Need Some Clarification About Beta/Alpha Testing on The Developer Console

Need some clarification about beta/alpha testing on the developer console

See there are Four types of releases on play console for android developers;

1. Internal testing - It means you wanna share your app among the decided members. It means you have to put their Gmail into the testers list. This is usually for employees.

2. Alpha testing - Same as internal testing, but this time you can send your app to your friends, families, or on your smartphones.

3. Beta testing - This is a serious matter, this is public testing. But people cannot give reviews to your app. You can also limit how many users can install the app.

4. Production - This is the last release, now everybody can install your app, can give reviews, can report to google play if something bad is there. One more thing, now your app appears in play store search listing.

Now there is one more thing, open testing, closed testing, pausing tracks and stage rollouts, don't get confused by these terms.

1. Open testing - It means that you don't need to invite them, like no need to take their Gmail and add it to the user list. (Beta testing)

2. Closed testing - It means that you need to specifically add the user's Gmail into the list. (Alpha testing)

3. Staged rollout - This means we can provide the update to some percentage of users we currently have. Suppose 100 users are there and you rollout for 40% then only 40 users can update the app and after you confirm the app is working perfectly (using crash reports or reviews) then make it available for everyone.

4. Pause Track - See each testing has a track in play console. So if you click the pause track in beta testing then it will pause beta testing [changes occurs in few hours]. Same in internal and alpha. We usually pause test tracks when we release the app in production [usually I do].

Your app will not appear in search results until it is in production.

Google Developer Console Internal Test, Beta and Alpha Track

Some quick answers:

Should I have a different applicationId for each track?

Absolutely not. Otherwise they will be completely different applications.

How does the tester get the updated test APKs (since they aren't available in store)?

Although the app is not publicly available in the Play Store, the APKs are distributed through the Play Store once they use your private Opt-In link and add them via their email address.

How to cascade from internal to alpha to beta?

Not sure about "cascading" but you can "promote" an app upstream from "Internal" -> "Alpha" -> "Beta" -> "Public".

Hope that helps clear things up a little bit.

Google play alpha and beta testing lists in the new manage releases page

When you click the Manage beta or Manage alpha buttons on the Manages releases page, the top section is labeled 'Manage testers' - clicking on the drop down in that section will allow you to change the beta testers list.

Keep in mind you need to publish your app first to share link to testers:

Google Developer Console Beta Testing Link does not work

As dector and MF6265 already mentioned.
You'll need a Google+ Community or a Google Group.
In this case I've used the Google Group, which works as a mail distributor.

GooglePlay Developer Console and Alpha Testing

You can publish the app as a Test application, visible only to a limited audience (In this case only to You) to test. Google has listed an elaborate procedure for this here.

Be sure to

1. Register test account(s) in the developer console.
2. Configure this test account on this device while testing (This is needed if your app has in-app purchases).

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