How Does Release Candidate Testing Work?

Updated 11/09/2023

Software development can be a long and laborious process, with many steps along the path from the initial conception of an idea to a full-blown public release. It's important for those steps to be followed carefully and correctly to ensure that the final form of the program or application is ready for widespread release.

Release candidate testing is a key part of this process. This guide will look at release candidate testings, why it matters, and how it typically works.

What Is a Release Candidate? 

Before we look at a definition of release candidate testing, it's important to understand what we mean by the term "release candidate." Put simply, a release candidate is a version of a program or app that is not quite in its final form. The release candidate stage comes after the alpha and beta phases, during which your development team should iron out most of the bugs and defects. 

However, there's still a risk of some errors and problems left in the code. Therefore, even though the terms "release candidate" and "beta version" are sometimes used to refer to the same thing, they're actually two separate parts of the software development puzzle. A release candidate is typically more advanced than a beta version, with fewer glitches and programs, putting it closer to a release. 

Usually, a release candidate build is released on an internal level and then tested thoroughly to ensure that critical problems are not present. This is where release candidate testing comes into play.

What Is Release Candidate Testing?

Release candidate testing is the process of testing a release candidate to ensure that any major issues that were present in the alpha or beta stages have been completely removed and to check that the software is ready for a real launch. It's basically the final round of testing and checking before a piece of software becomes ready to use for consumers.

Release candidate testing can take many forms, and the term itself is used to encompass all of the different testing activities that you can carry out to ensure that a software release candidate is ready to be used and able to carry out its intended functions.

During the process, development teams and software engineers actively tested the software, trying to break it and looking for issues or exploits that need to be fixed.

Release Candidate Testing Benefits

So why is release candidate testing carried out in the first place? Well, the ultimate aim of the process is to ensure that a piece of software is as good as it can be, fully functional and ready for its target audience. There are many benefits associated with the process:

• Fixing Errors and Bugs: A typical software development process can be pretty complex, so it's easy for errors to be made in the coding or for minor bugs, glitches, and issues to appear that need to be removed before the product is released on a broad basis. 
• Ensuring Functionality: If programs are released without thorough testing, they may not function as intended and could have no actual use to their target consumers.
• Protecting the Company's Reputation: Not only can a buggy program fail to fulfill its designated function, but a poor quality release could impact the reputation of the developing company, too.
• Preserving Loyalty and Trust: Consumers can quickly lose trust in companies or developers that release low-quality software programs, replete with bugs and errors. Release candidate testing helps to prevent this.

Release Candidate Testing Stages

As stated earlier, it's important to note that release candidate testing can encompass a wide variety of testing methods and practices. It's not just a straightforward method, nor is there only one set way of doing it. The process can vary based on different factors, and it may include some or all of the following stages:

• Automated Testing: Automated testing, as the name implies, is carried out automatically in the background as the release candidate is being worked on. Engineers can incorporate tests directly into the code to check that it works, and these pieces of code are always running.
• Manual Testing: Manual testing involves the hard work and efforts of development teams and engineers who actively test the release candidate build and find ways to break it, experimenting with different inputs and functions to look for bugs and problems.
• Unit Testing: Unit testing is a part of release candidate testing that focuses exclusively on individual units of the program, checking that all of the critical code paths are functioning as they should. For example, unit testing might concentrate on one particular feature or function of an app.
• End-To-End Testing: This type of testing is similar to unit testing but on a bigger scale. While unit testing is focused on little, individual units, end-to-end testing looks at multiple layers of the program's architecture, testing "slices" of the stack.
• Smoke Testing: Smoke testing is another type of release candidate testing that essentially verifies that the program is stable and all of its essential parts work the way they should, like the UI, database, etc. This can also be referred to as stability testing.
• Regression Testing: Often, release candidates aren't entirely new programs but new versions of existing programs, with new features and functions added. Regression testing is used in these cases to ensure that the old processes and features still work with the latest additions.
• Load Testing: Load testing is designed to pressure the program by simulating different scenarios and adding multiple virtual users to see how the program can cope and perform under heavy workloads.

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Release Candidate Testing FAQs

What is beta testing in release candidate testing?

Beta testing is a phase in the release life cycle where the software is made available to a limited group of external users for real-world testing. It follows release candidate testing and helps identify issues not found during internal testing.

What is the significance of the final release in release candidate testing?

The final release in release candidate testing marks the completion of the testing phase, indicating that the software is ready for general availability. It is the version that has successfully passed all testing phases, including release candidate testing.

What is acceptance testing in release candidate testing?

Acceptance testing is the phase in software testing where the software is evaluated for its compliance with business requirements. In release candidate testing, it ensures that the software meets user expectations before the final release.

What role do end-users play in release candidate testing?

End-users may participate in beta testing during release candidate testing. Feedback from testers helps identify real-world issues, ensuring the software meets user expectations and functions correctly in diverse environments.

What is pre-release in the context of release candidate testing?

The pre-release phase occurs before the final release and involves testing of early versions of the software. Release candidate testing is a crucial component of the pre-release phase to catch and address potential issues.

How does a software product undergo release candidate testing?

During release candidate testing, a software product is subjected to rigorous testing to identify and address any bugs, compatibility issues, or performance concerns before it reaches its final release.

What is an alpha release in the context of release candidate testing?

An alpha release is an early version of the software that is made available to a limited group for testing. The alpha version precedes beta testing and allows developers to gather initial feedback before the release candidate testing phase.

What is the release life cycle?

The release life cycle refers to the release process or the various phases a software product goes through, from early development to final release. It includes stages like alpha and beta testing, release candidate testing, and general availability.

How are test cases used in release candidate testing?

Test cases are scenarios or conditions designed to verify specific aspects of the software's functionality. In release candidate testing, test cases help ensure comprehensive coverage and identify any issues before the final release.

Release Candidate Testing is Key for Successful Software Launch

As we can see, release candidate testing is a crucial part of the overall software development cycle. This step cannot be overlooked or ignored, as it's essential to verify that a release candidate is truly ready for release and that any bugs or issues from before are no longer present.