upstream

adj

1. In a direction against the flow of a current or stream of fluid (typically water); upriver.
2. (figuratively)Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

   “Input entry is upstream of input validation in the runtime process.”

3. (figuratively)Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.
4. (figuratively)Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.
5. (figuratively)Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

   “The outage was caused by an upstream error in a payments library.”

   “You can also check the upstream and/or Debian bug trackers for open and closed bugs and the upstream revision history or newer release(s).”

   “If the developer knows the bug is an upstream bug but does not know which bug it is in the upstream bug tracker, he can add an upstream task to the bug report.”

   “Because a user generally does not know the pedigree of the open source, it cannot know whether an upstream developer used intellectual property belonging to a third party in developing that software.”

   “We'll walk through the steps to build FreeS/WAN using the upstream tarball.”

6. (figuratively)Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

adv

1. Against the current.

   “In another moment a huge wave, like a muddy tidal bore, but almost scaldingly hot, came sweeping round the bend up-stream.”

verb

1. (intransitive)To stream upward.
2. (transitive)To have (a software library, patch, etc.) accepted by the original developers of the related software, so that they maintain and distribute it.

   “I'd be more than happy to upstream your patch.”

noun

1. Part of the river towards the upstream direction.

   “The total depth of water at the upstream was measured by using a pointer attached to a carriage sitting on the water table walls.”

2. The original developers or maintainers of software.