edge case
Say it: EJ kays /ˈɛdʒ keɪs/ · noun
What “edge case” means
An unusual situation at the limits of normal use.
More precisely: An unusual situation at the extreme limits of normal use, often where things break.
Example: “The booking app worked fine — except for the edge case of people born on 29 February.”
When to use it
In software or product discussion, when an uncommon situation near a limit reveals a problem ordinary testing missed.
Similar words
corner case, exception, outlier
Quick check
A delivery form accepts ordinary addresses but fails on an unusually long street name at its length limit. What is this?
an edge case or a typical case?
Show the answer
an edge case
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