udvidelsesvenlige

Udvidelsesvenlige is a Danish adjective used to describe systems, products, or designs intended to be extended or augmented with future functionality. The term is commonly applied in information technology, software engineering, and product development to signal modularity, adaptability, and readiness for growth.

In practice, udvidelsesvenlige designs provide extension points such as plug-in architectures, open programming interfaces (APIs), modular components, or scalable data models. This allows new features, integrations, or capabilities to be added without major redesigns of the core system or interfaces. Examples include software frameworks that support plugins, platforms with modular components, and hardware ecosystems with expansion slots or swappable modules.

Key design considerations for udvidelsesvenlige systems include maintaining backward compatibility, defining clear and stable interfaces, implementing versioning, and providing thorough documentation. Effective governance around extensions—including security, quality control, and compatibility testing—helps prevent feature creep and fragmentation.

The concept has benefits such as longer product lifecycles, easier customization, and better resilience to changing requirements. However, it can introduce complexity, higher initial development costs, and the risk of incompatibilities if extension policies are not well managed.

Etymology: udvidelse means extension, venlig means friendly; together udvidelsesvenlige describes something that is friendly to extension, i.e., capable of being extended. In English, closest equivalents are extensible or expandable.