Rollback

Intermediate 💻 Tech / IT

Definition

Reverting to a previous version of the software because the new version set something on fire, either literally or figuratively. A rollback is the "undo" button of production, and pressing it is always accompanied by a mixture of relief and shame.

Example Usage

"Initiate the rollback," commanded the incident manager at 3 AM, as the team collectively agreed that the last four hours of their lives had been a complete waste.

Related Terms

Advanced

fairing

An aerodynamic shell or structure designed to reduce drag and smooth airflow over vehicles, aircraft, or spacecraft—basically cosmetic surgery for engineering that actually improves performance. It's the sleek covering that makes things go faster by tricking the air into flowing smoothly instead of creating turbulent chaos. Function meets form when making things slippery becomes a science.

💻 Tech / IT
Advanced

striping

A data storage technique that distributes information across multiple physical disks simultaneously, dramatically reducing read/write times. It's like hiring multiple cashiers instead of one, except with your hard drive.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

mesh

A woven or interlocking network of material with regular openings, or in tech, the coordinated engagement of gears and mechanical components. Think of it as teamwork, but for inanimate objects.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

Scalability

A system's ability to handle growth, which everyone asks about and nobody truly tests until ten thousand users show up simultaneously and the server starts making sounds like a dying whale. Planning for scalability is like buying a bigger house for children you might have someday.

💻 Tech / IT
Beginner

API

Application Programming Interface: the digital equivalent of a restaurant menu -- it tells you what you can order without making you watch the kitchen catch fire. When an API breaks, every developer suddenly becomes a detective and a therapist simultaneously.

💻 Tech / IT
Beginner

requirements

The supposedly clear specifications of what a system, project, or product must do, which somehow always turn out to be neither clear nor complete when development begins. In tech, they're the sacred documents that stakeholders change weekly while insisting nothing has changed. The gap between what's written and what's actually wanted could swallow entire development teams.

💻 Tech / IT

Translate This Term

See “Rollback” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on XShare on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

decree

An official order or decision issued by a legal or governmental authority, carrying the weight of law without requiring ...