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At Contentful, we use an iterative approach to releasing software, validating and testing it as we go to make sure it will meet our customers’ expectations and needs. This page describes the different stages of the release lifecycle, and what you can expect in each stage.
Here is a quick overview of the release stages:
Release stage | Description |
|---|---|
Alpha | Early, experimental features in which we are validating the problem or the broader approach to the solution. Alpha features have a moderate likelihood of being changed significantly before release, or being removed altogether. |
Beta | More mature features in which we are collecting feedback on the solution and scalability of the solution before releasing to GA. Beta features still have a small likelihood of not being released with GA.“ |
General Availability in progress | The feature is generally available to entitled customers, but is being released to small cohorts of customers incrementally (e.g., 1% > 10% > 20% > 100%) to check technical stability or other release dynamics. |
General Availability | The feature is now available to all entitled customers. |
Not all feature releases follow this lifecycle. Some features go straight to GA (General Availability), while others may spend weeks or months working their way through from Alpha to GA.
Contentful Preview Features
By participating in an Alpha or Beta release, you agree to the Contentful Preview Features Terms of Service, which govern your access to those new features, and include important details such as your rights and restrictions with regard to using those features.”
Alpha
Alpha releases are early, experimental features in which we are validating the problem or the broader approach to the solution. Alpha features have a moderate likelihood of being changed significantly before release, priced for certain customers or for an additional price, or canceled altogether.
Help documents for the corresponding Alpha features will be accessible in the web app. During the Alpha phase, feedback is highly appreciated as it helps iron out all problems and ensure the feature is most useful.
Contentful makes Alpha features available at its sole and absolute discretion and may withdraw them at any time and for any or no reason. Contentful may also change or deprecate Alpha features at any time or without notice.
Beta
Beta features are robust and secure implementations. They receive Customer Support and bug fixes like general availability features.
Help documents for the corresponding Beta features will be accessible in the web app. During the Beta phase, feedback is highly appreciated as it helps iron out all problems and ensure the feature is most useful.
Contentful makes Beta features available at its sole and absolute discretion and may withdraw them at any time and for any or no reason. Contentful may also change or deprecate Beta features at any time or without notice.
General Availability in Progress
Many features are made available incrementally, by enabling a handful of customers, and then increasing the percentage of customers who have access to the feature over time until it is available to 100% of entitled customers.
As soon as GA is in progress, a feature is considered to be in GA, it will be announced in the changelog and the Contentful Terms of Service or such other underlying agreement the customer has in effect with Contentful for the use of the Contentful services (collectively the “Subscription Services Agreement”) apply.
General Availability
Once a feature is fully available to all entitled customers, it is considered Generally Available (GA). The change is announced in the changelog, and the and the Subscription Services Agreement apply.
End of Life of Features
When a feature released with General Availablity is sunset, Contentful will announce an “End of Life” date for the feature. Notice of such features being discontinued will be provided in accordance with the Subscription Services Agreement.
Early Access Program (Deprecated)
In the past, you may have participated in an Early Access Program (EAP), which was a catch-all term for pre-released features that were being made available to customers. EAP is replaced by Contentful Preview Features which are identified as “alpha” and “beta”. There will be no longer EAP features and the existing EAP features will either enter GA or sunset following necessary communication.