Customisable

Customisable is an adjective used to describe a product, system, or service that can be modified or configured to suit the preferences, needs, or circumstances of individual users. Customisability can involve changing settings, selecting options, adding or removing components, applying extensions or themes, or adjusting workflows and layouts.

In British English the term is customisable; American English prefers customizable. Related noun forms are customisation (British) and customization (American). The concept arises from the broader idea of customization, which is the process of tailoring a product or service to a specific user or use case.

Applications of customisability are common across technology, consumer electronics, software, and product design. Examples include software with configurable options and plug-in architectures, operating systems with themes and layout managers, hardware with modular components, and services that offer personalized workflows. Effective customisability often relies on clear defaults, well-documented configuration options, intuitive user interfaces, and stable APIs for extensions or integrations.

Benefits include improved user satisfaction, accessibility, and flexibility, as well as longer product lifecycles through adaptability. Potential downsides include increased complexity, higher maintenance and support costs, potential performance or security implications, and the risk of over-customisation hindering usability or compatibility.

See also: customization, configurability, personalization.