breaking change

noun

A change in one part of a software system that potentially causes other components to fail; occurs most often in shared libraries of code used by multiple applications.

“Not possible to fix old entries without a breaking change, so remap old to new in import lib.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounbreaking change (plural breaking changes)

plural breaking changes

  1. computingA change in one part of a software system that potentially causes other components to fail; occurs most often in shared libraries of code used by multiple applications.

    Not possible to fix old entries without a breaking change, so remap old to new in import lib.

Cite this entry
APA

breaking change. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breaking%20change

MLA

“breaking change.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breaking%20change. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “breaking change,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breaking%20change.

Source: breaking change on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.