What does porting mean?
Porting literally means carrying or transporting something from one place to another, but its best-known modern use is in computing. Software porting is the process of adapting a program so that it will run on another operating system, device, or hardware platform. This can involve changes to programming languages, graphical interfaces, input methods, and system-specific features while preserving the software’s original purpose. The term is also used in telecommunications for transferring a telephone number from one service provider to another. In older or more general contexts, porting can refer to the physical transport of cargo or people. The word is most often uncountable and commonly appears in technical expressions such as "software porting," "porting layer," and "porting code." It is distinct from simply copying files, because a successful port generally requires meaningful adaptation to the destination system.
nounPorting is the act of carrying or transporting something from one place to another. In computing, it also means adapting software so that it can run on a different operating system, device, or hardware platform.
- The transfer or adaptation of software for use on a different computing platform.
- The transfer of a telephone number or associated service from one provider to another.
- The carrying or transporting of goods, people, or other loads from one place to another.
"The team spent months porting the application from the desktop to mobile devices."
"Porting the game to the new console required changes to its graphics and controls."
"The railway company handled the porting of cargo from the ships to the warehouses."
Rare; porting is normally used as an uncountable noun, although plural forms occur when separate porting projects are discussed.
"The developers completed several portings for different platforms."
Porting gave computer software the traveling life: a program written for one machine can be adapted to run on another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does porting come from?
The word was formed by adding the suffix -ing to port, meaning a harbor or place where goods are transferred between land and sea and, by extension, a means of transporting. Port ultimately comes from Latin portare, meaning "to carry." The same Latin root produced portable, transport, export, and import, although these words developed distinct meanings over time.
How porting is actually used
In computing, porting commonly means adapting an existing program rather than rewriting it from the beginning. In telecommunications, number porting normally means transferring an existing telephone number while retaining it. The general sense of carrying or transporting is less frequent in modern usage, and the word is often attributive, as in "porting layer" or "porting code."