What is the canonical antonym for platform-agnostic when referring to software in computing?

Question

Google defines platform-agnostic as:

Denoting or relating to hardware or software that is compatible with many types of platforms or operating systems.

"many common file formats (JPEG, MP3, etc.) are platform-agnostic"

and TechTarget defines it (from an IT context) as:

The ability of something to function without “knowing” the underlying details of a system that it is working within.

I tend to use the term platform-dependent or cross-platform as an antonym for platform-agnostic, but most definitions for these terms seem to imply a hardware context or give a definition opposite to platform-independent.

When referring to software, is platform-dependent a viable antonym for platform-agnostic for describing an application that only runs on a subset of known platforms (e.g. operating system, devices, environments, etc.) or is there a more appropriate computing term, such as platform-gnostic or platform-specific, to convey this?

Harveyharvie

Platform dependent would swing my vote, once you start coding dependency on specific architecture you make yourself platform dependent. Cross-platform itself can be tricky if you care about where the dependence is met; though -- but I think you are safe with that word. – Illuminance

@Kaylus – that's what I tend to use for the same reasons. This might be a stretch, but depending on the context, if the undertone for a piece of software being agnostic is that it was designed not knowing the underlying system/dependencies, then maybe platform-specific or even platform-known, would be appropriate as well. – Harveyharvie

Platform-reverant? – Rudy

Both "platform-dependent" and "platform-specific" convey the meaning you are searching for - "NOT platform-agnostic". Additional term that you can use albeit with a slightly tangential meaning is "vendor locked". – Deach

Answer 1

I would concur with the usage of 'platform-dependent'.

'Cross-platform' isn't the same as that; there's a subtle difference.

For example, when you talk about something being 'platform-agnostic', it refers to software or technologies that are designed to operate independently of any specific platform. In contrast, 'cross-platform' refers to software or technologies that are designed to run on multiple platforms (more than one, but not 'any').

However, in cloud solutions, we often use the term 'vendor lock-in' to describe the opposite quality of being platform-agnostic. This term indicates that the solution is not easily adaptable to another cloud platform without significant modification.

Kith