Release candidateEdit

A release candidate, often abbreviated to RC, is a pre-release version of software that is released for last-minute testing. Prior to entering the release candidate phase software usually passes through alpha and then beta phases. When the beta is deemed ready for release, the final release candidate is prepared: it basically means, "we think the release is ready, and this is the version of the software that we plan to ship".

If no further problems are reported with the release candidate then it is declared "final" and an official, final release is made. Sometimes a number of release candidates must be prepared in order to get to the point where all known problems have been fixed.