Backward Compatible

Adjective · Development

Definitions

  1. Describing a change that still works with older clients, data, integrations, or assumptions rather than forcing everything to upgrade at once. Backward compatibility is especially important in APIs, storage formats, and distributed systems where old and new versions often coexist during rollout.

    In plain English: Still working correctly with older versions or existing integrations.

    Example: "Adding a new optional field was backward compatible, but renaming the existing field would have broken every mobile client still on the old build."

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