--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best way to be future-friendly is to…" description: "\"The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.\" — Jeremy Keith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg" --- # The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards… ![“The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.” quote by Jeremy Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg) > “The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.” [Jeremy Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Future‑proofing tech means designing current systems that can adapt to later changes, ensuring backward compatibility. **In simple terms:** Build now so it works later. Key Takeaway Design with flexibility for future changes. Themes technology design future‑proofing Mood analytical pragmatic Type technical strategic When to use this quote - software development - product planning - legacy system upgrades - API design Key Concepts software engineering compatibility Questions to Reflect On - What current design choices might become constraints later? - How can you test for future compatibility? A Different Perspective Backward compatibility can limit innovation or add complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Backwards Compatible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards-compatible-2885465/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Compatible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compatible/) [Friendly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendly/) [Friendly Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendly-backwards-5739906/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Friendly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-friendly-1687548/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-future-742402/) ## Related quotes > [I'm happy that you can play 'Morrowind' now on an Xbox One, as it's backwards compatible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-m-happy-that-you-can-play-morrowind-now-on-an-xbox-one-as-it-s/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [I became a spokeswoman for Future Friendly - a partnership between sustainability experts and household brands trying to inspire people to save water, energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/i-became-a-spokeswoman-for-future-friendly-a-partnership-between/) [Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/) > [The fact that the Nintendo 3DS business is backwards compatible incentivizes us to get as many new consumers into the core DS platform as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-fils-aime/the-fact-that-the-nintendo-3ds-business-is-backwards-compatible/) [Reggie Fils-Aime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-fils-aime/) > [Sooner rather than later, any other form other than digital media will be a thing of the past. It won't vanish, but let's face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gibbons/sooner-rather-than-later-any-other-form-other-than-digital-media-will/) [Billy Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gibbons/) > [There's no way the future's over for Martin Keown, Tony Adams or David Seaman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shearer/there-s-no-way-the-future-s-over-for-martin-keown-tony-adams-or-david/) [Alan Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shearer/) > [Either way, the future will tell me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeniy-voronov/either-way-the-future-will-tell-me/) [Yevgeniy Voronov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeniy-voronov/) > [People's minds are polluted by these dark pictures of the future from Hollywood: "The Terminator," the Skynet, "The Matrix." It's world where there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/people-s-minds-are-polluted-by-these-dark-pictures-of-the-future-from/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [I decided that the only way there would be a future was to start to cut back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cohen/i-decided-that-the-only-way-there-would-be-a-future-was-to-start-to/) [Benjamin Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cohen/) > [“Something needed to work—and work in a big way—if the future was going to be better at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/something-needed-to-work-and-work-in-a-big-way-if-the-future-was/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Hopefully I can go back and forth from the United States to Asia. I feel joint productions could be the way of the future.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfrey-gao/hopefully-i-can-go-back-and-forth-from-the-united-states-to-asia-i/) [Godfrey Gao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godfrey-gao/) > [Isn't it amazing the way the future succeeds in creating an appropriate past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leonard/isn-t-it-amazing-the-way-the-future-succeeds-in-creating-an/) [John Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leonard/) > [Community colleges are the way of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/community-colleges-are-the-way-of-the-future/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-the-future-s-futures-have-never/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I believe in the theory of evolution, but I believe as well in the allegorical truth of creation theory. In other words, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-langan/i-believe-in-the-theory-of-evolution-but-i-believe-as-well-in-the/) [Christopher Langan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-langan/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jeremy Keith > [The phrase ‘the Internet never forgets’ is complete bollocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-phrase-the-internet-never-forgets-is-complete-bollocks/) [Jeremy Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/) > [Remember, the web isn't about control. If a visitor to your site is familiar with using a browser's native form doodad, you won't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/remember-the-web-isn-t-about-control-if-a-visitor-to-your-site-is/) [Jeremy Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/) > [Mobile didn't create more unknowns for web designers. It just forced us to recognize the unknowns that were already there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/mobile-didn-t-create-more-unknowns-for-web-designers-it-just-forced/) [Jeremy Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/) [Explore all 4 Jeremy Keith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeremy Keith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to-be-backwards-compatible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backwards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to-be-backwards-compatible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/jeremy-keith-70683_backwards_the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to_1541072.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best way to be future-friendly is to be backwards compatible.” — Jeremy Keith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeremy Keith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-keith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best way to be future-friendly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to-be-backwards-compatible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-keith/the-best-way-to-be-future-friendly-is-to-be-backwards-compatible/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```