Interoperable

Able to exchange and make effective use of information with another system.

Reach for it when describing systems that have passed a defined cross-operation test

The interoperable registers preserve the meaning of each status during transfer.

• playful

  plug-compatible

  components can be substituted through a shared interface

  not when Plug-compatible is hardware-leaning and narrower than semantic interoperability.

• everyday

  connected

  a communication path exists

  not when Connected systems can exchange unusable or misinterpreted information.

• professional

  compatible

  the products can work together without conflict

  not when Compatible can mean coexistence and not meaningful data exchange.

• professional

  integrated

  parts are already connected in one functioning arrangement

  not when Integrated systems may depend on a one-off connector rather than open interoperability.

• professional

  portable

  software or data can move between environments

  not when Portable does not imply simultaneous cooperation after the move.

• formal

  standards-compliant

  implementation follows a named standard

  not when Compliance with the same standard does not ensure two implementations work together.

• incompatible
• proprietary
• isolated

• interoperable system

  An interoperable system retains provenance when records cross boundaries.

• fully interoperable

  The vendors called the tools fully interoperable before testing deletion and recovery.

• interoperable format

  An interoperable format needs shared semantics as well as valid syntax.

• Interoperability n.

Interoperable is contextual, not universal. The counterpart systems, versions, operations, semantics, and tests must be named.