What does that word even mean?
No jargon left unexplained. Search or filter by letter.
Affiliate Twitch
A Twitch program you qualify for after hitting small milestones (50 followers, some broadcast hours, and average viewers). It unlocks Bits, Subs, and ad breaks.
Why it matters: it's the first real monetization milestone most Twitch streamers work toward.
Alert
An on-screen (and usually audio) pop-up that fires when someone follows, subs, cheers, or donates.
Why it matters: alerts are how you and your chat notice support in real time without staring at chat constantly.
Bits Twitch
Twitch's virtual currency viewers buy and "cheer" with in chat. See the full Bits payout breakdown.
Why it matters: it's one of the main ways viewers directly support you financially.
Bitrate
How much video data your stream sends per second, measured in kbps. Higher bitrate generally means a sharper picture, but requires more upload bandwidth.
Why it matters: set too high for your internet, it causes buffering/pixelation for viewers.
Capture Card
A device that takes video from another source (like a console) and feeds it into your PC so streaming software can broadcast it.
Why it matters: only needed for console streaming through a separate PC — see the Gear Guide.
Channel Points Twitch
Free loyalty points viewers earn just by watching, redeemable for custom rewards you set (like "highlight my message" or a fun sound effect).
Why it matters: a free, built-in way to reward your regular viewers without them spending money.
Cheer Twitch
The act of spending Bits in chat, usually alongside a message.
Why it matters: it's both a support action and a chat interaction — the message often matters as much as the Bits.
Clip
A short, shareable highlight cut from your live stream, usually 15-60 seconds.
Why it matters: clips are one of the main ways new viewers discover you outside of your live stream.
Dashboard
The web control panel on your streaming platform (separate from OBS) where you set your stream title, category, and view analytics.
Why it matters: forgetting to set your title/category here is a top reason new streamers get zero viewers.
Emote
A small custom image/icon viewers can type in chat, similar to an emoji but unique to a channel or platform.
Why it matters: custom emotes (unlocked via subs on Twitch) are a popular perk and a way chat develops inside jokes.
Encoder
The software or hardware that compresses your video/audio into a format that can be uploaded — OBS is a software encoder.
Why it matters: encoder settings (x264 vs hardware NVENC/AMF) directly affect your PC's performance while streaming.
Follow
A free, one-click action a viewer takes to get notified when you go live — no payment involved.
Why it matters: it's the easiest form of support to ask for and the base of your audience.
Green Screen (Chroma Key)
A solid-color backdrop that streaming software can digitally remove, replacing your background with an overlay or scene.
Why it matters: lets you show just your webcam feed cleanly over gameplay without a visible room behind you.
Hype Train Twitch
A channel-wide meter that fills up as multiple viewers sub/cheer/gift in a short window, unlocking shared rewards when it "levels up."
Why it matters: it turns individual support into a group event that often snowballs more support.
Jump Scare Alert
A slang term for an alert (usually sound) set way too loud or sudden, startling the streamer mid-stream.
Why it matters: test your alert volumes before going live — chat finds it funny once, but you'll want it fixed.
Key Frame Interval
An OBS output setting controlling how often a "full" reference frame is sent in your video, versus frames that only show changes.
Why it matters: most platforms require this set to 2 seconds (or "0"/auto) for their transcoding to work correctly.
Lurker
A viewer who watches without chatting or interacting.
Why it matters: lurkers still count toward your viewer numbers and often become chatters later — don't assume silence means disinterest.
Mod (Moderator)
A trusted community member given tools to manage chat — timeouts, bans, and filtering spam/links.
Why it matters: even a channel of a few regulars benefits from having one mod once you can't watch chat every second.
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
Free, open-source software that captures your screen/camera/audio and sends it to your streaming platform.
Why it matters: it's the software this whole site's setup guides are built around.
Overlay
Graphics layered on top of your gameplay/webcam — like a webcam frame, alert boxes, or a "starting soon" screen.
Why it matters: a simple, clean overlay makes a channel look intentional rather than thrown together.
Partner Twitch
A step above Affiliate, requiring more consistent viewership; unlocks better monetization tools and priority support.
Why it matters: it's a longer-term goal, not something most brand-new streamers should worry about yet.
Raid Twitch
Sending your viewers over to another live channel at the end of your stream.
Why it matters: raiding other small streamers (and getting raided back) is one of the best ways to find your first real community.
Scene OBS
A saved layout in OBS made up of one or more Sources — e.g., a "Starting Soon" scene vs a "Live Gameplay" scene.
Why it matters: switching scenes is how you change what's on screen without touching individual sources mid-stream.
Source OBS
One individual input inside a Scene — your webcam, your mic, a game capture, an image, etc.
Why it matters: understanding Sources vs Scenes is the single most useful OBS concept for beginners.
Stream Deck
A dedicated physical or software button panel for triggering scene switches, alerts, or shortcuts without touching your keyboard.
Why it matters: a nice-to-have upgrade, not a requirement — hotkeys do the same job for free.
Sub (Subscription)
A recurring monthly payment a viewer makes to support a specific channel, usually unlocking emotes/badges. See the Subs payout breakdown.
Why it matters: subs are typically the most stable, recurring form of streamer income.
Sub Train
Slang for a burst of multiple subs happening back-to-back in a short window, often celebrated in chat.
Why it matters: recognizing it live (and thanking each sub) helps keep the momentum going.
VOD (Video on Demand)
The saved recording of a past live stream that viewers can watch afterward.
Why it matters: VODs let people who missed you live still find and watch your content later.
Webcam vs Capture Card
A webcam shows you; a capture card brings in video from another device (like a console). They solve different problems and many streamers use both.
Why it matters: confusing the two is a common reason beginners buy gear they don't need — see the Gear Guide.
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