We create beta sites through the open democratic process at Stack Exchange Area 51. Sites created through this process begin in “beta”, which means that the site is still being defined and constructed. There are a few differences between beta and non-beta sites in our network:
- All beta sites have the same design.
- Reputation thresholds for privileges are lower during the beta phase to help ensure community governance early on.
- In early beta, democratic moderator elections will be held to appoint moderators.
During beta, the community works together to answer the essential questions for every Stack Exchange site:
- Are questions about {subject} on or off topic?
- How should we tag questions about {subject}?
- Should tag A be a synonym of tag B?
- What’s the “elevator pitch” for our site?
- What's an interesting name for the chat room?
- What makes a good answer?
- How do we promote our site?
- What should our documentation contain?
- Do we really need tag {subject}?
There is no set amount of time for a site to remain in beta; it will be in beta for as long as necessary to reach critical mass, with periodic evaluations that help communities know where they stand and what they need to work on.