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What does "nondeterministic" mean in programming?
nondeterministic is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.
Definition
Describes a system or algorithm whose outcome can vary even with the same input, due to randomness, concurrency, timing, or external state. Nondeterminism makes testing harder and is a common cause of flaky tests.
Example
"Tests that depend on the current time are nondeterministic — they may pass today and fail tomorrow."
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