Beta refers to a testing phase in software development where a nearly-complete product is released to a limited group of users before the official launch. Beta testers help identify bugs, usability issues, and other problems that developers can fix before the wider public release. This phase follows 'alpha' testing (internal testing) and precedes the full 'release' version. Government digital services sometimes offer beta versions to gather citizen feedback before full deployment. When you see 'beta' labels on websites or apps, it indicates the service is still being refined and may have issues being worked out.