Each Android Studio release goes through the following stages of development:

- [**Canary**](https://developer.android.com/studio/preview) - Leading edge features under active development, lightly tested. While you can use Canary builds for development, be aware that features might be added or changed.
- [**Release Candidate (RC)**](https://developer.android.com/studio/preview) - The next version of Android Studio that's almost ready for stable release. The feature set for the next version has been stabilized.
- [**Stable**](https://developer.android.com/studio) - The final version of Android Studio.
- [**Patch n**](https://developer.android.com/studio) - Updates to a version of Android Studio, typically for bug fixes. Might contain new minor features.

There are two types of Android Studio releases:

- **Merge** - Contains the latest updates from the corresponding IntelliJ
  version. Merge releases might contain limited new Android-Studio-specific
  features, minor improvements, and bug fixes.

  The first version in each animal cycle (for example, Android Studio Panda 1)
  is a merge release. Merge releases always begin a new animal cycle.
- **Feature Drop** - Contains new Android Studio features and bug fixes.

  Every version after the first one in each animal cycle is a feature drop
  release (for example, Android Studio Panda 2).