is "mutual compatibility" tautological?

By definition, compatibility means

a state in which two things are able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict

Thus, are there situations where there is one-sided compatibility or are all "compatibilities" mutual, which makes the term "mutual compatibility" tautological.

Solution 1:

It is true that, in most cases, the word mutual(ly) is redundant in the sentences like ‘A and B are mutually compatible’, as it does not add anything to ‘A and B are compatible’.

There are, however, some cases where that word is a useful tool for avoiding the risk of ambiguities. Suppose that the context involves some discussion of more than two things, say, A, B, and C. If one were to say, in such a context, ‘A and B are compatible’, this can be ambiguous between

A is compatible with B

and

A is compatible with C, and B is compatible with C.

In such a case, saying ‘A and B are mutually compatible’ makes it clear that one’s intended meaning is the former.