Say it like this
Real examples
"We discovered the performance issue yesterday, so we optimized the query on the fly and deployed the fix."
"Instead of waiting for the next sprint, the team decided to refactor the authentication module on the fly."
"The client asked for a different color scheme, so we updated the UI on the fly to show them the new design."
Don't say this
Handle with care. Do not use as a verb on its own (say 'do on the fly' not 'on the fly it'). It describes the manner of an action, not the action itself.
Other forms
on the fly
"We adjusted the server configuration on the fly when the error occurred."
on the fly
"She generated the report on the fly using the new data."
Often used with
Similar words
Opposites
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your deployment is in 10 minutes and you need to fix a critical bug. How do you describe what you are doing?
2. During the customer demo, the stakeholder requested a feature change, so we modified the interface _______ to show them how it would look.
3. Which sentence uses on the fly incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using on the fly: We did not plan to change the API format, but we made the change without waiting because the client needed it immediately.
Questions
Quick poll
Have you said "on the fly" in a standup this week?
Want more structured practice like this? Our English for Programmers course covers real workplace English in depth.