incremental

Incremental describes changes that occur in small, discrete steps rather than in a single, large leap. The noun increment refers to the amount of increase, and the adjective is used to characterize methods, processes, or results that apply or accumulate in steps. The term originates from Latin incrementum, meaning increase.

In mathematics and computer science, the concept appears in different forms. An incremental change is the difference between successive values, often denoted as an increment of a variable. In programming, incremental techniques update a system by applying small changes rather than rebuilding from scratch. Examples include incremental backups, which copy only new or modified data; incremental compilation, which reuses previously built components; and incremental rendering or updating of user interfaces. The increment operator, common in many languages, increases a value by a fixed amount, typically one.

In practice, incremental approaches can reduce resource use and latency, at the cost of added complexity in ensuring consistency and correctness across increments. In business and management, incremental cost and incremental revenue describe the additional costs or revenues generated by a one-unit change in output or activity. In machine learning, incremental learning (online learning) updates a model as new data arrives without retraining on the full dataset. In software development, incremental development delivers a usable product in small increments, allowing early feedback and iterative improvement. The term also appears in fields such as statistics, data processing, and systems engineering to signify successive, additive changes rather than wholesale redesigns.