Widget.

The word is probably a blend of 'window' and 'gadget' and describes a component that can be slotted in anywhere. On websites, widgets are usually embeds from third-party providers: a Google Maps map, an appointment booking window, a chat, a strip of Google reviews or an Instagram feed. They are included with a short code snippet and load their content from the provider's servers.

This convenience comes at a price that is rarely visible. Every widget loads additional scripts, often several hundred kilobytes, and thus slows the page down. Many set cookies or transmit data to the provider, which must be disclosed under the Data Protection Act and, depending on the case, made subject to consent. And if the provider goes down or changes its offering, the function on your website breaks with it. A good widget is therefore one that loads lazily, only when it is needed, and that can be replaced if necessary.

On smartphones, widget means something else: a tile on the home or lock screen that shows information from an app without you having to open it, such as the weather, the next appointment or the status of a delivery. Since iOS 14, and for longer on Android, such widgets have been an integral part of the user experience. They are among the device functions that only a native app can offer.

In website builders and content management systems, widget is also often the name for freely placeable blocks, for example in a sidebar. The principle is always the same: a self-contained piece of functionality that can be placed in different spots. How much embeds slow down an existing site is shown by a website audit; with a new website, you can decide from the outset which widgets are really needed.