MusicXML is a widely-used standard for representing music in digital form. It allows music to be shared and interpreted across various software programs and applications. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is another standard that represents musical notes and events for communication between electronic musical instruments and computers.

Backward capability (also backwards compatibility) is the ability of older software to use files made by newer versions of that software. For example, Word 2003 can (with an extra download) modify and edit files saved in Word 2007. Word 2007 can also save files in the Word 2003 format to save trouble. Certain software, such as CodaMusic's Finale music composition software is not backwards compatible, meaning that files edited with Finale 2007 cannot be read in Finale 2006.

Backwards compatibility is a useful feature of software because people with different versions of one piece of software can all edit a file without having to worry about conversion and the troubles that can come when old software cannot read new software's data.

If software is not backwards compatible, there are typically ways to circumvent the problems caused. You can copy the text from the new version and save it in a Notepad .txt document that can be read by most any program. Of course, you lose some of the formatting data, like font and spacing, but it is better than retyping. With Finale for example, you can export the file in MusicXML, which is a format readable by every recent version of Finale. You lose some information, but you do not have to redo your work.

Backward capability (also backwards compatibility) is the ability of older software to use files made by newer versions of that software. For example, Word 2003 can (with an extra download) modify and edit files saved in Word 2007. Word 2007 can also save files in the Word 2003 format to save trouble. Certain software, such as CodaMusic's Finale music composition software is not backwards compatible, meaning that files edited with Finale 2007 cannot be read in Finale 2006.

Backwards compatibility is a useful feature of software because people with different versions of one piece of software can all edit a file without having to worry about conversion and the troubles that can come when old software cannot read new software's data.

If software is not backwards compatible, there are typically ways to circumvent the problems caused. You can copy the text from the new version and save it in a Notepad .txt document that can be read by most any program. Of course, you lose some of the formatting data, like font and spacing, but it is better than retyping. With Finale for example, you can export the file in MusicXML, which is a format readable by every recent version of Finale. You lose some information, but you do not have to redo your work.