Oracle - benchristel/benchristel.github.io GitHub Wiki

An oracle in software development is a source of information that, by definition, always gives the right answer to a particular type of question.

The concept has absolutely nothing to do with the company of the same name.

Examples of oracles:

• A standard to be implemented in code (e.g. HTTP). Always gives the right answer to "what should our implementation do when...?"
• an onsite customer. Always gives the right answer to "what should we work on next, to maximize value to the user?"
• when doing GoldenMasterTesting or CharacterizationTesting of a legacy system, the behavior of the deployed system. Always gives the right answer to "how must our refactored software behave, to minimize risk?"