What is Definition of Done (DoD)?

Definition of Done (DoD) is a shared set of criteria the team uses to determine that work is truly complete. In other words, it's a clear answer to the question: "When can a task or feature be considered fully done?"

DoD removes the ambiguity between "almost done" and "ready to release", providing transparency and a shared understanding of quality among everyone on the project.

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#Essence and purpose

Definition of Done is not just a formality, it is a guarantee of quality and consistency. If a task does not satisfy every point of the DoD, it is considered incomplete, no matter how much code has already been written.

DoD helps:

• assess the readiness of an increment by shared standards;
• improve the product's quality;
• reduce the amount of technical debt;
• align expectations between the team, testers, and the client.

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#Examples of Definition of Done items

DoD can differ from team to team, but it usually includes several mandatory categories:

1. Code readiness

• The code is written, formatted, and follows the team's standards.
• All reviews are done, comments addressed.
• The code is merged into the main branch without conflicts.

2. Testing

• Unit tests are written and passing.
• Integration testing has been done.
• There are no critical bugs or crashes.

3. Documentation

• README, comments, and technical specifications are updated.
• Usage instructions for a new feature are added if needed.

4. Build and deployment

• The feature builds and deploys correctly to a test environment.
• Manual or automated testing has been completed.

5. Business criteria

• All Acceptance Criteria are met.
• The functionality matches the described requirements and the Product Owner's vision.

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#Where it applies

• To each task (user story) - to determine whether it can be closed.
• To a sprint increment - to decide whether the sprint can be considered complete.
• To a product release - to make sure the version is ready to ship to production.

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#Example of a simple team DoD

1. The code is written and has passed review.
2. All tests are green.
3. There are no errors in the logs.
4. Documentation is updated.
5. The Product Owner has accepted the task.
6. The functionality is ready to release to staging.

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#Difference between DoD and Acceptance Criteria

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#Conclusion

Definition of Done is a shared standard of "readiness" that unites the team. It makes quality measurable, the process transparent, and the result reliable. If something doesn't match the DoD, it's not "almost done" - it's not done yet.