Freeze

To lock an evolving software distribution or document against changes so it can be released with some hope of stability. Carries the strong implication that the item in question will "unfreeze" at some future date.

There are more specific constructions on this term.

A "feature freeze", for example, locks out modifications intended to introduce new features but still allows bugfixes and completion of existing features; a "code freeze" connotes no more changes at all.

At Sun Microsystems and elsewhere, one may also hear references to "code slush" - that is, an almost-but-not-quite frozen state.

[Jargon File]

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freerexx free software Free Software Foundation free variable freeware	cooperative multitasking freeze link farm neutrosophic logic Nightmare File System	Frege, Gottlob frequency division multiple access frequency division multiplexing Frequency Modulation Frequency Shift Keying