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Software Engineering vocabulary · Agile and Team Workflow

Spec

Meaning in software engineering, with examples

/spek/nounCore term

In software engineering, spec means: Short for specification: a document that describes in detail how a feature should look and behave, so that designers and engineers can build it correctly.

In Turkish: şartname, tanım dokümanı, spesifikasyon

How it is used

Informal and very common: write a spec, the spec says, it's not in the spec, build to spec. In some companies a spec is the same as a PRD; in others the PRD explains the why and the technical spec, written by engineers, explains the how.

Example sentences

  1. The spec doesn't mention what happens when the file is larger than 10 MB.

  2. I'll update the spec with the new error messages after today's review.

Common collocations

  • write a spec
  • technical spec
  • update the spec
  • build to spec
  • spec review
  • PRDShort for product requirements document: a document that explains what a feature or product should do, for whom and why, so the whole team works from the same plan.
  • requirementSomething the software must do, or a condition it must meet, as agreed with users, clients or the product team.
  • edge caseAn unusual situation at the limits of what a program expects, such as an empty list, a very long name or a date like 29 February.
  • acceptance criteriaA list of specific conditions that a feature or user story must meet before the team and the product owner agree that it is done.
  • user storyA short description of a feature from the user's point of view, often written as 'As a [type of user], I want [goal] so that [reason]'.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Agile and Team Workflow

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