on-demand
Ready when wanted
On-demand describes something available whenever requested rather than on a fixed schedule.
On-demand streaming lets you watch whenever you want, unlike broadcast television.
On-demand printing produces books only when ordered.
The term spans media, services, and manufacturing—anything delivered at the moment of need rather than in advance: the on-demand economy, on-demand delivery.
Briefest unit of time
- immediateHappening without delay
- real-timeOccurring without processing delay
- wheneverAt any occasion
- readySuitable for use now
accessible · 24/7 · anytime · flexible · responsive · available · prompt · quick
Real-time digital delivery
- deliveryConveyance of goods
- rideshareShared vehicle transit
- UberApp-summoned car service
- DoorDashFood delivery service
Netflix · Instacart · Grubhub · Lyft · TaskRabbit · Postmates · Spotify · gig economy
Real-time digital delivery
- videoRecorded moving imagery
- contentWhat something contains
- playbackReproducing recorded media
- binge-watchingRapid consecutive episode viewing
VOD · podcast · audiobook · download · buffering · queue · library · catalog
Internet-delivered digital infrastructure
- scalableAble to increase capacity
- APISoftware communication standard
- bandwidthData transmission capacity
- serverOne who attends tables
virtualization · provisioning · elastic · infrastructure · microservices · containerization · load balancing · autoscaling
Exactly when required
- customHabitual group practice
- 3D printingCreating objects by depositing layers
- batchQuantity produced together
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
made-to-order · bespoke · personalized · fabrication · customization · production · dropshipping · lean
instant
Briefest unit of time
ready · accessible · 24/7 · anytime · flexible · responsive · available · prompt · quick · standby
streaming
Real-time digital delivery
DoorDash · Netflix · Instacart · Grubhub · Lyft · TaskRabbit · Postmates · Spotify · gig economy · platform
streaming
Real-time digital delivery
binge-watching · VOD · podcast · audiobook · download · buffering · queue · library · catalog · episode
cloud computing
Internet-delivered digital infrastructure
- scalableAble to increase capacity
- APISoftware communication standard
- bandwidthData transmission capacity
server · virtualization · provisioning · elastic · infrastructure · microservices · containerization · load balancing · autoscaling · resource allocation
just-in-time
Exactly when required
- customHabitual group practice
- 3D printingCreating objects by depositing layers
- batchQuantity produced together
prototyping · made-to-order · bespoke · personalized · fabrication · customization · production · dropshipping · lean · agile
- service modelssubscription, freemium, pay-per-use, pay per use, full service
- televisionTV, television, broadcast, TV shows, TV series
- cable TVESPN, CNN, cable TV, cable box, HBO
- in-flight entertainmentmovies, films, TV shows, music, games
- Media Distributionstreaming services, video streaming, music streaming, download, broadcast
- Media Techstreaming, cable TV, satellite, radio, podcast
on-demandscheduled
Arranged for specific time
broadcast · live · linear · timetabled · real-time
on-demandmass-produced
Made in large quantities
off-the-shelf · ready-made · stockpiled · prefabricated · warehoused