Beta is a testing and development platform. Users can assist by using beta to test fixes and feature changes before they are made available in regular releases. [[Give_Feedback|User assistance and feedback]] (including bug reports) is welcomed, but the platform should be considered to be unstable. Note also, [[add-ons|add-ons]] may not work or unexpectedly break. =Purpose= Betas serve multiple purposes: * From a user point of view, using a beta and providing feedback is an easy opportunity to be involved in process of improving their favorite open-source software - an opportunity which requires little or no techincal skill. And because beta gets fixes before release, it is also a place where a user can get relief from problem that has been fixed but not made it to release. * From a developer and release management point of view, beta is a secondary test bed for patches and features which have already been used in [[#channels|daily build channel.]] Overall stablility and quality is monitored, so that regressions are found and fixes verified before the code moves to a release version. * Add-ons authors use the beta channel to develop, update, and fix their add-ons While beta is considered to be unstable, it is an explicit goal that quality and stability be sufficiently high that the platform be usable by some users on a continuous, daily basis. [[#Give_Feedback|User feedback]] helps make that possible. =Installion and updates= You can get the beta from the [https://www.thunderbird.net/channel/ channel page]. Updates occur roughly every 6 weeks, and also on an as needed basis determined by developers and Thunderbird release management. When you run the beta, updates are pulled from the beta channel so that you get beta updates, not release updates. Updates occur every 6 weeks, and also as needed as determined by developers and release managers. If you want to also run "normal" releases of Thunderbird (also known as ESR releases), you should install the beta in a different directory than the release version. (And when you run your release version, its updates come from the "release" channel", not the beta channel. =Give Feedback= User feedback and investigations are essential to the improvement of Thunderbird. You are encouraged to file support requests and issues in appropriate venues: *For general questions, ask in the [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/new/thunderbird support forum] *For beta specific questions, requests, and observations please post in the [https://discourse.mozilla.org/c/thunderbird/beta|beta channel at discourse]. *For problems that reproduce in [[Safe Mode Thunderbird|Thunderbird safe mode]], [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=Thunderbird|file bug reports in bugzilla]. To see what others are saying about beta, see: * [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/search/advanced?q=beta&num_voted=0&num_votes=&asked_by=&answered_by=&q_tags=&product=thunderbird&created=2&created_date=10%2F01%2F2018&updated=0&updated_date=&sortby=0&a=1&w=2|support topics with the beta tag]. * [https://discourse.mozilla.org/c/thunderbird/beta|Beta channel at discourse]. =Add-ons= Add-ons other than Lightning (the calendar application) may not work in the beta environment, especially after beta version 60. Starting with beta 63, most add-ons need to be update if they are to work in the newer versions. --link to common problems-- --link to how to give feedback to add-on authors-- =Channels= A channel is a mechanism that helps manage the update process. Thunderbird has three channels * Release - the most stable platform, with major new versions roughly every 10 months, with minor versions every 6 weeks * Beta - pre-release platform described above * Daily - is an highly unstable testing and development platform, the intial location where developer patches land for new features and fixes.

Beta is a testing and development platform. Users can assist by using beta to test fixes and feature changes before they are made available in regular releases. User assistance and feedback (including bug reports) is welcomed, but the platform should be considered to be unstable. Note also, add-ons may not work or unexpectedly break.

Purpose

Betas serve multiple purposes:

• From a user point of view, using a beta and providing feedback is an easy opportunity to be involved in process of improving their favorite open-source software - an opportunity which requires little or no techincal skill. And because beta gets fixes before release, it is also a place where a user can get relief from problem that has been fixed but not made it to release.
• From a developer and release management point of view, beta is a secondary test bed for patches and features which have already been used in daily build channel. Overall stablility and quality is monitored, so that regressions are found and fixes verified before the code moves to a release version.
• Add-ons authors use the beta channel to develop, update, and fix their add-ons

While beta is considered to be unstable, it is an explicit goal that quality and stability be sufficiently high that the platform be usable by some users on a continuous, daily basis. User feedback helps make that possible.

Installion and updates

You can get the beta from the channel page. Updates occur roughly every 6 weeks, and also on an as needed basis determined by developers and Thunderbird release management. When you run the beta, updates are pulled from the beta channel so that you get beta updates, not release updates. Updates occur every 6 weeks, and also as needed as determined by developers and release managers.

If you want to also run "normal" releases of Thunderbird (also known as ESR releases), you should install the beta in a different directory than the release version. (And when you run your release version, its updates come from the "release" channel", not the beta channel.

Give Feedback

User feedback and investigations are essential to the improvement of Thunderbird. You are encouraged to file support requests and issues in appropriate venues:

• For general questions, ask in the support forum
• For beta specific questions, requests, and observations please post in the channel at discourse.
• For problems that reproduce in Thunderbird safe mode, bug reports in bugzilla.

To see what others are saying about beta, see:

• topics with the beta tag.
• channel at discourse.

Add-ons

Add-ons other than Lightning (the calendar application) may not work in the beta environment, especially after beta version 60. Starting with beta 63, most add-ons need to be update if they are to work in the newer versions.

--link to common problems--
--link to how to give feedback to add-on authors--

Channels

A channel is a mechanism that helps manage the update process. Thunderbird has three channels

• Release - the most stable platform, with major new versions roughly every 10 months, with minor versions every 6 weeks
• Beta - pre-release platform described above
• Daily - is an highly unstable testing and development platform, the intial location where developer patches land for new features and fixes.