In technology, for example in telecommunications and computing, a device or technology is said to be backwards (or downwards) compatible if it allows input generated by older devices.[1] A standard, for example a data format or a communication protocol, is said to allow backward compatibility, if products designed for the new standard can receive, read, view or play older standards or formats.
This should not be confused with forward compatibility, which implies that old devices allow (or are expected to allow) data formats generated by new (or future) devices, perhaps without supporting all new features. A standard supports forward compatibility if older product versions can receive, read, view or play the new standard.
向后兼容意思就是，新的软件、协议、体系结构，可以处理旧的产生的数据。
向前兼容就是旧的软件、协议、体系结构可以处理部分新的产生的数据。
比如 office2003 可以打开office2000 的文档，就说明office2003 对于office2000是向后兼容的。
office2000不能打开office2003 的文档说明office2000对office2003 不具备向前兼容。但是如果可以打开，但是有些功能实现不了，则说明可以前向兼容
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