Software development glossary
Clear definitions of the terms that come up when you scope and source software — each linked to where we go deeper.
- Nearshore software development
- Outsourcing software work to a nearby country that shares your working hours and is a short flight away — so collaboration feels local. Albania is nearshore to Italy and the EU: same Central European timezone, 1–2 hour flight. Learn more →
- Staff augmentation
- Adding external senior engineers directly to your in-house team — your tools, your process, your management — to scale capacity without hiring. You keep ownership; we provide the people. Learn more →
- Dedicated team
- A self-managing team that owns a product or workstream end to end on your behalf, led by us. Best when you want outcomes and a single accountable partner rather than to manage individuals. Learn more →
- MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
- The smallest version of a product that delivers real value and validates the idea with users. We typically ship an MVP in 8–16 weeks, then grow it into a full production system (4–9 months). Learn more →
- Software house
- A company that designs, builds and maintains software products end to end, rather than just renting out developers by the hour. Square is a software house headquartered in Tirana, Albania. Learn more →
- Custom vs off-the-shelf software
- Off-the-shelf software is pre-built and licensed; custom software is built around your exact process and owned by you. Custom wins when your workflow is a differentiator or no product fits. Learn more →
- Fiscalization (Fiskalizimi)
- Albania’s real-time fiscal reporting requirement: invoices are transmitted to the tax authority (NIVF/NSLF via the AKSHI platform) at the moment they’re issued. Software must integrate with it to be compliant. Learn more →
- CET overlap
- Working in the same Central European Time zone as your client, so the whole working day overlaps — questions get same-day answers instead of an overnight round-trip. Albania runs on CET. Learn more →