Release Candidate
A software build considered potentially ready for final release unless significant problems are found.
Plain English
A near-final version that receives final validation before becoming the official release.
In context
Teams label a release candidate after intended features and fixes are complete then test it in realistic conditions before promoting it or producing another candidate.
Example
“QA found no blockers in v2.0.0-rc.1 so it remains the release candidate.”
When you'll hear this
- release validation
- pre-production testing
- launch readiness
Common misunderstanding
RC does not guarantee that a build will ship unchanged because serious findings may require another candidate or delay the release.
Also known as
RCrelease candidate buildrc version
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-28
