Compatibility

Definitions

1. The ability of software, data, APIs, or environments to work correctly together despite differences in version, platform, or implementation. Compatibility is a central concern in releases because even small changes can break downstream systems that depend on previous behavior.

   In plain English: The ability of different software or versions to work together correctly.

   Example: "The team delayed the breaking rename because preserving compatibility with existing mobile apps mattered more than a cleaner field name in the short term."

Related Terms

• Breaking Change
• Semantic Versioning
• Version Policy
• Upgrade Path
• API Client
• API Integration
• Backward Compatible
• Code Version