Updates
Pier ships updates through two channels: Stable and Beta.
Most releases go out on the stable channel. Betas are release candidates that let you test what's coming next before it rolls out to everyone.
Version numbers
Pier follows Semantic Versioning with prerelease tags.
A stable release looks like this:
v0.1.90
A beta for the same release looks like this:
v0.1.90-beta.1
If a release needs more testing, we cut additional betas:
v0.1.92-beta.1
v0.1.92-beta.2
v0.1.92-beta.3
When the release is ready, the final stable tag is v0.1.92 — not v0.1.93. The betas are checkpoints on the way to the same stable version.
Stable channel
The stable channel is the default. Stable desktop releases roll out gradually over 36 hours so that if something unexpected slips through, it doesn't hit everyone at once. Automatic update checks pick up the release as the rollout progresses; clicking Check in the app bypasses the rollout and installs immediately.
Stable releases are what most users should run.
Beta channel
The beta channel gets every prerelease as soon as it's published, with no rollout delay. When a beta is promoted to stable, beta users receive that stable update immediately too.
Betas are the best way to get fixes and features early. If you hit a bug, report it — beta feedback is what makes stable releases reliable.
How to join the beta channel
In the desktop app:
- Open Settings
- Go to About
- Under Release channel, select Beta
The app will check for beta updates from then on.
App stores
Desktop releases and the CLI are usually available first. App Store and Play Store releases can lag behind because they go through review.
There is no beta channel in the app stores right now — only stable builds are submitted. If you want an early Android build, use the APK link shared by the Pier team.
What to do if something breaks
Beta builds are expected to have rough edges. If a beta causes problems, you can switch back to the stable channel in Settings → About → Release channel. The next stable update will install normally.
If you need a fix that hasn't shipped to stable yet, stay on beta and report the issue. Most problems found in beta are fixed before the stable release.