Definitions beginning with M

Machine learning

Methods allowing a system to improve predictions or decisions from data rather than entirely hand-written rules.

In practice: Separate training and evaluation data, then test errors on important cases.

Magento

Open-source e-commerce platform whose commercial offering is now integrated into Adobe Commerce.

In practice: Assess catalogue, extensions, hosting and maintenance before choosing this platform.

Main navigation

Recurring set of links directing visitors to a website’s main sections and tasks.

In practice: ask someone outside the team where they would look for a price or contact.

Marketing automation

Automation of marketing communications and actions according to triggers, segments or journey stages.

In practice: Map triggers, exclusions and stop conditions before launching a sequence.

Media inventory

Register of images and videos in use or planned, recording placement, subject, rights, credit, version and approval status.

In practice: Record file, use, known rights, alternative text and owner for each important asset.

Media query

A CSS condition about media, viewport features or preferences such as reduced motion. It adapts presentation rules rather than reliably identifying a device type.

Reference: MDN : Using media queries · Source consulted 2026-10-18

In practice: Test the rule just below and above its threshold and with browser zoom.

Meta description

HTML summary of a page that search engines may use as a result snippet, without guaranteeing exact reuse.

In practice: Write a faithful page summary and inspect its appearance without expecting a guaranteed snippet.

Meta robots

HTML tag providing compatible crawlers with indexing or presentation rules such as noindex or max-snippet.

Reference: Google Search Central : Robots meta tags

In practice: Inspect the directive actually served and its consistency with canonical links.

Metadata

Information describing a resource, such as title, language, author, format or indexing rules.

In practice: distinguish visible data, sharing metadata and information embedded in a file.

Microcopy

Very short interface text such as buttons, help, errors or confirmations guiding users at the right moment.

In practice: review labels and errors during a complete task, not only in a string list.

Middleware

Intermediate software layer processing a request or connecting components before the final function is reached.

In practice: Record processing order and its effect on responses and errors.

Migration

Organized transfer of a website, data, domain or infrastructure to a new solution.

In practice: inventory content, URLs and dependencies before moving a platform or domain.

MIME type

Identifier for a resource format transmitted notably through HTTP, such as text/html, image/webp or application/json. The type differs from the filename extension. Check Content-Type in the actual response, especially when a JSON download returns an HTML error page.

Reference: MDN · Media types · Source consulted 2026-10-25

In practice: check the declared type of a file when display or download fails.

Mobile job application

Ability to read a vacancy and submit an application from a phone without avoidable barriers.

In practice: try submitting a complete application from a phone.

Mobile menu

Navigation pattern for small screens with opening, closing and links usable by touch or keyboard.

In practice: open, navigate and close the menu by touch and keyboard.

Mobile-first

An approach that starts with narrow-screen constraints and enhances presentation when space permits. Essential information and actions still need to remain available in the narrow layout.

Reference: MDN : Responsive web design · Source consulted 2026-10-18

In practice: Prioritise content and actions at a narrow width, then check how they expand on larger screens.

Mobile-first indexing

Indexing approach in which Google primarily uses the mobile version of content to understand and rank a page.

In practice: Ensure useful content, links and data remain present in the rendered mobile version.

Mockup

Relatively detailed visual model showing the intended appearance of an interface before final development.

In practice: Replace placeholder copy and images with realistic content before approving the design.

Model Context Protocol

Open protocol allowing an AI application to discover and use tools or data sources exposed in a structured way.

Reference: Model Context Protocol : Introduction

In practice: Document each tool’s source and approve sensitive operations when they are performed.

Model routing

Automatic selection of a model according to task, expected quality, cost, latency or safety constraints.

In practice: Define routing criteria and compare quality, cost and response time on real cases.

Multilingual SEO

Technical and editorial organization of language versions so each audience finds appropriate, correctly linked content.

In practice: give each translation a stable URL, connect genuinely equivalent versions and arrange editorial review in each language.

Multimodal model

AI model able to process or produce several data types such as text, images, audio or video.

In practice: Evaluate image reading, text and their combination separately on real examples.

Multimodal search

Search capable of combining several input or result types, such as text, image, audio and video.

In practice: Give media faithful text context and test discovery through different query forms.

MVP

Minimum Viable Product: first version useful enough to test with real users and guide improvements.

In practice: define the smallest version that can test a hypothesis with real users.

MX record

DNS record naming a domain’s receiving mail servers with a preference value. It concerns email reception rather than the web server’s address.

Reference: Cloudflare : DNS MX record

Compare MX records with the email provider’s documentation before changing DNS, then test receipt from outside.

MySQL

Relational database management system that organizes data in tables and supports queries using SQL. MySQL names the software, not an entire website or its files. An application may depend on the database, separately stored media and connection settings together.

Reference: MySQL Reference Manual : What is MySQL? · Source consulted 2026-10-18

In practice: when handing over a site, check the server version, access and joint restoration of data and files. Successfully exporting tables does not prove that images or attachments will be available after restoration.