Editing Software release life cycle (section)

=== Beta<span class="anchor" id="BETA"></span> ===
{{Redirect|Beta test|the 2016 film|Beta Test (film)|the 2021 film|The Beta Test}}
{{See also|Software testing#Beta testing}}

Beta, named after [[Beta|the second letter of the Greek alphabet]], 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.<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=30 |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-015/page/n31/mode/2up }}</ref> 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 [[usability testing]]. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called ''beta release'' and is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it. Software beta releases can be either [[#Open and closed beta|open or closed]], 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 ''preview'', ''preview release'', ''prototype'', ''technical preview'' or ''technology preview'' (''TP''),<ref>{{cite web | url = https://access.redhat.com/support/offerings/techpreview | title = Technology Preview Features Support Scope | access-date = 2015-03-18 | publisher = [[Red Hat]] }}</ref> or ''[[early access]]''.

''Beta testers'' 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.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Amit Mehra |author2=Rajib Lochan Saha |title=Utilizing Public Betas and Free Trials to Launch a Software Product |date=19 June 2017 |journal=Production and Operations Management |volume=27 |issue=11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Michelle M. |last=Lang |title=Beta Wars |date=17 May 2004 |journal=Design News |volume=59 |issue=7 }}</ref>

==== Perpetual beta ====
{{Main|Perpetual beta}}

Some software is kept in so-called ''perpetual beta'', where new features are continually added to the software without establishing a final "stable" release. As the [[Internet]] has facilitated the rapid and inexpensive distribution of software, companies have begun to take a looser approach to the use of the word ''beta''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tidbits.com/1996/05/13/waiting-with-betad-breath/ |title=Waiting with Beta'd Breath ''TidBITS'' #328 (May 13, 1996) |date=13 May 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206214914/https://tidbits.com/1996/05/13/waiting-with-betad-breath/ |archive-date=2022-12-06 }}</ref>

==== Open and closed beta ====
Developers may release either a ''closed beta'', or an ''open beta''; 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.

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.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}