Editing Software release life cycle (section)

=== Alpha ===
The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase of [[software testing]] (alpha is the first letter of the [[Greek alphabet]], used as the number 1). In this phase, developers generally test the software using [[white-box testing|white-box techniques]]. Additional validation is then performed using [[black-box testing|black-box]] or [[Grey box testing#Grey box testing|gray-box]] techniques, by another testing team. Moving to black-box testing inside the organization is known as ''alpha release''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=alpha+version&i=37675,00.asp |title=Encyclopedia definition of alpha version |magazine=[[PC Magazine]] |access-date=2011-01-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427065905/http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0%2C2542%2Ct%3Dalpha%20version%26i%3D37675%2C00.asp |archive-date=2011-04-27 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://video-answer.com/what-is-an-alpha-version-of-a-game/|title= What is an alpha version of a game?|access-date=2022-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923135620/https://video-answer.com/what-is-an-alpha-version-of-a-game/ |archive-date=Sep 23, 2022}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Ince |editor-first=Darrel |title=A Dictionary of the Internet |edition=3rd |chapter=Alpha software |date=2013 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-174415-0 |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/abstract/10.1093/acref/9780191744150.001.0001/acref-9780191744150-e-95?rskey=VLB7Gk&result=2 |access-date=15 July 2019 }}</ref> Alpha software may not contain all of the features that are planned for the final version.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=15 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=March 1996|page=29|quote=Alpha software generally barely runs and is missing major features like gameplay and complete levels.}}</ref> In general, external availability of alpha software is uncommon for [[proprietary software]], while [[Free and open-source software|open source software]] often has publicly available alpha versions. The alpha phase usually ends with a [[Freeze (software engineering)|feature freeze]], indicating that no more features will be added to the software. At this time, the software is said to be [[#Feature-complete|feature-complete]]. A beta test is carried out following [[acceptance testing]] at the supplier's site (the alpha test) and immediately before the general release of the software as a product.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Computer Science |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-968897-5 |page=44 |edition=7th}}</ref>

==== Feature-complete ====
A '''feature-complete''' (FC) version of a piece of [[software]] has all of its planned or primary [[Software feature|features]] implemented but is not yet final due to [[software bug|bugs]], [[software performance|performance]] or [[Software testing|stability]] issues.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cusumano |first=Michael |date=1998 |url=https://archive.org/details/microsoftsecrets00cusu |title=Microsoft Secrets: How the World's Most Powerful Software Company Creates Technology, Shapes Markets, and Manages People |publisher=Free Press |isbn=978-0-684-85531-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/microsoftsecrets00cusu/page/202 202–203] |url-access=registration }}</ref> This occurs at the end of alpha testing in [[Software development|development]].

Usually, feature-complete software still has to undergo [[beta testing]] and [[Patch (computing)|bug fixing]], as well as performance or stability enhancement before it can go to [[#Release candidate|release candidate]], and finally [[#Release|gold]] status.