Beta version

A beta version is a pre-release of a software product that has more comprehensive functionality than an [alpha version] and closely resembles the intended user experience of the final product.

At this stage, the software is considered feature-complete or nearly so, meaning development effort shifts from building new capabilities to identifying and fixing bugs.

Beta releases are generally stable enough for external distribution, and are often made available to a wider audience of testers – sometimes the general public – whose feedback helps surface issues that internal testing missed.

By contrast, an [alpha version] is an earlier, less complete prototype with limited functionality, typically tested only by developers or a small internal group.

The transition from alpha to beta broadly marks the point at which a product moves from "still being built" to "ready to be evaluated," though in practice the boundary varies between organizations and development methodologies. Some companies use additional distinctions such as open beta and closed beta to differentiate between restricted early access and unrestricted public testing.