# Canary releases

```mdx-code-block
import {
  VersionsProvider,
  CanaryVersion,
  StableVersion,
  InsertIfCanaryVersionUnknown,
  InsertIfCanaryVersionKnown,
  PackageJSONDiff,
  PublishTime,
} from "@site/src/components/Versions";

<VersionsProvider>
```

Docusaurus has a canary releases system.

It permits you to **test new unreleased features** as soon as the pull requests are merged on the [next version](./5-release-process.md#next-version) of Docusaurus.

It is a good way to **give feedback to maintainers**, ensuring the newly implemented feature works as intended.

:::note

Using a canary release in production might seem risky, but in practice, it's not.

A canary release passes all automated tests and is used in production by the Docusaurus site itself.

:::

```mdx-code-block
<InsertIfCanaryVersionUnknown>
```

:::caution

The canary version shown below **may not be up-to-date**. Please go to the [npm page](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@docusaurus/core?activeTab=versions) to find the actual version name.

:::

```mdx-code-block
</InsertIfCanaryVersionUnknown>
<InsertIfCanaryVersionKnown>
```

:::tip

The canary version shown below is directly fetched from npm and **is up-to-date**. You can directly use these numbers in your package.json.

:::

```mdx-code-block
</InsertIfCanaryVersionKnown>
```

## Canary npm dist tag

For any code-related commit on `main`, the continuous integration will publish a canary release under the `@canary` npm dist tag. It generally takes up to 10 minutes.

You can see on [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@docusaurus/core?activeTab=versions) the current dist tags:

- `latest`: stable releases (Current: <StableVersion />)
- `canary`: canary releases (<CanaryVersion />)

:::tip

Make sure to use the latest canary release and check the publication date (sometimes the publish process fails). <PublishTime />

:::

:::note

Canary versions follow the naming convention `0.0.0-commitNumber`.

:::

## Using a canary release

Take the latest version published under the [canary npm dist tag](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@docusaurus/core?activeTab=versions) (<CanaryVersion />).

Use it for all the `@docusaurus/*` dependencies in your `package.json`:

```mdx-code-block
<PackageJSONDiff />
```

Then, install the dependencies again and start your site:

```bash npm2yarn
npm install
npm start
```

You can also upgrade the `@docusaurus/*` packages with command line:

```bash npm2yarn
npm install --save-exact @docusaurus/core@canary @docusaurus/preset-classic@canary
```

:::caution

Make sure to include all the `@docusaurus/*` packages.

For canary releases, prefer using an exact version instead of a semver range (avoid the `^` prefix).

:::

```mdx-code-block
</VersionsProvider>
```
