What Does Compatible Mean in Web Development?

In web development, compatible refers to how well a website, web application, or piece of code works across different environments, such as:

Browser Compatibility – Ensuring that a website functions correctly across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.).

Device Compatibility – Making sure the website or app works on various devices (desktop, tablet, mobile).

Cross-Version Compatibility – Ensuring the site works on older and newer versions of browsers or frameworks.

Technology Compatibility – Checking if a website or app integrates well with different technologies (e.g., JavaScript frameworks, CMS platforms, or third-party APIs).

Standard Compliance – Adhering to web standards (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to ensure broad compatibility.

For example, a website that looks great in Chrome but breaks in Safari has compatibility issues. Developers use techniques like progressive enhancement, graceful degradation, and feature detection to handle compatibility problems.