---
title: "Sitecore XP pre-releases"
slug: "sitecore-xp-pre-releases"
abstract: "Describes the Sitecore XP platform pre-release process."
---
# Sitecore XP pre-releases

Since Sitecore XP 10.1.0, Sitecore distributes pre-releases of the next update release to provide customers with fixes for their hotfix requests. The pre-releases are cumulative, and each pre-release contains all the changes that were implemented in the earlier pre-releases in that series. These pre-releases are then all rolled into the next update release, for example, Sitecore XP 10.1 Update 2.

Every pre-release is based on the [latest Sitecore XP release](https://dev.sitecore.net/Downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform.aspx).

For example, if a customer is on Sitecore XP 10.2.0 and we have already released Sitecore XP 10.2.1, when the customer requests a hotfix, it is delivered in a pre-release for Sitecore XP 10.2.2.

Pre-releases are delivered in two formats:

- For customers who are up-to-date with the update releases for their version of Sitecore XP, pre-releases are provided as a delta on top of the latest update release.

    For example, if a customer is on Sitecore XP 10.1.0 and we have already released Sitecore XP 10.1.1, when the customer requests a hotfix, it is delivered in a pre-release for Sitecore XP 10.1.2. To get this hotfix, the customer must update to Sitecore XP 10.1.1 and then apply the Sitecore XP 10.1.2 pre-release that contains the hotfix.

- For customers who have not kept up to date with the update releases it is provided as a delta for the initial release of their version of Sitecore XP, for example, Sitecore XP 10.1.0.

Pre-releases do not contain breaking changes, changes in behavior, or new features.

Pre-releases are only available for Sitecore XP and not for any modules.

If for some reason a pre-release does contain some breaking changes (for example if a security fix makes a breaking change necessary), changes in behavior, or new features, these changes are disabled by default, and you must enable them. The pre-release will contain instructions that describe how to implement these changes.

A pre-release contains, for example:

- `Sitecore.Platform.Instructions 10.1.2 rev. XXXXXX PRE.md`

    A description of how to implement any breaking changes.

- `Sitecore.Platform.Releasenotes 10.1.2 rev. XXXXXX PRE.md`

    A list of the bug fixes that are in this pre-release.

- `Released-images-sxp-pre-10.1.2-XXXXXX-01072021-121511.json`

    A list of the asset images.

- `Platform Patch\*`

    The WDP files.

> [!note]
> The libraries (DLLs) for pre-releases are *not* published on Cloudsmith. They are published with the next platform update.

The pre-releases can be downloaded from the corresponding articles on [Sitecore Knowledge Base](https://support.sitecore.com/kb?id=search&spa=1&language=en&t=kb&q=Cumulative%20hotfix%20for&kb_knowledge_base=b5231065db70dc109e54320a689619bf).

You can install Sitecore XP pre-releases in [on-prem](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/103/platform-administration-and-architecture/install-a-sitecore-xp-pre-release-using-sif.html "Install a Sitecore XP pre-release using SIF"), [PaaS](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/103/sitecore-experience-manager/deploy-a-sitecore-xp-pre-release-to-a-paas-solution.html), and [container solutions](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/103/platform-administration-and-architecture/deploy-a-sitecore-xp-pre-release-using-docker.html "Deploy a Sitecore XP pre-release using Docker").