forward compatibility

forward compatibility

English

WOTD – 23 April 2026

Etymology

From forward (adjective) +‎ compatibility (noun).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌfɔːwəd kəmˌpætəˈbɪlɪti/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˌfɔɹwəɹd kəmˌpætəˈbɪləti/, [-ɾi]
  • Audio (General American):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪlɪti
  • Hyphenation: for‧ward com‧pat‧i‧bil‧i‧ty

Noun

forward compatibility (uncountable)

  1. (computer hardware, software) The capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems. [from late 20th c.]
    Synonym: upward compatibility
    Coordinate terms: backward compatibility, backwards compatibility
    • 2021, Mohamed Sarrab, Hafedh Al-Shihi, Naveen Safia, “Compatibility: How Does Mobile Application Interact with Environments?”, in Handbook of Mobile Application Development: A Guide to Selecting the Right Engineering and Quality Features, Singapore: Bentham Science Publishers, →ISBN, page 86:
      Forward compatibility of a mobile application describes an application that is developed in such a way that it fits with planned future versions of the same application. Forward compatibility generally implies that a dependent mobile system such as a mobile application designed for a particular OS [operating system] will function satisfactorily in the future version as well as in the present one.

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Further reading

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