ABI incompatibility occurs when multiple binary files interpret data structures differently. This discrepancy leads to unexpected system behavior during runtime, as components fail to align on data representation.
The author illustrates this concept through a coffee shop analogy: if a barista prepares a specific volume of coffee but a server provides a smaller cup, the result is either a loss of product or an overflow. Similarly, in software, a mismatch between components causes errors that static analysis or linters cannot detect before execution.
