Release Cycle

This page outlines the different phases of the feature release cycle. Each phase has a different set of requirements that a feature must meet before being assigned to a phase.

Although a feature doesn't have to pass through each stage in sequential order, there is a default flow to how features are released:

  • Alpha
  • Beta
  • General Availability (GA).

Alpha

The Alpha phase is the first phase of the release cycle. A feature in the Alpha phase lacks the essential functionality that are required to be ready for GA. The feature is considered to still be under development, and is being built to be ready for Beta phase.

State: The feature is under development

Beta

A Beta state generally means that the feature does not yet meet our quality standards for GA or limited availability. An example of this is when there is a need for more information or feedback from external customers to validate that this feature solves a specific pain point.

Releases in the Beta state have a committed timeline for getting to GA and are actively worked on.

Private Beta

When a feature is in Private Beta, it is still considered to be under development. While some customers may have access, this access sometimes includes a Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)

State: The feature is under active development. Limited customer access - may include an NDA

Limited Beta

A Limited Beta is still under active development, but has been publicly announced, and is potentially available to a limited number of customers.

This phase is generally used when there is a need to control adoption of a feature. For example, when underlying capacity is limited, if there are known severe caveats then additional guidance may be required.

State: The feature is under active development. Has been publicly announcedLimited customer access - may include an NDA

Public Beta

Once a feature has been publicly announced, optionally tested in the field by selected customers, and meets quality standards, it is considered to be in the Public Beta phase.

Public Beta is the final phase of the release cycle before a feature goes GA. At this stage the feature can be used by a wider audience for load testing, and onboarding.

For a feature to move from Public Beta to GA, the following requirements must be met. Note that these are general requirements, and that each feature may have it's own set of requirements to meet:

  • Fully load tested
  • All bugs resolved
  • Security analysis completed
  • At least 10 customers have been on-boarded

State: The feature is under active developmentHas been publicly announcedAvailable to the public without special invitation

General Availability

When the feature reaches the General Availability (GA) phase, it is considered to be battle tested, and ready for use by the community.

State: Publicly available. Full support and uptime guaranteed

Deprecated and Sunset

A Deprecated state means that the feature team is in the process of removing a feature or feature. Deprecated states are accompanied by documentation instructing existing users of remediation next steps, and information on when to expect the feature to be in a Sunset state.

The ultimate state after Deprecation is Sunset. Sunset implies that there should be no customers using the feature and any artifacts within, but not limited to, code, documentation, and marketing have been removed.