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In German, I sometimes come across the expression “Webtechnologien” as a direct adoption of “web technologies”, which usually relates to software, programming, web development.

I've always found the use of the word “technologies” slightly odd here – it seems to have a somewhat promotional character to me, whereas something like “techniques” would come closer to a 'sober' choice of words, though maybe not a perfect one, either... I'd like to know if this is in fact an impression that is shared by native English speakers.

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    “Web technologies” is the correct term in the sense that it encompasses various software technologies applied in the design, development, analysis, optimization and management of digital assets on the World Wide Web. Techniques are also employed in the process, though they play a minor role, generally at the implementation end.
    – Kris
    Commented Jan 12, 2013 at 12:44
  • On a completely unrelated note, while I don't think either sounds promotional, both the English and the German version of this do sound like management babble.
    – Magnus
    Commented Jan 16, 2013 at 22:27

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Technique tends to make me think more of process rather than system components, which is what technology is usually referring in the form of application of knowledge.

Web is identifying a category of technology as there are more than a few that exist. There can be desktop technology, mobile technology, embedded devices, and a few other areas that each has its own group of tools and software that are to be used.

Technology itself is a mix of hardware and software generally. Hardware can often be implied as software has to execute within some environment though there are more than a few different contexts that could be used.

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It rather depends on the point of view. A non-technical person is unlikely to understand the underlying meaning of the phrase, and therefore might conclude that this probably has something to do with the internet and is modern and therefore marketing speak.

A technical person in the field of web development or not may very well be able to explain the difference between a "server script" and a "client side script" and what they would be used for in the context of sending internet pages to your computer, smart phone or television.

They may be able to explain computer code frameworks, which allow rapid development of web sites, and competing development languages such as Ruby or Python, and what a server is. They may even be able to explain what reason there would be for storing some but not all of your web sites’ information in various places around the world.

But most of all I guess the important part would be to explain why this technology necessary for the web and not necessary for things like making your digital camera work.

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