Editing Shall and will (section)

=== Technical contexts ===
In many [[Requirement|requirement specifications]], particularly involving software, the words ''shall'' and ''will'' have special meanings. Most requirement specifications use the word ''shall'' to denote something that is required, while reserving the ''will'' for simple statement about the future (especially since "going to" is typically seen as too informal for legal contexts).  However, some documents deviate from this convention and use the words ''shall'', ''will'', and ''should'' to denote the strength of the requirement. Some requirement specifications will define the terms at the beginning of the document.

Shall and will are distinguished by [[NASA]]<ref>[http://satc.gsfc.nasa.gov/support/STC_APR97/write/writert.html NASA document] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211035725/http://satc.gsfc.nasa.gov/support/STC_APR97/write/writert.html |date=December 11, 2007 }}</ref> and [[Wikiversity]]<ref>[[Wikiversity:Technical writing specification#Writing Clear Requirements|"Writing Clear Requirements"]], in ''Technical writing specification'', Wikiversity</ref> as follows:
*''Shall'' is usually used to state a device or system's requirements. For example: "The selected generator shall provide a minimum of 80 Kilowatts."
*''Will'' is generally used to state a device or system's purpose. For example, "The new generator will be used to power the operations tent."

On standards published by [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO), IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), requirements with "shall" are the mandatory requirements, meaning, "must", or "have to".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://isotc.iso.org/livelink/livelink/fetch/2000/2122/3146825/4229629/4230450/4230456/ISO_IEC_Directives%2C_Part_2%2C_Rules_for_the_structure_and_drafting_of_International_Standards_%282011%2C_6th_edition%29%28PDF_format%29_.pdf?nodeid=10562502&vernum=-2 |title=ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 |access-date=2013-03-28}}</ref>  The [[IETF]] (Internet Engineering Task Force) defines ''shall'' and ''must'' as synonymous terms denoting absolute requirements, and ''should'' as denoting a somewhat flexible requirement, in [[Request for Comments|RFC]] documents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2119.txt |title=RFC 2119 |access-date=2013-03-28}}</ref>

On specifications and standards published by the [[United States Department of Defense]] (DoD), requirements with "shall" are the mandatory requirements. ("Must" shall not be used to express mandatory provisions. Use the term "shall".)  "Will" declares intent or simple futurity, and "should" and "may" express nonmandatory provisions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://quicksearch.dla.mil/basic_profile.cfm?ident_number=36063&method=basic |title=Defense and Program-Unique Specifications Format and Content, MIL-STD-961 |date=2008-04-02  |access-date=2014-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://quicksearch.dla.mil/basic_profile.cfm?ident_number=36064&method=basic |title=Defense Standards Format and Content, MIL-STD-962 |date=2008-04-02 |access-date=2014-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawctsd/Resources/Library/Acqguide/SpecWrit.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130226112124/http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawctsd/Resources/Library/Acqguide/SpecWrit.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 26, 2013 | title = Writing Specifications | access-date = 2018-05-15}}</ref>

Outside DoD, other parts of the U.S. government advise against using the word ''shall'' for three reasons: it lacks a single clear meaning, it causes litigation, and it is nearly absent from ordinary speech. The legal reference ''Words and Phrases'' dedicates 76 pages to summarizing hundreds of lawsuits that centered around the meaning of the word shall. When referencing a legal or technical requirement, ''Words and Phrases'' instead favors ''must'' while reserving ''should'' for recommendations.<ref name=":0" />