What are acceptance criteria in software development?

Acceptance criteria are specific conditions that must be met for a product or feature to be considered acceptable by the stakeholders, particularly from the perspective of the end user or client. They define the boundaries and expectations for the development team's deliverables, ensuring clarity on what constitutes a successful implementation.

By providing a clear checklist of functionalities or performance metrics that should be achieved, acceptance criteria guide the development and testing processes. This ensures that all team members, including developers, testers, and stakeholders, have a shared understanding of what is required for completion. When the product meets all the established acceptance criteria, it can be deemed acceptable for release or deployment.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately address the purpose of acceptance criteria. Conditions that must be met for rejection do not reflect the constructive nature of acceptance criteria, which focus on defining success rather than failure. Additionally, the notion that requirements are never revisited contradicts the iterative nature of software development, where continuous feedback and adjustments are crucial. Lastly, having random standards set without stakeholder input fails to acknowledge the collaborative process fundamental to establishing meaningful acceptance criteria.