osu! has a few release streams, or game client versions, that receive updates at different rates. In order to catch potential issues early, new features and changes are put into preview versions before making their way to the stable client.
| Release stream | Notes |
|---|---|
| Stable | Current, most popular version; feature-locked; receives updates after Beta |
| Beta | Receives updates after Cutting Edge; feature-locked |
| Cutting Edge | Receives newest updates; feature-locked |
| Lazer | Rewritten game client; most active in development with many differences and new features. |