Compatibility may refer to:

Computing

Backward compatibility In telecommunications and computing, backward compatibility (or backwards compatibility) is a property of an operating system, software, real-world product, or technology that allows for interoperability with an older legacy system, or with Input ...

, in which newer systems can understand data generated by older ones *

Compatibility card A compatibility card is an expansion card for computers that allows it to have hardware emulation with another device. While compatibility cards date back at least to the Apple II family, the majority of them were made for 16-bit computers, often ...

, an expansion card for hardware emulation of another device *

Compatibility layer In software engineering, a compatibility layer is an interface that allows binaries for a legacy or foreign system to run on a host system. This translates system calls for the foreign system into native system calls for the host system. With s ...

, components that allow for non-native support of components **

Compatibility mode A compatibility mode is a software mechanism in which a software either emulates an older version of software, or mimics another operating system in order to allow older or incompatible software or files to remain compatible with the computer's n ...

, software mechanism in which a software emulates an older version of software *

Computer compatibility A family of computer models is said to be compatible if certain software that runs on one of the models can also be run on all other models of the family. The computer models may differ in performance, reliability or some other characteristic. Th ...

, of a line of machines **

IBM PC compatible An IBM PC compatible is any personal computer that is hardware- and software-compatible with the IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC) and its subsequent models. Like the original IBM PC, an IBM PC–compatible computer uses an x86-based central p ...

, computers that are generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, or AT *

Forward compatibility Forward compatibility or upward compatibility is a design characteristic that allows a system to accept input intended for a later version of itself. The concept can be applied to entire systems, electrical interfaces, telecommunication signal ...

, in which older systems can understand data generated by newer ones * Hardware compatibility, between different pieces of computer hardware *

License compatibility License compatibility is a legal framework that allows for pieces of software with different software licenses to be distributed together. The need for such a framework arises because the different licenses can contain contradictory requireme ...

, of software licenses *

Pin compatibility In electronics, pin-compatible devices are electronic components, generally integrated circuits or expansion cards, sharing a common footprint and with the same functions assigned or usable on the same pins. Pin compatibility is a property des ...

, in devices that have the same functions assigned to the same particular pins *

Software compatibility A family of computer models is said to be compatible if certain software that runs on one of the models can also be run on all other models of the family. The computer models may differ in Computer performance, performance, Reliability engineering ...

, between different pieces of software **

Software incompatibility Software incompatibility is a characteristic of software components or systems which cannot operate satisfactorily together on the same computer, or on different computers linked by a computer network. They may be components or systems which are in ...

Science and mathematics

Biocompatibility Biocompatibility is related to the behavior of biomaterials in various contexts. The term refers to the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific situation. The ambiguity of the term reflects the ongoin ...

, a description of materials' ability to remain performant in biological tissues * Blood compatibility, determines what type of donor blood to use in blood transfusions * Compatibility, a property of splits in phylogenetic trees *

Compatibility (chemical) Chemical compatibility is a rough measure of how stable a substance is when mixed with another substance. If two substances can mix together and not undergo a chemical reaction, they are considered compatible. Incompatible chemicals react with eac ...

, how stable a substance is when mixed with another substance *

Compatibility (geochemistry) Compatibility is a term used by geochemists to describe how elements partition themselves in the solid and melt within Earth's mantle. In geochemistry, compatibility is a measure of how readily a particular trace element substitutes for a major ...

, how readily a particular trace element substitutes for a major element within a mineral *

Compatibility (mechanics) In continuum mechanics, a compatible deformation (or strain) tensor field in a body is that ''unique'' tensor field that is obtained when the body is subjected to a continuous, single-valued, displacement field. Compatibility is the study o ...

, the study of compatible deformations in continuum mechanics * Electromagnetic compatibility, which studies the unintentional generation, propagation, and reception of electromagnetic energy *

Histocompatibility Histocompatibility, or tissue compatibility, is the property of having the same, or sufficiently similar, alleles of a set of genes called human leukocyte antigens (HLA), or major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Each individual expresses many uni ...

, the degree of similarity of cell surface proteins between individuals * Genetic compatibility, how well the genes of parents function together in their offspring *

Consistency In deductive logic, a consistent theory is one that does not lead to a logical contradiction. A theory T is consistent if there is no formula \varphi such that both \varphi and its negation \lnot\varphi are elements of the set of consequences ...

, logical compatibility between two or more propositions *

Compatible relation In abstract algebra, a congruence relation (or simply congruence) is an equivalence relation on an algebraic structure (such as a group, ring, or vector space) that is compatible with the structure in the sense that algebraic operations done ...

, a binary relation that commutes with each operation of an algebraic structure

Other uses

Astrological compatibility Astrological compatibility (synastry) is the branch of the astrology, that is meant to show compatibility of romantic partners. A natal horoscope is a chart or map of the angles of the planets in the Solar System and their positions in the zodia ...

, a branch of astrology that studies relationships by comparing natal horoscopes *

Compatibilism Compatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism are mutually compatible and that it is possible to believe in both without being logically inconsistent. As Steven Weinberg puts it: "I would say that free will is nothing but our consc ...

, a philosophical position *

Interpersonal compatibility Interpersonal compatibility or interpersonal matching is the long-term interaction between two or more individuals in terms of the ease and comfort of communication. Existing concepts Although various concepts of interpersonal compatibility have e ...

, the long-term interaction between two or more individuals in terms of the ease and comfort of communication {{disambiguation