rollback
ROHL-bak
/ˈroʊlbæk/
The process of reversing a software update or installation to return to a previous stable state.
A rollback is a safety measure used when a new update causes unexpected crashes, system failures, or data issues.
The story behind the word. Originally used in the early 20th century to describe rolling back prices to a previous level. In the mid-20th century, database administrators adopted the term to describe undoing a transaction that failed to complete.
Word relationships
- reversion: Reversion is the act of returning to a former state, while rollback is the specific technical process of undoing an update.
- deployment: Deployment is the process of pushing out a new version of software, while rollback is pulling it back.
Commonly confused with
- uninstall: A rollback returns a system to a previous working state, whereas an uninstall completely removes the software.
Word family
- rolled back (verb): The action of returning to a previous state.
Collocations
- system rollback
- initiate a rollback
- automatic rollback
- database rollback
Example sentences
- "Following the database crash, the team initiated a rollback to restore the previous stable configuration." An incident report from a DevOps engineer.
Memory hook
Imagine rolling a heavy stone back down a hill to where it was safe and stable. Roll back the clock to when things worked.
When not to use
Do not use rollback to describe simply uninstalling an app you no longer want; it specifically implies returning to an older, working version.
Fun facts
- Rollbacks are a core feature of modern transactional databases, ensuring that if a single step of a complex transaction fails, the entire database resets to prevent partial data corruption.
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