Alpha version

An alpha version is an early prototype of a software product with limited functionality, typically representing the first stage of structured testing.

At this stage, the software is often incomplete, unstable, and not yet suitable for external use. For this reason, [alpha testing] is usually conducted internally by developers or a small group of dedicated testers. Core features may be missing, and bugs are expected to be frequent and significant.

By contrast, a [beta version] has more comprehensive functionality and closely resembles the intended user experience of the final product. Beta releases are generally stable enough to be distributed to a wider audience of external testers, whose feedback is used to identify remaining issues before the software reaches general availability.

The boundary between alpha and beta is not always sharply defined and varies between organizations, but the distinction broadly maps onto the difference between "still being built" and "ready to be evaluated."