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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md | 84 |
1 files changed, 39 insertions, 45 deletions
diff --git a/doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md b/doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md index 1c7e9e77751..e142fe9e908 100644 --- a/doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md +++ b/doc/policy/alpha-beta-support.md @@ -4,68 +4,62 @@ group: Distribution info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments --- -# Support for Alpha, Beta, Limited Availability, and Generally Available features **(PREMIUM)** +# Support for Experiment, Beta, and Generally Available features **(PREMIUM)** -Some GitLab features are released as Alpha or Beta versions and are +Some GitLab features are released as Experiment or Beta versions and are [not fully supported](https://about.gitlab.com/support/statement-of-support/#alpha-beta-features). All other features are considered to be Generally Available (GA). -## Alpha features +## Experiment -Support is **not** provided for Alpha features and issues with them should be opened in the [GitLab issue tracker](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/issues). - -Characteristics of Alpha features: +Support is not provided for features listed as "Experimental" or "Alpha" or any similar designation. Issues regarding such features should be opened in the GitLab issue tracker. - Not ready for production use. -- Unstable and can cause performance and stability issues. -- Configuration and dependencies are likely to change. -- Features and functions may be removed. Breaking changes may occur outside of major releases or with less notice than for Beta or Generally Available features. -- Data loss can occur (be that through bugs or updates). -- Documentation reflects the Alpha status. -- Behind flags that are off by default. -- Not announced in release posts. - -## Beta features - -Your Support Contract provides **commercially-reasonable effort** support for Beta features, with the expectation that issues require extra time and assistance from development to troubleshoot. - -### Closed Beta features - -Closed Beta features are available to selected users only. - -- Not ready for production use. -- Unstable and can cause performance and stability issues. -- Configuration and dependencies unlikely to change. -- Features and functions unlikely to change. However, breaking changes may occur outside of major releases or with less notice than for Generally Available features. -- Data loss less likely. -- Behind a feature flag that is off by default and the UI reflects Beta status. -- Documentation reflects Beta status. -- Can be announced in a release post that reflects Beta status. - -### Open Beta features - -- Not ready for production use. -- Unstable and can cause performance and stability issues. +- No support available. +- May be unstable or have performance issues. +- Can be removed at any time. +- Data loss may occur. +- Documentation may not exist or just be in a blog format. +- Behind a feature flag that is on by default and the [UI reflects Experiment status](https://design.gitlab.com/usability/feature-management#highlighting-feature-versions). +- Behind a toggle that is off by default and the [UI reflects Experiment status](https://design.gitlab.com/usability/feature-management#highlighting-feature-versions). +- Feedback issue to engage with team. +- UX not finalized, might be just quick action access. +- Not announced in a release post. + +## Beta + +Commercially-reasonable efforts are made to provide limited support for features designated as "Beta," with the expectation that issues require extra time and assistance from development to troubleshoot. + +- May not be ready for production use and the UI and documentation will reflect this status. +- May be unstable and can cause performance and stability issues. - Configuration and dependencies unlikely to change. - Features and functions unlikely to change. However, breaking changes may occur outside of major releases or with less notice than for Generally Available features. - Data loss not likely. - Support on a commercially-reasonable effort basis. - Documentation reflects Beta status. -- Behind a feature flag that is on by default and the UI reflects Beta status. -- Behind a toggle that is off by default and the UI reflects Beta status. +- UX complete or near completion. +- Behind a feature flag that is on by default and the [UI reflects Beta status](https://design.gitlab.com/usability/feature-management#highlighting-feature-versions). +- Behind a toggle that is off by default and the [UI reflects Beta status](https://design.gitlab.com/usability/feature-management#highlighting-feature-versions). - Can be announced in a release post that reflects Beta status. -## Limited Availability (LA) - -Characteristics of Limited Availability features: - -- Ready for production use by a small set of customers. -- Can be booked by Deal Desk as part of an order. -- Fully documented and [supported](https://about.gitlab.com/support/statement-of-support/#starter-premium-and-ultimate-users). - ## Generally Available (GA) Generally Available features means that they passed the [Production Readiness Review](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/readiness/-/blob/master/.gitlab/issue_templates/production_readiness.md) for GitLab.com, and are: - Ready for production use at any scale. - Fully documented and supported. +- UX complete and in line with GitLab design standards. + +## Never internal + +Features are never internal (GitLab team-members) only. +Our [mission is "everyone can contribute"](https://about.gitlab.com/company/mission/), and that is only possible if people outside the company can try a feature. +We will get higher quality (more diverse) feedback if people from different organizations try something. +We've also learned that internal only as a state slows us down more than it speeds us up. +Release the experiment instead of testing internally or waiting for the feature to be in a Beta state. +The experimental features are only shown when people/organizations opt-in to experiments, we are allowed to make mistakes here and literally experiment. + +## All features are in production + +All features that are available on GitLab.com are considered "in production." +Because all Experiment, Beta, and Generally Available features are available on GitLab.com, they are all considered to be in production. |