thirdparty

A third party is any person or organization that is not directly involved in a given transaction, agreement, or arrangement but may be affected by it. The term is widely used across business, technology, law, and public policy to describe external entities that interact with primary parties.

In software, third-party components refer to code, libraries, or services developed outside the main application. They can speed development and extend functionality but introduce risks such as security vulnerabilities, licensing compliance, and dependency management.

In commerce, third parties include vendors, contractors, or platforms that facilitate transactions, as in third-party logistics providers or marketplace sellers. In digital advertising and analytics, third-party cookies and trackers collect data across sites, raising privacy concerns and prompting regulation.

Regulatory and risk-management frameworks emphasize assessing and monitoring third-party relationships to mitigate financial, legal, and operational risk. Organizations may implement due diligence, ongoing monitoring, contract terms, data protection clauses, and exit strategies.

Related topics include third-party software libraries, vendor risk management, and data privacy laws. The specifics of what constitutes a "third party" can vary by jurisdiction and domain.