outputkrav

Outputkrav is a term used in software engineering to describe a formal specification of the outputs that a program, service, or data pipeline must produce for a given set of inputs. It defines the structure, data types, formats, and accompanying metadata of outputs, as well as rules for validation, error handling, and provenance. In practice, outputkrav acts as a contract governing what downstream components can expect.

Core components include the output schema, value constraints, formatting rules, and sequencing or pagination when applicable. Metadata such as timestamps, origin, and version identifiers are commonly specified, along with validation procedures that check syntactic conformance and semantic plausibility. Versioning and change management enable evolution while preserving compatibility.

Applications range from data processing pipelines and API responses to algorithm benchmarks and reporting dashboards. By codifying expectations, outputkrav improves interoperability, repeatability, and automated testing, since outputs are checked against a defined schema and rules before being consumed by other systems.

Relation to related concepts: it complements input specifications, performance targets, and contract testing. Tools for defining outputkrav often rely on schemas (for example, JSON Schema or similar) and validation frameworks to enforce compliance.

Limitations include potential rigidity and the overhead of maintaining evolving schemas across services. Adoption varies, and there is no universally accepted standard, which means organizations typically tailor outputkrav to their domain and tooling. See also data schema, JSON Schema, contract testing.