Ebunjiniyela be-software, ubunjiniyela, iphethini yokwakheka kwesoftware iyisisombululo esijwayelekile, esisebenzisekayo senkinga evame ukwenzeka ngaphakathi komongo inikezwe ekwakhiweni kwesoftware. Akuyona iphethini eqediwe engaguqulwa ngqo ibe ngumthombo noma ikhodi yomshini . Esikhundleni salokho, yincazelo noma isifanekiso sendlela yokuxazulula inkinga engasetshenziswa ezimeni eziningi ezihlukile. Amaphethini wokuqamba enza izinto ezihlelekile okuhlelekile ongazisebenzisa umxazululi ukuxazulula izinkinga ezivamile lapho kuklanywa isakhiwo noma uhlelo. Amaphethini wokuklanywa okwenzelwe izinto ngokuvamile akhombisa ubudlelwane nokuxhumana phakathi kwamakilasi noma izinto, ngaphandle kokucacisa amakilasi wokugcina wesicelo noma izinto ezibandakanyekile. Amaphethini asho ukuthi isimo esingaguquki angahle afakelwe izilimi ezisebenzayo, amanye amaphethini angahunyushwa ngokungadingekile ngezilimi ezakhekile ukusekela ukuxazulula inkinga abazama ukuyixazulula, futhi amaphethini aqondiswe entweni awafaneleki ezintweni ezingahambisani nezilwimi zezinto ezenzelwene (Object-oriented) Amaphethini wokuqamba angabukwa njengendlela ehlelekile yohlelo lokusebenza lwekhompyutha phakathi kwamazinga we- paradigm yohlelo kanye ne- algorithm yekhonkrithi. Amaphethini aqala njengomqondo wokwakha ngu -Christopher Alexander ekuqaleni konyaka we-1966 (cf "Isibonelo Semikhonto," JOURNAL OF AIP, Septhemba, 1966, Vol. 32, No. 3, iphe. 273-278). Ngo-1987, uKent Beck noWard Cunningham baqala ukuzama ngomqondo wokusebenzisa amaphethini ezinhlelweni - ngokukhethekile amaphethini ezilimi - futhi bethula imiphumela yabo engqungqutheleni ye- OOPSLA ngalowo nyaka.