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Glossary

Definitions of key terms used throughout ZaLinkAI documentation

A

ACP (Agentic Commerce Protocol)

A REST-based protocol that allows AI assistants like ChatGPT to discover, browse, and purchase products from e-commerce stores. ACP exposes an OpenAPI-compatible manifest so AI plugins can auto-discover endpoints for product search, cart management, and checkout.

Agentic Commerce

A paradigm where AI agents autonomously perform commerce tasks on behalf of users, including product discovery, comparison, cart management, and checkout, by interfacing with merchant APIs through standardized protocols like MCP and ACP.

AI Agent

An autonomous AI system that can perform tasks on behalf of users, such as searching for products, comparing prices, managing shopping carts, and completing purchases. Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, and custom business assistants.

API Key

A secret token used to authenticate programmatic requests to the ZaLinkAI API. Generated from the dashboard and passed via the Authorization header. Keys can be scoped to specific permissions and rotated without downtime.

B

Bearer Token

An HTTP authentication scheme where the client includes a token in the Authorization header. ZaLinkAI uses bearer tokens for API and MCP authentication.

C

Churn Rate

The percentage of subscribers who cancel their subscription within a given period. A lower churn rate indicates better customer retention. ZaLinkAI tracks churn in the analytics dashboard.

Customer Consent

The explicit permission a customer gives to share their data with AI agents. ZaLinkAI uses a consent-based model where customers opt in to share specific data categories like order history, preferences, or wishlists.

D

Data Residency

The geographic location where data is stored and processed. ZaLinkAI offers local cloud deployment options in Saudi Arabia to comply with data residency requirements and regulations.

M

MCP (Model Context Protocol)

A standardized protocol enabling AI models like Claude to interact with external tools and data sources. MCP provides session management, tool discovery, resource access, and structured I/O, making it ideal for multi-turn commerce conversations.

MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)

The predictable revenue a subscription business earns every month. Includes new subscriptions, upgrades, and excludes one-time charges. A core metric tracked in the ZaLinkAI analytics dashboard.

O

OAuth 2.0

An industry-standard authorization framework that enables third-party applications to access user resources without sharing credentials. ZaLinkAI uses OAuth 2.0 to securely connect to e-commerce platforms (Zid, Salla, Shopify).

P

Permission Scopes

The specific data access levels granted to AI agents. ZaLinkAI offers read-only (view products and inventory), read-write (create orders, apply discounts), and full access (refunds, analytics) permission levels.

R

Rate Limiting

A technique to control the number of API requests a client can make within a time window. ZaLinkAI enforces rate limits based on your subscription plan to ensure fair usage and system stability.

Real-time Sync

The continuous synchronization of data between your e-commerce platform and ZaLinkAI. When you update products, prices, or inventory in your store, changes are reflected immediately for AI agents.

RFM Segmentation

A customer analysis method based on three dimensions: Recency (last purchase date), Frequency (purchase count), and Monetary value (total spend). ZaLinkAI uses RFM scoring to automatically segment customers in the analytics dashboard.

S

Structured Data

Machine-readable markup embedded in web pages to help search engines and AI agents understand content. ZaLinkAI uses structured data for product pages, articles, and organization information.

T

Tokenized Identity

A privacy-preserving method where customer information is converted into secure tokens. AI agents receive scoped tokens rather than raw customer data, protecting customer privacy while enabling personalized experiences.

W

Webhook

An HTTP callback that delivers real-time event notifications from one system to another. E-commerce platforms send webhooks to ZaLinkAI when orders, products, or customers change, keeping your data synchronized.

Z

ZATCA Compliance

Adherence to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority regulations in Saudi Arabia, including e-invoicing requirements and VAT compliance. ZaLinkAI supports ZATCA-compliant invoicing for Saudi merchants.