ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

DO-178C

Do-178C is a set of rules for making sure that airplane software is safe and works correctly. Just like how you follow the rules for crossing the street to be safe, airplane software has to follow certain rules too. These rules make sure that the software doesn't cause any problems for the airplane, like making it crash or fly wrong.

It's really important that airplane software is made as carefully as possible because if anything goes wrong, it could be very dangerous for everyone on the plane. So, just like how your parents might double-check an important letter they're sending out, airplane software designers have to double-check everything they do too.

The people who make airplane software have to follow different levels of rules based on how important the software is. Think of it like different levels of importance for different tasks. Some tasks might be really important, like not touching a hot stove, while others might not be as important, like picking what shirt to wear. The rules for airplane software are the same way- some are more important and have to be followed very strictly, while others aren't as important and can be a little more flexible.

Overall, the goal of Do-178C is to make sure that everyone who works on airplane software is really careful and follows all the rules to make sure the software works well and keeps everyone safe.