scalability
skay-luh-BIL-i-tee
/ˌskeɪləˈbɪlɪti/
The capacity to be changed in size or scale; the ability of a business to handle growing amounts of work.
True scalability means that as you grow, your costs don't grow as fast as your revenue.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'scala', meaning ladder. It literally means the ability to 'climb the ladder' of size and volume.
Word relationships
- extensibility: Extensibility is the ability to add new features; scalability is the ability to handle more volume.
- rigidity: The inability to change or adapt to different sizes or demands.
Commonly confused with
- growth: Growth is the act of getting bigger; scalability is the system's capacity to get bigger without breaking.
Word family
- scale (verb): To increase in size or scope.
- scalable (adjective): Able to be grown or expanded.
Collocations
- highly scalable
- scalability issues
- horizontal scalability
Example sentences
- "The scalability of cloud computing allows startups to handle millions of users without buying their own servers." Software Engineering
- "Investors look for scalability because they want businesses that can grow exponentially." Venture Capital
Memory hook
If a business has a 'Scale' and a 'Ladder' (scala), it can climb to the top. Climbing the ladder of growth.
When not to use
Don't use it just to mean 'growth'; it specifically refers to the ability or potential to grow efficiently.
Fun facts
- Software is considered highly scalable because copying code costs almost nothing, whereas physical manufacturing is harder to scale.
Related words
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