Proof of Concept (POC)

A proof of concept (or POC) is a short, paid engagement where a vendor builds something against your actual hard requirements, rather than a canned demo, to prove a technology choice will hold up before you commit to it.

The value is in using real scenarios, such as a tricky integration or unusual content need. A POC costs money and time up front, but it is far cheaper than discovering during implementation that the platform you bought can't do what you needed all along.