Which of the following best defines the term 'DOM' in web development?

The term 'DOM' in web development stands for Document Object Model. This is a crucial concept that refers to the representation of an HTML or XML document as a structured collection of objects, which can be manipulated through programming languages, such as JavaScript.

The Document Object Model allows developers to access and modify the content, structure, and style of a web page. It provides a structured way to represent the document so that each element can be accessed as an object. This allows dynamic changes to be made to the content and layout of a web page without the need to reload the entire page, facilitating interactive web applications.

Understanding the DOM is essential for anyone involved in web development, as it serves as the foundation for how web pages are structured and manipulated programmatically. Other terms listed, such as Dynamic Object Manipulation, Domain Object Model, and Digital Online Management, do not accurately represent this fundamental web development concept.