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id="toc-Beta" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Beta"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Beta</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Beta-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Perpetual_beta" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Perpetual_beta"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.1</span> <span>Perpetual beta</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Perpetual_beta-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Open_and_closed_beta" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Open_and_closed_beta"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.2</span> <span>Open and closed beta</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Open_and_closed_beta-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Release_candidate" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Release_candidate"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>Release candidate</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Release_candidate-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Stable_release" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Stable_release"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.5</span> <span>Stable release</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Stable_release-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Release" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Release"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Release</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Release-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Release subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Release-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Release_to_manufacturing_(RTM)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Release_to_manufacturing_(RTM)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Release to manufacturing (RTM)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Release_to_manufacturing_(RTM)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-General_availability_(GA)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#General_availability_(GA)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>General availability (GA)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-General_availability_(GA)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Release_to_the_Web_(RTW)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Release_to_the_Web_(RTW)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Release to the Web (RTW)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Release_to_the_Web_(RTW)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Support" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Support"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Support</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Support-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Support subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Support-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-End-of-life" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#End-of-life"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>End-of-life</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-End-of-life-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-History" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#History"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>History</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Software release life cycle</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 45 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-45" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">45 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%84_%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA" title="مراحل إصدار البرمجيات – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="مراحل إصدار البرمجيات" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0" title="সফটওয়্যার মুক্তির জীবনচক্র – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="সফটওয়্যার মুক্তির জীবনচক্র" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bs mw-list-item"><a href="https://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDivotni_ciklus_softverskih_izdanja" title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja – Bosnian" lang="bs" hreflang="bs" data-title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja" data-language-autonym="Bosanski" data-language-local-name="Bosnian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bosanski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fases_de_desenvolupament_del_programari" title="Fases de desenvolupament del programari – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Fases de desenvolupament del programari" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDivotn%C3%AD_cyklus_vyd%C3%A1n%C3%AD_softwaru" title="Životní cyklus vydání softwaru – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Životní cyklus vydání softwaru" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entwicklungsstadium_(Software)" title="Entwicklungsstadium (Software) – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Entwicklungsstadium (Software)" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarkvara_v%C3%A4ljalaske_eluts%C3%BCkkel" title="Tarkvara väljalaske elutsükkel – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Tarkvara väljalaske elutsükkel" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9A%CF%8D%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%B6%CF%89%CE%AE%CF%82_%CE%AD%CE%BA%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%83%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%8D" title="Κύκλος ζωής έκδοσης λογισμικού – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Κύκλος ζωής έκδοσης λογισμικού" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclo_de_vida_del_lanzamiento_de_software" title="Ciclo de vida del lanzamiento de software – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Ciclo de vida del lanzamiento de software" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivciklo_de_programareldono" title="Vivciklo de programareldono – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Vivciklo de programareldono" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DA%86%D8%B1%D8%AE%D9%87_%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%DB%8C_%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D9%86%D8%B1%D9%85%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1" title="چرخه زندگی انتشار نرم‌افزار – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="چرخه زندگی انتشار نرم‌افزار" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_de_vie_d%27un_logiciel" title="Cycle de vie d'un logiciel – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Cycle de vie d'un logiciel" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gl mw-list-item"><a href="https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclo_de_desenvolvemento" title="Ciclo de desenvolvemento – Galician" lang="gl" hreflang="gl" data-title="Ciclo de desenvolvemento" data-language-autonym="Galego" data-language-local-name="Galician" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Galego</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%86%8C%ED%94%84%ED%8A%B8%EC%9B%A8%EC%96%B4_%EB%B0%B0%ED%8F%AC_%EC%83%9D%EB%AA%85_%EC%A3%BC%EA%B8%B0" title="소프트웨어 배포 생명 주기 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="소프트웨어 배포 생명 주기" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%89%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%9C_%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0" title="सॉफ्टवेयर रिलीज जीवन चक्र – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="सॉफ्टवेयर रिलीज जीवन चक्र" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDivotni_ciklus_softverskih_izdanja" title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daur_hidup_rilis_perangkat_lunak" title="Daur hidup rilis perangkat lunak – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Daur hidup rilis perangkat lunak" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclo_di_vita_del_software" title="Ciclo di vita del software – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Ciclo di vita del software" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%9E%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%92%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98_%E1%83%A3%E1%83%96%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9C%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A7%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A4%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A8%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%AA%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%99%E1%83%94%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98_%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%A4%E1%83%94%E1%83%AE%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98" title="პროგრამული უზრუნველყოფის გამოშვების ცალკეული საფეხურები – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="პროგრამული უზრუნველყოფის გამოშვების ცალკეული საფეხურები" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programin%C4%97s_%C4%AFrangos_gyvavimo_ciklas" title="Programinės įrangos gyvavimo ciklas – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Programinės įrangos gyvavimo ciklas" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_szoftverkiad%C3%A1s_%C3%A9letciklusa" title="A szoftverkiadás életciklusa – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="A szoftverkiadás életciklusa" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ml mw-list-item"><a href="https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%B8%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%AB%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B1%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B1%E0%B5%8D%E2%80%8C%E0%B4%B5%E0%B5%86%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%BC_%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%B2%E0%B5%80%E0%B4%B8%E0%B5%8D_%E0%B4%B2%E0%B5%88%E0%B4%AB%E0%B5%8D_%E0%B4%B8%E0%B5%88%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BF%E0%B5%BE" title="സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയർ റിലീസ് ലൈഫ് സൈക്കിൾ – Malayalam" lang="ml" hreflang="ml" data-title="സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയർ റിലീസ് ലൈഫ് സൈക്കിൾ" data-language-autonym="മലയാളം" data-language-local-name="Malayalam" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>മലയാളം</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitar_hayat_keluaran_perisian" title="Kitar hayat keluaran perisian – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Kitar hayat keluaran perisian" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AA%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%95%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AB" title="ソフトウェアリリースライフサイクル – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="ソフトウェアリリースライフサイクル" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livssyklus_for_programvareutgivelse" title="Livssyklus for programvareutgivelse – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Livssyklus for programvareutgivelse" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pnb mw-list-item"><a href="https://pnb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%84_%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA_%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%81%D9%B9%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A6%D8%B1" title="مراحل اشاعت سوفٹویئر – Western Punjabi" lang="pnb" hreflang="pnb" data-title="مراحل اشاعت سوفٹویئر" data-language-autonym="پنجابی" data-language-local-name="Western Punjabi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>پنجابی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cykl_%C5%BCycia_programu" title="Cykl życia programu – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Cykl życia programu" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclo_de_vida_de_libera%C3%A7%C3%A3o_de_software" title="Ciclo de vida de liberação de software – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Ciclo de vida de liberação de software" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadiul_de_dezvoltare_al_unui_software" title="Stadiul de dezvoltare al unui software – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Stadiul de dezvoltare al unui software" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B8_%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Стадии разработки программного обеспечения – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Стадии разработки программного обеспечения" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-scn mw-list-item"><a href="https://scn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Release" title="Release – Sicilian" lang="scn" hreflang="scn" data-title="Release" data-language-autonym="Sicilianu" data-language-local-name="Sicilian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Sicilianu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-si mw-list-item"><a href="https://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B6%B8%E0%B7%98%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%82%E0%B6%9C_%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%94_%E0%B6%A2%E0%B7%93%E0%B7%80%E0%B6%B1_%E0%B6%A0%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B6%BB%E0%B6%BA" title="මෘදුකාංග නිකුතු ජීවන චක්‍රය – Sinhala" lang="si" hreflang="si" data-title="මෘදුකාංග නිකුතු ජීවන චක්‍රය" data-language-autonym="සිංහල" data-language-local-name="Sinhala" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>සිංහල</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle" title="Software release life cycle – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Software release life cycle" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sk mw-list-item"><a href="https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_verzia" title="RC verzia – Slovak" lang="sk" hreflang="sk" data-title="RC verzia" data-language-autonym="Slovenčina" data-language-local-name="Slovak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenčina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programska_izdaja" title="Programska izdaja – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Programska izdaja" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDivotni_ciklus_softverskih_izdanja" title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Životni ciklus softverskih izdanja" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohjelmiston_julkaisuelinkaari" title="Ohjelmiston julkaisuelinkaari – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Ohjelmiston julkaisuelinkaari" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ta mw-list-item"><a href="https://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8A%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D" title="மென்பொருள் வெளியீடு வாழ்க்கைச் சக்கரம் – Tamil" lang="ta" hreflang="ta" data-title="மென்பொருள் வெளியீடு வாழ்க்கைச் சக்கரம்" data-language-autonym="தமிழ்" data-language-local-name="Tamil" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>தமிழ்</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%8B%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C" title="วงจรการเผยแพร่ซอฟต์แวร์ – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="วงจรการเผยแพร่ซอฟต์แวร์" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaz%C4%B1l%C4%B1m_ya%C5%9Fam_d%C3%B6ng%C3%BCs%C3%BC" title="Yazılım yaşam döngüsü – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Yazılım yaşam döngüsü" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B4%D1%96%D1%97_%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%83_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8F" title="Стадії випуску програмного забезпечення – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Стадії випуску програмного забезпечення" 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data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-More_citations_needed plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Software_release_life_cycle" title="Special:EditPage/Software release life cycle">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22">"Software release life cycle"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Software+release+life+cycle%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">April 2023</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p><p>The <b>software release life cycle</b> is the process of developing, testing, and distributing a software product (e.g., an <a href="/wiki/Operating_system" title="Operating system">operating system</a>). It typically consists of several stages, such as pre-alpha, alpha, beta, and release candidate, before the final version, or "gold", is released to the public. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Software_dev2.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Software_dev2.svg/240px-Software_dev2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="240" height="508" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Software_dev2.svg/360px-Software_dev2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Software_dev2.svg/480px-Software_dev2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="635" /></a><figcaption>An example of a basic software release life cycle</figcaption></figure> <p>Pre-alpha refers to the early stages of development, when the software is still being designed and built. Alpha testing is the first phase of formal testing, during which the software is tested internally using <a href="/wiki/White-box_testing" title="White-box testing">white-box techniques</a>. Beta testing is the next phase, in which the software is tested by a larger group of users, typically outside of the organization that developed it. The beta phase is focused on reducing impacts on users and may include usability testing. </p><p>After beta testing, the software may go through one or more release candidate phases, in which it is refined and tested further, before the final version is released. </p><p>Some software, particularly in the internet and technology industries, is released in a perpetual beta state, meaning that it is continuously being updated and improved, and is never considered to be a fully completed product. This approach allows for a more agile development process and enables the software to be released and used by users earlier in the development cycle. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Stages_of_development">Stages of development</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Stages of development"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Pre-alpha">Pre-alpha</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Pre-alpha"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Pre-alpha refers to all activities performed during the software project before formal testing. These activities can include <a href="/wiki/Requirements_analysis" title="Requirements analysis">requirements analysis</a>, <a href="/wiki/Software_design" title="Software design">software design</a>, <a href="/wiki/Software_development" title="Software development">software development</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Unit_testing" title="Unit testing">unit testing</a>. In typical <a href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">open source</a> development, there are several types of pre-alpha versions. <i>Milestone</i> versions include specific sets of functions and are released as soon as the feature is complete.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Alpha"><span class="anchor" id="Alpha"></span>Alpha</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Alpha"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase of <a href="/wiki/Software_testing" title="Software testing">software testing</a> (alpha is the first letter of the <a href="/wiki/Greek_alphabet" title="Greek alphabet">Greek alphabet</a>, used as the number 1). In this phase, developers generally test the software using <a href="/wiki/White-box_testing" title="White-box testing">white-box techniques</a>. Additional validation is then performed using <a href="/wiki/Black-box_testing" title="Black-box testing">black-box</a> or <a href="/wiki/Grey_box_testing#Grey_box_testing" class="mw-redirect" title="Grey box testing">gray-box</a> techniques, by another testing team. Moving to black-box testing inside the organization is known as <i>alpha release</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Alpha software is not thoroughly tested by the developer before it is released to customers. Alpha software may contain serious errors, and any resulting instability could cause crashes or data loss.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Alpha software may not contain all of the features that are planned for the final version.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In general, external availability of alpha software is uncommon for <a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">proprietary software</a>, while <a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">open source software</a> often has publicly available alpha versions. The alpha phase usually ends with a <a href="/wiki/Freeze_(software_engineering)" title="Freeze (software engineering)">feature freeze</a>, indicating that no more features will be added to the software. At this time, the software is said to be <a href="#Feature-complete">feature-complete</a>. A beta test is carried out following <a href="/wiki/Acceptance_testing" title="Acceptance testing">acceptance testing</a> at the supplier's site (the alpha test) and immediately before the general release of the software as a product.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Feature-complete">Feature-complete</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Feature-complete"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A <b>feature-complete</b> (FC) version of a piece of <a href="/wiki/Software" title="Software">software</a> has all of its planned or primary <a href="/wiki/Software_feature" title="Software feature">features</a> implemented but is not yet final due to <a href="/wiki/Software_bug" title="Software bug">bugs</a>, <a href="/wiki/Software_performance" class="mw-redirect" title="Software performance">performance</a> or <a href="/wiki/Software_testing" title="Software testing">stability</a> issues.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This occurs at the end of alpha testing in <a href="/wiki/Software_development" title="Software development">development</a>. </p><p>Usually, feature-complete software still has to undergo <a href="/wiki/Beta_testing" class="mw-redirect" title="Beta testing">beta testing</a> and <a href="/wiki/Patch_(computing)" title="Patch (computing)">bug fixing</a>, as well as performance or stability enhancement before it can go to <a href="#Release_candidate">release candidate</a>, and finally <a href="#Release">gold</a> status. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Beta"><span class="anchor" id="BETA"></span>Beta</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Beta"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Beta test" redirects here. For the 2016 film, see <a href="/wiki/Beta_Test_(film)" title="Beta Test (film)">Beta Test (film)</a>. For the 2021 film, see <a href="/wiki/The_Beta_Test" title="The Beta Test">The Beta Test</a>.</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Software_testing#Beta_testing" title="Software testing">Software testing § Beta testing</a></div> <p>Beta, named after <a href="/wiki/Beta" title="Beta">the second letter of the Greek alphabet</a>, is the software development phase following alpha. A beta phase generally begins when the software is feature-complete but likely to contain several known or unknown bugs.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software and speed or performance issues, and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts on users, often incorporating <a href="/wiki/Usability_testing" title="Usability testing">usability testing</a>. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called <i>beta release</i> and is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it. Software beta releases can be either <a href="#Open_and_closed_beta">open or closed</a>, depending on whether they are openly available or only available to a limited audience. Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organization and to prospective customers. Some developers refer to this stage as a <i>preview</i>, <i>preview release</i>, <i>prototype</i>, <i>technical preview</i> or <i>technology preview</i> (<i>TP</i>),<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or <i><a href="/wiki/Early_access" title="Early access">early access</a></i>. </p><p><i>Beta testers</i> are people who actively report issues with beta software. They are usually customers or representatives of prospective customers of the organization that develops the software. Beta testers tend to volunteer their services free of charge but often receive versions of the product they test, discounts on the release version, or other incentives.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Perpetual_beta">Perpetual beta</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Perpetual beta"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Perpetual_beta" title="Perpetual beta">Perpetual beta</a></div> <p>Some software is kept in so-called <i>perpetual beta</i>, where new features are continually added to the software without establishing a final "stable" release. As the <a href="/wiki/Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a> has facilitated the rapid and inexpensive distribution of software, companies have begun to take a looser approach to the use of the word <i>beta</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Open_and_closed_beta">Open and closed beta</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Open and closed beta"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Developers may release either a <i>closed beta</i>, or an <i>open beta</i>; closed beta versions are released to a restricted group of individuals for a user test by invitation, while open beta testers are from a larger group, or anyone interested. Private beta could be suitable for the software that is capable of delivering value but is not ready to be used by everyone either due to scaling issues, lack of documentation or still missing vital features. The testers report any bugs that they find, and sometimes suggest additional features they think should be available in the final version. </p><p>Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers, and testing among a wide user base is likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team might not find. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Release_candidate">Release candidate</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Release candidate"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg/170px-Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="164" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg/255px-Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg/340px-Microsoft_windows_2000_server_rc2_media.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1484" data-file-height="1429" /></a><figcaption>Microsoft windows 2000 server RC 2 media</figcaption></figure> <p>A <i>release candidate</i> (<i>RC</i>), also known as gamma testing or "going silver", is a beta version with the potential to be a stable product, which is ready to release unless significant <a href="/wiki/Software_bug" title="Software bug">bugs</a> emerge. In this stage of product stabilization, all product features have been designed, coded, and tested through one or more beta cycles with no known showstopper-class bugs. A release is called <i>code complete</i> when the development team agrees that no entirely new source code will be added to this release. There could still be source code changes to fix defects, changes to documentation and data files, and peripheral code for test cases or utilities. Beta testers, if privately selected, will often be credited for using the release candidate as though it were a finished product. Beta testing is conducted in a client's or customer's location and to test the software from a user's perspective.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Stable_release">Stable release</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Stable release"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Also called <i>production release</i>, the <i>stable release</i> is the last <i>release candidate</i> (<i>RC</i>) which has passed all stages of verification and tests. Any known remaining bugs are considered acceptable. This release goes to <a href="/wiki/Deployment_environment#Production" title="Deployment environment">production</a>. </p><p>Some software products (e.g. <a href="/wiki/Linux_distribution" title="Linux distribution">Linux distributions</a> like <a href="/wiki/Debian#Branches" title="Debian">Debian</a>) also have <i><a href="/wiki/Long-term_support" title="Long-term support">long-term support</a></i> (<i>LTS</i>) releases which are based on full releases that have already been tried and tested and receive only security updates. This allows developers to allocate more time toward product development instead of updating code or finding and fixing newly introduced bugs due to outdated assumptions about the used system, language, or underlying libraries.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Release"><span class="anchor" id="STABLE-RELEASE"></span>Release</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Release"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Once released, the software is generally known as a "stable release". The formal term often depends on the method of release: physical media, online release, or a web application.<sup id="cite_ref-Google_Blog-2009_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Google_Blog-2009-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Release_to_manufacturing_(RTM)"><span id="Release_to_manufacturing_.28RTM.29"></span><span class="anchor" id="RTM"></span><span class="anchor" id="Release_to_manufacturing"></span><span class="anchor" id="Release_to_marketing"></span><span class="anchor" id="RTM_or_RTW"></span>Release to manufacturing (RTM)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Release to manufacturing (RTM)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg/220px-Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="148" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg/330px-Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg/440px-Satya_Nadella_Gears_of_War_4_Gold_Master.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5000" data-file-height="3353" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Satya_Nadella" title="Satya Nadella">Satya Nadella</a> of <a href="/wiki/Microsoft" title="Microsoft">Microsoft</a> with the gold master disc of <i><a href="/wiki/Gears_of_War_4" title="Gears of War 4">Gears of War 4</a></i></figcaption></figure> <p>The term "release to manufacturing" (RTM), also known as "going gold", is a term used when a software product is ready to be delivered. This build may be digitally signed, allowing the end user to verify the integrity and authenticity of the software purchase. A copy of the RTM build known as the "<a href="/wiki/Mastering_(audio)" title="Mastering (audio)">gold master</a>" or GM<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is sent for mass duplication or disc replication if applicable. The terminology is taken from the audio record-making industry, specifically the process of <a href="/wiki/Mastering_(audio)" title="Mastering (audio)">mastering</a>. RTM precedes general availability (GA) when the product is released to the public. A golden master build (GM) is typically the final build of a piece of software in the beta stages for developers. Typically, for <a href="/wiki/IOS" title="IOS">iOS</a>, it is the final build before a major release, however, there have been a few exceptions. </p><p>RTM is typically used in certain retail mass-production software contexts—as opposed to a specialized software production or project in a commercial or government production and distribution—where the software is sold as part of a bundle in a related computer hardware sale and typically where the software and related hardware is ultimately to be available and sold on mass/public basis at retail stores to indicate that the software has met a defined quality level and is ready for mass retail distribution. RTM could also mean in other contexts that the software has been delivered or released to a client or customer for installation or distribution to the related hardware end user computers or machines. The term does <i>not</i> define the delivery mechanism or volume; it only states that the quality is sufficient for mass distribution. The deliverable from the engineering organization is frequently in the form of a golden master media used for duplication or to produce the image for the web. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="General_availability_(GA)"><span id="General_availability_.28GA.29"></span><span class="anchor" id="GA"></span><span class="anchor" id="General_availability"></span>General availability (GA)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: General availability (GA)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png/220px-ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="62" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png/330px-ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png/440px-ProductEndOfLifeCycle.png 2x" data-file-width="721" data-file-height="203" /></a><figcaption>Milestones in a product life cycle: general availability (GA), <a href="/wiki/End_of_life_announcement" title="End of life announcement">end of life announcement</a> (EOLA), <a href="/wiki/Last_order_date" title="Last order date">last order date</a> (LOD), and <a href="/wiki/End-of-life_(product)" class="mw-redirect" title="End-of-life (product)">end-of-life</a> (EOL)</figcaption></figure> <p><b>General availability</b> (<b>GA</b>) is the marketing stage at which all necessary <a href="/wiki/Commercialization" title="Commercialization">commercialization</a> activities have been completed and a software product is available for purchase, depending, however, on language, region, and electronic vs. media availability.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Commercialization activities could include security and compliance tests, as well as localization and worldwide availability. The time between RTM and GA can take from days to months before a generally available release can be declared, due to the time needed to complete all commercialization activities required by GA. At this stage, the software has "gone live". </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Release_to_the_Web_(RTW)"><span id="Release_to_the_Web_.28RTW.29"></span><span class="anchor" id="Web_release"></span>Release to the Web (RTW)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Release to the Web (RTW)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><b>Release to the Web</b> (<b>RTW</b>) or <b>Web release</b> is a means of software delivery that utilizes the Internet for distribution. No physical media are produced in this type of release mechanism by the manufacturer. Web releases have become more common as Internet usage grew.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Support">Support</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Support"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>During its supported lifetime, the software is sometimes subjected to service releases, <a href="/wiki/Patch_(computing)" title="Patch (computing)">patches</a> or <a href="/wiki/Service_pack" title="Service pack">service packs</a>, sometimes also called "interim releases" or "maintenance releases" (MR). For example, Microsoft released three major service packs for the <a href="/wiki/32-bit_computing" title="32-bit computing">32-bit</a> editions of <a href="/wiki/Windows_XP" title="Windows XP">Windows XP</a> and two service packs for the <a href="/wiki/64-bit_computing" title="64-bit computing">64-bit</a> editions.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Such service releases contain a collection of updates, fixes, and enhancements, delivered in the form of a single installable package. They may also implement new features. Some software is released with the expectation of regular support. Classes of software that generally involve protracted support as the norm include <a href="/wiki/Antivirus_software" title="Antivirus software">anti-virus suites</a> and <a href="/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game" title="Massively multiplayer online game">massively multiplayer online games</a>. Continuing with this Windows XP example, Microsoft did offer paid updates for five more years after the end of extended support. This means that support ended on April 8, 2019.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="End-of-life">End-of-life <span class="anchor" id="EOL"></span><span class="anchor" id="End_of_life"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: End-of-life"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/End-of-life_product" title="End-of-life product">End-of-life product</a> and <a href="/wiki/Abandonware" title="Abandonware">Abandonware</a></div> <p>When software is no longer sold or supported, the product is said to have reached end-of-life, to be discontinued, retired, deprecated, abandoned, or obsolete, but user loyalty may continue its existence for some time, even long after its platform is obsolete—e.g., the <a href="/wiki/Common_Desktop_Environment" title="Common Desktop Environment">Common Desktop Environment</a><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Sinclair <a href="/wiki/ZX_Spectrum" title="ZX Spectrum">ZX Spectrum</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>After the end-of-life date, the developer will usually not implement any new features, fix existing defects, bugs, or vulnerabilities (whether known before that date or not), or provide any support for the product. If the developer wishes, they may release the source code, so the platform will live again, and be maintained by volunteers, and if not, it may be reverse-engineered later when it becomes <a href="/wiki/Abandonware" title="Abandonware">abandonware</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Usage of the "alpha/beta" test terminology originated at <a href="/wiki/IBM" title="IBM">IBM</a>.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (May 2024)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Similar terminologies for IBM's software development were used by people involved with IBM from at least the 1950s (and probably earlier). "A" test was the <a href="/wiki/Software_verification" title="Software verification">verification</a> of a new product before the public announcement. The "B" test was the verification before releasing the product to be manufactured. The "C" test was the final test before the general availability of the product. As software became a significant part of IBM's offerings, the alpha test terminology was used to denote the pre-announcement test and the beta test was used to show product readiness for general availability. Martin Belsky, a manager on some of IBM's earlier software projects claimed to have invented the terminology. IBM dropped the alpha/beta terminology during the 1960s, but by then it had received fairly wide notice. The usage of "beta test" to refer to testing done by customers was not done in IBM. Rather, IBM used the term "field test". </p><p>Major public betas developed afterward, with early customers having purchased a "pioneer edition" of the WordVision word processor for the <a href="/wiki/IBM_PC" class="mw-redirect" title="IBM PC">IBM PC</a> for $49.95. In 1984, <a href="/wiki/Stephen_Manes" title="Stephen Manes">Stephen Manes</a> wrote that "in a brilliant marketing coup, Bruce and James Program Publishers managed to get people to <i>pay</i> for the privilege of testing the product."<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In September 2000, a <i>boxed version</i> of <a href="/wiki/Apple_Inc." title="Apple Inc.">Apple</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Mac_OS_X_Public_Beta" title="Mac OS X Public Beta">Mac OS X Public Beta</a> operating system was released.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Between September 2005 and May 2006, Microsoft released <i>community technology preview</i>s (<i>CTP</i>s) for <a href="/wiki/Windows_Vista" title="Windows Vista">Windows Vista</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> From 2009 to 2011, <i><a href="/wiki/Minecraft" title="Minecraft">Minecraft</a></i> was in public beta. </p><p>In February 2005, <a href="/wiki/ZDNet" class="mw-redirect" title="ZDNet">ZDNet</a> published an article about the phenomenon of a beta version often staying for years and being used as if it were at the production level.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It noted that <a href="/wiki/Gmail" title="Gmail">Gmail</a> and <a href="/wiki/Google_News" title="Google News">Google News</a>, for example, had been in beta for a long time although widely used; Google News left beta in January 2006, followed by Google Apps (now named <a href="/wiki/Google_Workspace" title="Google Workspace">Google Workspace</a>), including Gmail, in July 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-Google_Blog-2009_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Google_Blog-2009-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Since the introduction of <a href="/wiki/Windows_8" title="Windows 8">Windows 8</a>, <a href="/wiki/Microsoft" title="Microsoft">Microsoft</a> has called pre-release software a <i>preview</i> rather than <i>beta</i>. All pre-release builds released through the <a href="/wiki/Windows_Insider_Program" class="mw-redirect" title="Windows Insider Program">Windows Insider Program</a> launched in 2014 are termed "Insider Preview builds". "Beta" may also indicate something more like a <a href="#Release_candidate">release candidate</a>, or as a form of time-limited demo, or marketing technique.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239009302">.mw-parser-output .portalbox{padding:0;margin:0.5em 0;display:table;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:175px;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portalborder{border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa)}.mw-parser-output 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srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Octicons-terminal.svg/37px-Octicons-terminal.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Octicons-terminal.svg/49px-Octicons-terminal.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="896" data-file-height="1024" /></a></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Computer_programming" title="Portal:Computer programming">Computer programming portal</a></span></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Application_lifecycle_management" title="Application lifecycle management">Application lifecycle management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Application-release_automation" title="Application-release automation">Application-release automation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Application_retirement" title="Application retirement">Application retirement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Release_engineering" title="Release engineering">Release engineering</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Release_management" title="Release management">Release management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rolling_release" title="Rolling release">Rolling release</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_deployment" title="Software deployment">Software deployment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_versioning" title="Software versioning">Software versioning</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output 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.citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=alpha+version&i=37675,00.asp">"Encyclopedia definition of alpha version"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/PC_Magazine" class="mw-redirect" title="PC Magazine">PC Magazine</a></i>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110427065905/http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0%2C2542%2Ct%3Dalpha%20version%26i%3D37675%2C00.asp">Archived</a> from the original on 2011-04-27<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-12</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=PC+Magazine&rft.atitle=Encyclopedia+definition+of+alpha+version&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcmag.com%2Fencyclopedia_term%2F0%2C2542%2Ct%3Dalpha%2Bversion%26i%3D37675%2C00.asp&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASoftware+release+life+cycle" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220923135620/https://video-answer.com/what-is-an-alpha-version-of-a-game/">"What is an alpha version of a game?"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://video-answer.com/what-is-an-alpha-version-of-a-game/">the original</a> on 2022-09-23<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2022-09-23</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=What+is+an+alpha+version+of+a+game%3F&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fvideo-answer.com%2Fwhat-is-an-alpha-version-of-a-game%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASoftware+release+life+cycle" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFInce2013" class="citation book cs1">Ince, Darrel, ed. (2013). 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110430173029/http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-inconvenient-truths-behind-betas/a-2010051712402686048">Archived</a> from the original on 2011-04-30.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GamesRadar&rft.atitle=The+inconvenient+truths+behind+betas&rft.date=2010-05-17&rft.aulast=Houghton&rft.aufirst=David&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamesradar.com%2Ff%2Fthe-inconvenient-truths-behind-betas%2Fa-2010051712402686048&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASoftware+release+life+cycle" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output 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style="width:1%">Compensation models</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adware" title="Adware">Adware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commercial_software" title="Commercial software">Commercial software</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Retail_software" title="Retail software">Retail software</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crippleware" title="Crippleware">Crippleware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crowdfunding" title="Crowdfunding">Crowdfunding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freemium" title="Freemium">Freemium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freeware" title="Freeware">Freeware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pay_what_you_want" title="Pay what you want">Pay what you want</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Careware" title="Careware">Careware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donationware" title="Donationware">Donationware</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-core_model" title="Open-core 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title="Product bundling">Product bundling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retail_software" title="Retail software">Retail software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sneakernet" title="Sneakernet">Sneakernet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_as_a_service" title="Software as a service">Software as a service</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Deceptive and/or illicit</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Unwanted_software_bundling" class="mw-redirect" title="Unwanted software bundling">Unwanted software bundling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malware" title="Malware">Malware</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Infostealer" title="Infostealer">Infostealer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ransomware" title="Ransomware">Ransomware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spyware" title="Spyware">Spyware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trojan_horse_(computing)" title="Trojan horse (computing)">Trojan horse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Computer_worm" title="Computer worm">Worm</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scareware" title="Scareware">Scareware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shovelware" title="Shovelware">Shovelware</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Software release life cycle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abandonware" title="Abandonware">Abandonware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/End-of-life_product" title="End-of-life product">End-of-life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Long-term_support" title="Long-term support">Long-term support</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_maintenance" title="Software maintenance">Software maintenance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_maintainer" title="Software maintainer">Software maintainer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_publisher" title="Software publisher">Software publisher</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vaporware" title="Vaporware">Vaporware</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_vaporware" title="List of vaporware">list</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Copy_protection" title="Copy protection">Copy protection</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Digital_rights_management" title="Digital rights management">Digital rights management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_protection_dongle" title="Software protection dongle">Software protection dongle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/License_manager" class="mw-redirect" title="License manager">License manager</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Product_activation" title="Product activation">Product activation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Product_key" title="Product key">Product key</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_copyright" title="Software copyright">Software copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_license_server" title="Software license server">Software license server</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_patent" title="Software patent">Software patent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Torrent_poisoning" title="Torrent poisoning">Torrent poisoning</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&oldid=1256943211">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Software_release_life_cycle&oldid=1256943211</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div 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