Instability Glossary

Browse 6 instability terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

6 Instability Terms

Code Flu
A joking term for a codebase that feels generally sick, sluggish, and full of minor problems everywhere. In engineering humor, code flu suggests the system is...
Code Rollercoaster
A development experience full of sharp ups and downs, where wins and failures arrive in quick alternation. In engineering slang, code rollercoaster captures...
Code Turbulence
A rough period of technical instability, churn, or unpredictable behavior where things are still moving but not smoothly. In engineering slang, code turbulence...
Flaky
Unreliable or inconsistent in a way that passes sometimes and fails other times without a meaningful code change. The term is most often used for tests,...
Moving Target
A goal, requirement, or system behavior that keeps changing while people are trying to act on it. In engineering slang, moving targets make honest estimation...
Slippery Deploy
A deployment that keeps escaping control through inconsistent behavior, hidden prerequisites, or poor rollback clarity. In engineering slang, slippery deploys...

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