rapidrelease

Rapid release is a software development and release model in which new versions and updates are delivered to users at a high cadence, typically on a fixed schedule such as monthly or biweekly. The goal is to bring features, improvements, and security fixes to users quickly, reducing the time between development and real-world impact. This approach contrasts with traditional release cycles that consolidate changes into larger, less frequent releases.

Key practices associated with rapid release include small, incremental changes, extensive automated testing and continuous integration, and staged rollouts or canary releases to minimize risk. Many projects also employ feature flags to enable or disable new functionality for subsets of users and maintain multiple release channels (for example stable, beta, and canary) to gather feedback before wide deployment.

Advantages of rapid release include faster delivery of security patches and features, more frequent user feedback, and the ability to iterate based on real-world use. Potential drawbacks include higher update churn for users, greater pressure on testing and maintenance, and increased risk of instability if quality assurance is not thorough. Compatibility and coordination with extensions or integrations can also be more challenging in a rapid-release environment.

Notable examples include Mozilla Firefox's rapid release cycle, which reached a cadence of roughly every six weeks in the early 2010s, illustrating how rapid release can operate in a major software project. Other browsers and software projects have adopted similar patterns to balance speed and reliability.