difficult to port

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to port" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the challenges of transferring software or applications from one platform or environment to another. Example: "The legacy system is difficult to port to the new cloud infrastructure due to its outdated architecture."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

I have the paperback version, so it's not that difficult to port around with me.

The New Yorker

PC, PS4, Xbox One (£59.99) It has been historically difficult to port MMOs to consoles due to the range and depth of inputs required to play them properly.

Independent

Nevertheless, specialized components must be built to support interprocessor communications in these FPGA-based designs, and the resulting code may be difficult to port to other reconfigurable platforms.

Integration, the VLSI Journal

Several years of optimization on the cache-based super-scalar architecture has made it more difficult to port the current version of the 3D particle-in-cell code GTC to the NEC SX-6 vector architecture.

Computer Physics Communications

This method is difficult to port to other applications.

Journal of Big Data

It is typically difficult to port large high-level frameworks to different facilities: it is easier to make low-level standard building blocks reusable.

Advanced Structural and Chemical Imaging

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Many of these methods are also application-specific and it would be difficult or impossible to port them to other applications.

Journal of Big Data

Restricting Data Portability to Prevent Use of Competing Online Ad Platforms: Google is accused of using contractual restrictions on advertisers that make it unreasonably difficult for them to port their data to competing ad platforms.

HuffPost

With new security measures it is becoming increasingly difficult to steal into Calais port itself, so the lorry parks and petrol stations are the new jumping off points for migrants.

BBC

However, because of opposition from cartels of ship-owners based at Liverpool and other ports in the United Kingdom, shipping lines were slow to introduce direct services to the new Port of Manchester, which found it difficult to compete against the established ports.

Wikipedia

However, the relative competitiveness of the four hub ports is difficult to judge with only this preliminary data analysis, as all four ports play major roles as transshipment hub ports in liner networks, as indicated by the considerably high percentages of transshipment TEUs relative to total port throughput (Singapore: 84%; Colombo: 80%; Kelang: 62%; Tanjung Pelepas: 92%) in 2013.

Journal of Shipping and Trade

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing software or systems, be specific about what makes the porting process "difficult". Mentioning architectural differences, dependency conflicts, or performance bottlenecks adds clarity.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something is "difficult to port" without providing context. Explain why it presents porting challenges for the audience to understand the complexities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to port" functions as an adjective phrase modifying an implied or stated noun, expressing the characteristic of being challenging to transfer or adapt. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to port" describes the challenges involved in transferring or adapting software or applications from one platform to another. Ludwig AI affirms the expression's correct grammatical standing and usability. Its frequency is uncommon, appearing primarily in science, news, and media, signaling a technical or informative context. When using the phrase, providing specific details about the causes of the difficulty, such as architectural differences or dependency issues, can improve clarity. Alternatives such as "hard to adapt" and "challenging to migrate" can be used based on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to adapt

Focuses on the adaptation process, highlighting the effort required.

challenging to migrate

Emphasizes the migration aspect, suggesting a complex transfer process.

not easily transferable

Highlights the lack of ease in transferring something.

complex to implement on

Shifts the focus to implementation, suggesting complexities in setting up something on a specific platform.

requires significant modification to run on

Highlights the need for substantial changes for compatibility.

presents compatibility issues with

Focuses on potential problems related to compatibility.

not straightforward to convert

Emphasizes the complexity in converting something from one form to another.

demands extensive refactoring for

Highlights the need for major code restructuring.

poses integration challenges

Shifts the focus to integration difficulties.

entails a complicated transition to

Emphasizes the intricacy of the transition process.

FAQs

What does "difficult to port" mean in software development?

In software development, "difficult to port" means that it's challenging to adapt and transfer software from one platform or operating system to another due to various factors like different architectures, dependencies, or coding languages.

What are some alternatives to saying "difficult to port"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to adapt", "challenging to migrate", or "not easily transferable" depending on the context.

What makes a software application "difficult to port"?

Several factors can make an application "difficult to port", including reliance on platform-specific APIs, complex dependencies, significant architectural differences, or performance constraints on the target platform.

How can I make a software application easier to port?

To make an application easier to port, use platform-independent technologies, minimize dependencies, abstract hardware-specific code, and adhere to coding standards that promote portability.