Out of the box (feature)

For other uses, see Out of the box (feature) (disambiguation).

Items, functionalities, or features provided out of the box are those that do not require any additional installations, plug-ins, expansion packs, or products. In addition to being used for tangible products, the phrase is often used in a less literal sense for software, which may not be distributed in any box but offer certain functions "out of the box."

In the case of implementation of products that use another products, out of the box also has the connotation of using a system without customization, such that it is usable with a vanilla installation. An example is, "we implemented SMS out of the box while developing our business system." OOTB product installations can often times be complex and as result, coordination among the various systems is needed to ensure that the software is properly installed. Even though OOTB software is simple to use and offers much flexibility, there are occassions when a code is necessary to augment the configuration options. The code may be a scripting language embedded within the product, or it can rely upon the use of standard development platforms such as java, C sharp, or VB.

Furthermore, the phrase can also be used in the longer phrase "to think out of the box" (Thinking outside the box), where it describes a particular way of approaching problems or puzzles.

out of the box also could mean "some innovative way or breakthrough"

See also

• Off the shelf

Internet Evolution (www.internetevolution.com): What 'Out-of-the-Box' Really Means