Principle vs. Feature — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on December 22, 2023
Principle refers to a fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for belief or action, while a feature is a distinctive attribute or aspect of something.
Difference Between Principle and Feature
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Principle is often conceptual, representing core beliefs or values that guide behavior and decisions, whereas a feature is typically a tangible or distinct characteristic of an object, system, or concept. Principles are foundational and philosophical, often abstract, while features are concrete, observable elements.
In the context of design or systems, a principle may refer to a guiding rule or standard that informs the creation or functioning of a system, such as the principle of simplicity. On the other hand, a feature is a specific aspect or function of the system, like a user-friendly interface. Here, principles underpin the design philosophy, while features are the outcome of these guiding rules.
In moral or ethical discourse, a principle is a fundamental belief about right and wrong that influences behavior and choices, like the principle of honesty. In contrast, a feature in this context might refer to a specific manifestation or expression of a principle, such as transparency in communication.
In education, a principle can be a basic rule or concept that forms the basis of understanding a subject, like the principles of economics. Meanwhile, a feature could refer to a particular aspect of a course or educational system, such as interactive learning modules.
In legal contexts, a principle is a foundational rule or doctrine, like the principle of justice, which guides legal judgments and legislation. A feature in law might be a specific characteristic of a legal system, such as the jury system in the U.S. legal system.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
Fundamental truth or rule
Distinctive attribute
Role
Guides actions and decisions
Describes characteristics
Abstractness
More abstract and philosophical
More concrete and observable
Influence
Shapes underlying approach
Shapes specific attributes
Example in Design
Guiding rule for aesthetics
Specific element like color scheme
Compare with Definitions
Principle
A principle is a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior.
The principle of equality ensures fair treatment for all.
Feature
A feature is a distinctive attribute or aspect of something.
The new smartphone's most notable feature is its high-resolution camera.
Principle
A principle is a rule or belief governing one's personal behavior.
Honesty is a key principle in maintaining trust.
Feature
In software, a feature is a specific function or capability.
The latest update includes a feature for data encryption.
Principle
A principle can be a general law or rule adopted or professed as a guide to action.
Following the principle of sustainability, the company reduced its carbon footprint.
Feature
In geography, a feature is a significant physical element of the landscape.
The Grand Canyon is a prominent natural feature of the American Southwest.
Principle
A principle is an underlying foundation or theory that supports a system of thought.
Democratic principles form the basis of a fair political system.
Feature
A feature can be an important part of a product that gives it its character.
Voice recognition is a key feature of modern smart home devices.
Principle
In science, a principle is a basic assumption or law used to explain phenomena.
The principle of gravity explains why objects fall towards the earth.
Feature
A feature in journalism refers to a special article or segment focusing on a specific topic.
The magazine's feature on climate change won several awards.
Principle
A principle is a proposition or value that is a guide for behavior or evaluation. In law, it is a rule that has to be or usually is to be followed.
Feature
Any of the distinct parts of the face, as the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Principle
A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning
The basic principles of justice
Feature
Often features The overall appearance of the face or its parts.
Principle
A general scientific theorem or law that has numerous special applications across a wide field.
Feature
A prominent or distinctive part, quality, or characteristic
A feature of one's personality.
A feature of the landscape.
Principle
A fundamental source or basis of something
The first principle of all things was water
Feature
A property of linguistic units or forms
Nasality is a phonological feature.
Principle
A basic truth, law, or assumption
The principles of democracy.
Feature
In generative linguistics, any of various abstract entities that specify or combine to specify phonological, morphological, semantic, and syntactic properties of linguistic forms and that act as the targets of linguistic rules and operations.
Principle
A rule or standard, especially of good behavior
A man of principle.
Feature
The main film presentation at a theater.
Principle
The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments
A decision based on principle rather than expediency.
Feature
A long, narrative movie, typically lasting more than one hour.
Principle
A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
Feature
A special attraction at an entertainment.
Principle
A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior
The principle of self-preservation.
Feature
A prominent or special article, story, or department in a newspaper or periodical.
Principle
A rule or law concerning the functioning of natural phenomena or mechanical processes
The principle of jet propulsion.
Feature
An item advertised or offered as particularly attractive or as an inducement
A washing machine with many features.
Principle
(Chemistry) One of the elements that compose a substance, especially one that gives some special quality or effect.
Feature
Outward appearance; form or shape.
Principle
A basic source. See Usage Note at principal.
Feature
Physical beauty.
Principle
A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.
Feature
To give special attention to; display, publicize, or make prominent.
Principle
A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.
Feature
To have or include as a prominent part or characteristic
The play featured two well-known actors.
Principle
Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
Feature
To depict or outline the features of.
Principle
(physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine
Feature
(Informal) To picture mentally; imagine
Can you feature her in that hat?.
Principle
A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
Feature
(obsolete) One's structure or make-up: form, shape, bodily proportions.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
Feature
An important or main item.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Feature
(media) A long, prominent article or item in the media, or the department that creates them; frequently used technically to distinguish content from news.
Principle
(obsolete) A beginning.
Feature
(film) feature film
Principle
(transitive) To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Feature
Any of the physical constituents of the face (eyes, nose, etc.).
Principle
Beginning; commencement.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Feature
(computing) A beneficial capability of a piece of software.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
The soul of man is an active principle.
Feature
The cast or structure of anything, or of any part of a thing, as of a landscape, a picture, a treaty, or an essay; any marked peculiarity or characteristic.
One of the features of the landscape
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Feature
(archaeology) Something discerned from physical evidence that helps define, identify, characterize, and interpret an archeological site.
A feature of many Central Texas prehistoric archeological sites is a low spreading pile of stones called a rock midden. Other features at these sites may include small hearths.
Principle
A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.
Feature
(engineering) Characteristic forms or shapes of parts. For example, a hole, boss, slot, cut, chamfer, or fillet.
Principle
A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
Feature
An individual measurable property or characteristic of a phenomenon being observed; the input of a model.
Principle
Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; - applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Feature
(music) The act of being featured in a piece of music.
Principle
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well principled.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Feature
(linguistics) The elements into which linguistic units can be broken down.
Principle
A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works
Feature
(transitive) To ascribe the greatest importance to something within a certain context.
Principle
A rule or standard especially of good behavior;
A man of principle
He will not violate his principles
Feature
(transitive) To star, to contain.
Principle
A basic truth or law or assumption;
The principles of democracy
Feature
(intransitive) To appear, to make an appearance.
Principle
A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields
Feature
To have features resembling.
Principle
Rule of personal conduct
Feature
The make, form, or outward appearance of a person; the whole turn or style of the body; esp., good appearance.
What needeth it his feature to descrive?
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature.
Principle
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature);
The rationale for capital punishment
The principles of internal-combustion engines
Feature
The make, cast, or appearance of the human face, and especially of any single part of the face; a lineament. (pl.) The face, the countenance.
It is for homely features to keep home.
Feature
The cast or structure of anything, or of any part of a thing, as of a landscape, a picture, a treaty, or an essay; any marked peculiarity or characteristic; as, one of the features of the landscape.
And to her service bind each living creatureThrough secret understanding of their feature.
Feature
A form; a shape.
So scented the grim feature, and upturnedHis nostril wide into the murky air.
Feature
A prominent aspect of something;
The map showed roads and other features
Generosity is one of his best characteristics
Feature
The characteristic parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chin;
An expression of pleasure crossed his features
His lineaments were very regular
Feature
The principal (full-length) film in a program at a movie theater;
The feature tonight is `Casablanca'
Feature
A special or prominent article in a newspaper or magazine;
They ran a feature on retirement planning
Feature
An article of merchandise that is displayed or advertised more than other articles
Feature
Have as a feature;
This restaurant features the most famous chefs in France
Feature
Wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner;
She was sporting a new hat
Common Curiosities
Are principles always moral?
Not always. Principles can be moral, but they can also be practical guidelines or theoretical foundations.
Can features be physical and non-physical?
Yes, features can be both tangible, like a physical characteristic, and intangible, like a software function.
What is a principle in ethics?
In ethics, a principle is a fundamental belief or rule that guides moral conduct.
Can a feature be a selling point?
Yes, often a distinctive or innovative feature is used as a selling point for a product.
Are principles always positive?
While principles are generally seen as positive, their interpretation can vary, and not all principles are beneficial in every context.
Are principles universal?
Some principles are considered universal, like basic human rights, but others can vary based on culture or individual belief.
Can a product have multiple features?
Yes, products usually have multiple features that collectively define their functionality and appeal.
Can principles conflict with each other?
Yes, sometimes principles can conflict, requiring a balance or prioritization.
Do principles change over time?
Some principles evolve with societal changes, but core principles like justice or fairness often remain constant.
How do features relate to customer satisfaction?
Features directly impact customer satisfaction by meeting specific needs or preferences.
How does a feature enhance a product?
Features enhance products by adding functionality or improving user experience.
Do principles apply to organizations?
Yes, organizations often operate based on guiding principles that define their values and approach.
How important are features in technology?
Features are crucial in technology, as they determine capabilities, user experience, and competitiveness.
Can principles be applied in everyday life?
Absolutely, principles guide everyday decisions and behaviors in various contexts.
Is a feature always visible?
No, some features, like software algorithms, are not visible but still impact functionality.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
