In RisingWave, the release of product features typically follows three main stages: Technical preview, Public preview, and General availability (GA). Each stage reflects the feature’s maturity and readiness for production use.

Over time, features may also be deprecated and eventually removed from the product. To ensure transparency and minimize disruption, we have established a clear feature deprecation policy. This policy outlines how we communicate and manage feature deprecations.

This document describes the lifecycle of individual features within RisingWave. For information on the lifecycle and deprecation of RisingWave software versions, please see the RisingWave release lifecycle and version support policy.

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Product release lifecycle

In RisingWave, the release of product typically follows three main stages:

  • Technical preview: The technical preview stage is where we release a new feature for testing and feedback. It’s not fully polished or finalized and is subject to change. We cannot guarantee its continued support in future releases, and it may be discontinued without notice. You may use this feature at your own risk.

  • Public preview: The public preview stage is where we’ve incorporated feedback from the technical preview and are nearing the final product. It’s more stable than the technical preview, but there may still be some bugs and issues. During this stage, the corresponding guides are available in the official documentation for your reference.

  • General availability (GA): All other features are considered to be generally available. The general availability stage is where the feature is fully developed, tested, and ready for use in production environments. While GA features are stable and supported, they may eventually be deprecated as part of the product lifecycle. For details on how we manage feature deprecations, see the Feature deprecation policy.

RisingWave follows semantic versioning. For more information about versioning, support, and release lifecycle, refer to RisingWave release lifecycle and version support policy.

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Feature deprecation policy

This section outlines the policy for deprecating individual features. For information on the deprecation of entire RisingWave software versions, please see the RisingWave release lifecycle and version support policy.

In RisingWave, features may be deprecated and removed as part of the product lifecycle. We aim to handle deprecations transparently and with minimal disruption to our users. Here’s how we manage feature deprecations:

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Communication

We provide clear and timely communication about feature deprecations through multiple channels, including blog posts, release notes, direct emails, and in-product notifications. Each deprecation announcement includes:

  • The name of the feature being deprecated.
  • The reason for its deprecation.
  • A detailed timeline, including the announcement date and the final removal (sunset) date.
  • Migration alternatives, tools, and resources to assist users.

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Advanced notice

To give users sufficient time to adapt, we provide at least 3 months’ notice before a feature is removed. The exact timeline may vary depending on the feature’s complexity and impact. Whenever applicable, we also provide tools, documentation, or guidance to facilitate migration.

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Exceptions

In certain circumstances, features may be deprecated and removed with shorter notice. These include:

  • Addressing critical security vulnerabilities.
  • Meeting legal or regulatory requirements.
  • Resolving performance issues that significantly affect the product.

In such cases, we notify users as soon as possible and provide guidance to minimize disruption.

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Feedback mechanism

We encourage users to share feedback during the deprecation phase. This helps us address concerns, improve migration experiences, and better serve our users.

For more information about how we manage feature deprecations, please contact us via our Slack channel.