Before a big new product launch, what small, basic version is built for early testing?

The small, basic version built for early testing before a big new product launch is called a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is the version of a new product that possesses just enough core features to be usable, deliver primary value to early customers, and allow a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customer needs and preferences with the least amount of effort. Its central purpose is to facilitate rapid, iterative testing with real users to validate key assumptions about the product's desirability, utility, and market fit. By releasing an MVP, development teams can gather direct, empirical feedback from actual user interactions, understand what aspects of the product resonate, and identify necessary adjustments or further development directions, thereby reducing the risk of building something the market does not want or need. For example, a new online collaboration tool might launch its MVP with only basic file sharing and real-time text editing, rather than including all planned features like video conferencing, advanced project management, or external integrations. This allows developers to quickly learn if the core collaboration features are valuable and how users interact with them, informing the evolution of the full product.