paths refers to a brand-new HTML page that needs to be reloaded from the server each time users request the page.