optionsused

Optionsused is a term used in software engineering to describe the set of options that were actually used during a particular execution, configuration, or build. It distinguishes between options that were explicitly specified by a user and those that were applied by default or by the system. In practice, optionsused may refer to a recorded dataset, log entry, or metadata field that lists the flags, switches, or configuration keys that were applied.

Scope and representation: Optionsused applies across command-line interfaces, configuration files, and automated workflows, including build systems and deployment pipelines. It can be represented as a list, a set, a bitmask, or a structured object, often serialized as JSON or YAML in telemetry or audit logs.

Collection and storage: Tools may collect optionsused at runtime through argument parsing, configuration readers, or telemetry instrumentation. Depending on privacy and performance policies, developers may record only explicitly provided options, or all options including defaults.

Example: A data processing tool invoked as data proc --input data.csv --verbose would record optionsused including the input option and the verbose flag, along with their values if captured. Another example is a build system that records which feature toggles and compiler flags were active during a build.

Applications:

- Reproducibility: enabling exact rebuilds and audits.

- Usage analysis: understanding which features are used to guide defaults and roadmap.

- Security and compliance: auditing for sensitive options and access controls.

- Privacy and data minimization: avoiding recording of sensitive values.

Considerations: Challenges include handling option aliases, defaults, version changes, and privacy concerns. Consistency across components, backward compatibility, and clear policies on retention are important for reliable use of optionsused.

See also: command-line interface, configuration management, usage data, telemetry.