noinput

Noinput is a term used in computing to denote the absence of user-provided input in a process or system. It describes situations in which a program, script, or device operates without waiting for or requiring explicit user interaction.

In software, noinput is often associated with non-interactive or headless operation, batch jobs, automated testing, deployment scripts, and configuration tools. In such contexts, programs rely on preset defaults, configuration files, or environment variables to determine behavior. To support noinput operation, developers may provide explicit flags or modes that suppress prompts, such as a non-interactive mode or options like --no-input or --assume-yes, and may also implement input timeouts.

Handling noinput requires careful design. If essential data is missing and prompts are suppressed, the system should fail gracefully with helpful messages, fall back to safe defaults, or request input via alternate channels where appropriate. In user experience terms, noinput can reduce responsiveness if not well documented or if defaults are unsafe.

In security and reliability contexts, noinput can reduce attack surface by preventing unexpected prompts, but it can also lead to misconfiguration if defaults are not appropriate. Testing in noinput mode ensures automated processes behave as intended, and documentation should clarify how defaults are chosen and when prompts might be shown in alternative modes.

See also: Non-interactive mode, Default value, Timeout, Prompts.