Requirement: A description of what the software should do or how it should behave, usually agreed with the business or users.
Example
"Users should be able to reset their password using their registered email" is a requirement.
Why Requirement matters for IT interns
A lot of rework happens because a requirement was misunderstood. Clarify it before you start coding.
Where you will hear it
You will hear this term in development teams, in code reviews and technical discussions, and in technical interviews. If someone uses it and you are not sure what they mean in your project, it is completely fine to ask; every team uses terms a little differently.
Related terms
- Non-Functional Requirement: How well the system should work — speed, security, reliability, usability and similar qualities.
- Production: The live system that real users use.
- Production Environment: The servers, databases and settings that run the live application for real users.
- REST API: A common style of API that uses web addresses (URLs) and HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT and DELETE to…
- Runtime: The environment your program runs in, or the time when it is running.
- SDK: Software Development Kit: a set of tools, libraries and documentation for building software for a particular…
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Frequently asked questions
What is Requirement?
A description of what the software should do or how it should behave, usually agreed with the business or users.
What is an example of Requirement?
"Users should be able to reset their password using their registered email" is a requirement.
Why does Requirement matter for IT interns?
A lot of rework happens because a requirement was misunderstood. Clarify it before you start coding.
Explore more internship terms
The IT Internship Glossary explains 199 terms you will hear before and during your internship, with simple definitions and real examples.
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About the author
Dhaivat has 16+ years of experience in the IT industry, working on AI and cloud technologies, project delivery, and engineering leadership. He has interviewed and mentored many interns, wrote The Lost Intern, and runs the non-commercial Career Impact Initiative, mentoring students for free.