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What does "SLA" mean in programming?

SLA 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

Service Level Agreement. A formal contract between a service provider and a customer that defines the expected level of service — typically uptime guarantees, response times, and what happens if they are not met. Violating an SLA often results in financial penalties.

Example

"Our SLA guarantees 99.9% uptime. That last outage was 4 hours — we need to review our compensation policy."

Related terms

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