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Nik.Ru knowledge base
Terms explained without jargon. The website’s consultant answers from these same articles — ask it if you can’t find what you need.
Domains
- Domain nameA domain name is your website’s unique address on the internet, such as nik.ru. It consists of a name and a domain zone, and DNS connects it to the server that runs your website and email.
- Domain zone (TLD)A domain zone, or top-level domain (TLD), is the ending of an address: .RU, .РФ, .COM, .ORG and others. The zone affects perception, price and registration rules.
- Cyrillic .РФ domains.РФ is a Cyrillic domain zone. Such names are called IDNs: browsers display them in Cyrillic, while technical systems store them in Punycode — the .РФ zone itself is xn--p1ai.
- WHOIS and registrant dataWHOIS shows a domain’s registration details: the registrar, registration and expiry dates, and name servers. Personal data of private individuals in the .RU and .РФ zones is hidden by default.
- Domain renewal and releaseRenew your domain before the registration expires. In the .RU and .РФ zones, the website and email stop working at expiry, and the registrant has 30 days to renew before the domain is released.
- Domain transferA domain transfer moves a domain to another registrar without changing its owner. For .RU and .РФ it requires a request from the registrant; for international zones it uses an authorisation (EPP) code.
DNS & email
- DNSDNS, the Domain Name System, is the internet’s phone book: it translates a website name into a server’s IP address and tells mail servers where to deliver email.
- DNS recordsDNS records are entries in a domain’s zone: A and AAAA point to the website’s IP address, CNAME creates an alias, MX names the mail server, and TXT holds service data such as SPF or domain verification.
- Name servers and delegationName servers (NS) are the DNS servers responsible for a domain’s zone. Delegation means specifying them with the registrar, so the internet looks up the domain’s records there.
- TTL and DNS propagationTTL (time to live) is how long a DNS answer stays cached. That is why record changes are not instant: usually minutes to a day, and up to 24–72 hours for a name server change.
- SPF, DKIM and DMARCSPF, DKIM and DMARC are DNS records that prove email from your domain is legitimate. Without them, messages land in spam more often and fraudsters can spoof your address more easily.
Hosting & servers
- Shared hostingShared hosting is space for your website on a server maintained by the provider: the web server, PHP, databases, email and backups are already configured.
- DirectAdmin control panelDirectAdmin is a hosting control panel for creating websites and mailboxes and managing DNS, databases, SSL certificates and backups.
- VPS (VDS)A VPS (VDS) is a virtual server with guaranteed resources and full root access. It fits when shared hosting feels cramped or you need your own software.
- Dedicated serverA dedicated server is an entire physical machine for your use only, offering maximum performance and isolation for busy projects, databases and many websites.
- BackupA backup is a saved copy of your website files, database and settings that lets you restore service after a failure, a hack or an unsuccessful update.
- Server administrationServer administration is ongoing maintenance: OS and software updates, security configuration, monitoring, backups and incident response.
- Smart homeA smart home connects lighting, climate control and sensors through routines. Equipment depends on the premises, goals and compatibility; the plan and estimate are agreed after discussion.
SSL certificates
- SSL certificateAn SSL certificate (strictly speaking, a TLS certificate) confirms that a website belongs to its domain and lets the browser open an encrypted HTTPS connection. Without one, browsers show “Not secure”.
- DV, OV and EVCertificate validation levels: DV confirms control of the domain only; OV also confirms the organisation exists; EV adds extended company checks. Encryption is equally strong for all three.
- Wildcard and multi-domain certificatesA wildcard certificate covers a domain and all of its subdomains at one level (*.example.com); a multi-domain (SAN) certificate covers several different domains in one certificate.
- Certificate validity periodSince 15 March 2026, public TLS certificates can be issued for no more than 200 days; from 15 March 2027 the limit is 100 days, and from 15 March 2029 it is 47 days. This was decided by the CA/Browser Forum (Ballot SC-081v3).
- “Not secure” warning“Not secure” is a browser warning: the site is served over HTTP without a certificate, or the certificate has an error. Common causes: it has expired, it was issued for another domain, the intermediate chain is missing, or some pages load over HTTP.
- Let’s EncryptLet’s Encrypt is a non-profit certificate authority that issues free 90-day DV certificates; renewal is configured to run automatically.
Security & updates
- VulnerabilityA vulnerability is a flaw in a CMS, an extension, PHP or the server configuration that can let an attacker access a website or its data. It is closed with an update, a code fix or a configuration change.
- CMS and framework updatesA CMS or framework update moves the core, themes, extensions and libraries to current supported versions. It is done on a copy of the website, with a backup and rollback plan, and then deployed to the live server.
- PHP versionPHP is the language behind WordPress, 1C-Bitrix, Joomla and many other CMSs. You need a supported branch with the latest fixes — currently PHP 8.2 to 8.5; PHP 8.1 and earlier no longer receive official fixes.
- WAFA WAF (web application firewall) sits in front of a website and blocks common attacks such as SQL injection, password guessing and malicious bots. It does not replace updates, but it reduces risk considerably.
- Website malwareAttackers plant malicious code in hacked websites: redirects to other sites, spam scripts, crypto miners and phishing pages. Warning signs include strange redirects, browser or search engine warnings and messages from the hosting provider.
- Video surveillanceVideo surveillance combines cameras, recording, retention and access. We plan around coverage, image quality and retention needs, with separate user permissions.
Marketing
- SEOSEO, or search engine optimisation, improves a website’s structure, content, speed and technical setup so that it ranks in Yandex and Google for the right queries.
- GEO: visibility in AI answersGEO (generative engine optimisation) prepares a website so that AI assistants and AI search can find, understand and cite it: clear answers to questions, verifiable facts, structured data and access for AI crawlers.
- Social media marketing and contentSocial media marketing (SMM) promotes a business on social networks and messaging apps: strategy, content plan, copy, visuals and video, community management, advertising and analytics.
- Schema.org structured dataSchema.org structured data is machine-readable information in a page’s code: the company, services, prices, FAQs and articles. It helps search engines and AI systems understand a website and show rich results.
- Core Web VitalsCore Web Vitals measure the real-world experience of a page: how quickly the main content renders (LCP), how responsive it is to input (INP) and how stable the layout is (CLS).
- RAG: answers grounded in company documentsRAG retrieves relevant parts of your materials before an AI answer is generated. It helps ground replies in your service catalogue, instructions and prices rather than the model’s general knowledge.
- Website AI assistantAn AI assistant answers questions about your services and helps interested visitors reach a specialist. Knowledge sources, pricing, conversation flows and data processing rules are agreed before launch.
Nothing found. Try a different term or ask the consultant.
The knowledge base keeps growing. Updated 30 October 2026.