Java Edition version history/Development versions

Starting in the period between Beta 1.7.3 and Beta 1.8, Mojang began to publicly release testing versions of full updates in order to get major feedback, especially for bug reporting. This enabled the official updates to be considerably more stable.

Mojang generally releases snapshots on Wednesday. The day had been Thursday, until the release of 14w26a on June 25, 2014, in the middle of development for 1.8.

Availability
These versions are publicly available, though they are not auto-installed by the launcher unless the Enable snapshots checkbox is ticked in the profile editor, and then it will only download the current version's development's set of snapshots and pre-releases. You are able to change to other snapshots through the profile editor.

For instructions on how to install a snapshot, read this tutorial.

Naming
Late in Beta development, Mojang began to issue pre-release versions, specifically for Beta 1.8 and what then was known as Beta 1.9. As Beta 1.9 came to be redesignated as release version 1.0, candidates subject to release were designated with the prefix "RC#".

The weekly snapshots for release 1.1 and onward are named by using the format YYwWWx. YY is the two-digit year, w simply stands for "week", WW is the two-digit week number within the year, and x is a unique letter identifier – starting with "a", then "b", and so on – for when there is more than one release per week. Currently the highest letter reached is e, a tie between 12w30e, 13w47e and 15w35e. The naming convention is broken by 13w12~. The update that has the most snapshots is release 1.9, with a total of 56 snapshots. The update that has the most pre-releases is release 1.13, with 10 prereleases (however, release 1.0 does surpass 1.13 if you count all of the Beta 1.9 prereleases and release candidates, including reuploaded versions).

Promotional screenshots
Erik Broes (Grum) appeared in promotional screenshots on the Mojang blog for a number of snapshots and pre-releases. He was often hiding, and occasionally simply his player head was present. These were:
 * 1.6.1 snapshots 13w19a, 13w21a, 13w22a, 13w23a, 13w24a, 13w25a, 13w26a and the 1.6 pre-release
 * 1.7.2 snapshots 13w36a, 13w37a, 13w38a, 13w39a, 13w41a, 13w42a and 13w43a, and 1.7.4 snapshot 13w47a
 * 1.8 snapshots 14w02a, 14w03a, 14w04a, 14w05a, 14w06a, 14w08a, 14w10a, the 1.8 pre-release and the 1.8.2 pre-release
 * 1.9 snapshot 16w04a
 * Release 1.10.
 * 1.11 snapshots 16w40a, 16w41a, 16w43a, 16w44a and 1.11-pre1.
 * 1.11.1 snapshot 16w50a.
 * 1.12 snapshot 17w06a.
 * 1.13 snapshot 17w50a.

Jens Bergensten (Jeb) has appeared in several promotional screenshots as well:
 * Snapshot 12w23a for 1.3.1, snapshot 12w37a for 1.4.2, the 1.6 pre-release, the 1.8 pre-release, the 1.10, 1.11.1 and 1.11.2 releases, and snapshot 17w16a for 1.12.

Nathan Adams (Dinnerbone) has appeared in:
 * The 1.6 pre-release, snapshot 14w03a for 1.8 and the 1.8 pre-release.

Michael Stoyke (Searge) has appeared in:
 * The 1.8 pre-release and the 1.10 release.

Thomas Guimbretière (ProfMobius) has appeared in the 1.10 release.

Maria Lemón (Excited) has appeared in:
 * 1.11 snapshots 16w40a and 16w42a.
 * 1.11.1 snapshot 16w50a.
 * 1.12 snapshots 17w13a and 17w15a.

Agnes Larsson (LadyAgnes) has appeared in 1.11 snapshot 16w43a.

1.13.1

 * 18w33a
 * 18w32a
 * 18w31a
 * 18w30a • 18w30b

1.13

 * View all
 * 1.13-pre1 ▪ 1.13-pre2 ▪ 1.13-pre3 ▪ 1.13-pre4 ▪ 1.13-pre5 ▪ 1.13-pre6 ▪ 1.13-pre7 ▪ 1.13-pre8 ▪ 1.13-pre9 ▪ 1.13-pre10
 * 18w22a ▪ 18w22b ▪ 18w22c
 * 18w21a ▪ 18w21b
 * 18w20a ▪ 18w20b ▪ 18w20c
 * 18w19a ▪ 18w19b
 * 18w16a
 * 18w15a
 * 18w14a ▪ 18w14b
 * 18w11a
 * 18w10a ▪ 18w10b ▪ 18w10c ▪ 18w10d
 * 18w09a
 * 18w08a ▪ 18w08b
 * 18w07a ▪ 18w07b ▪ 18w07c
 * 18w06a
 * 18w05a
 * 18w03a ▪ 18w03b
 * 18w02a
 * 18w01a
 * 17w50a
 * 17w49a ▪ 17w49b
 * 17w48a
 * 17w47a ▪ 17w47b
 * 17w46a
 * 17w45a ▪ 17w45b
 * 17w43a ▪ 17w43b

1.12.2

 * View all
 * 1.12.2-pre1 ▪ 1.12.2-pre2

1.12.1

 * View all
 * 1.12.1-pre1
 * 17w31a

1.12

 * View all
 * 1.12-pre1 ▪ 1.12-pre2 ▪ 1.12-pre3 ▪ 1.12-pre4 ▪ 1.12-pre5 ▪ 1.12-pre6 ▪ 1.12-pre7
 * 17w18a ▪ 17w18b
 * 17w17a ▪ 17w17b
 * 17w16a ▪ 17w16b
 * 17w15a
 * 17w14a
 * 17w13a ▪ 17w13b
 * 17w06a

1.11.1

 * 16w50a

1.11

 * View all
 * 1.11-pre1
 * 16w44a
 * 16w43a
 * 16w42a
 * 16w41a
 * 16w40a
 * 16w39a ▪ 16w39b ▪ 16w39c
 * 16w38a
 * 16w36a
 * 16w35a
 * 16w33a
 * 16w32a ▪ 16w32b

1.10

 * View all
 * 1.10-pre1 ▪ 1.10-pre2
 * 16w21a ▪ 16w21b
 * 16w20a

1.9.3

 * View all
 * 1.9.3-pre1 ▪ 1.9.3-pre2 ▪ 1.9.3-pre3
 * 16w15a ▪ 16w15b
 * 16w14a

1.9.1

 * View all
 * 1.9.1-pre1 ▪ 1.9.1-pre2 ▪ 1.9.1-pre3

1.9

 * View all
 * 1.9-pre1 ▪ 1.9-pre2 ▪ 1.9-pre3 ▪ 1.9-pre4
 * 16w07a ▪ 16w07b
 * 16w06a
 * 16w05a ▪ 16w05b
 * 16w04a
 * 16w03a
 * 16w02a
 * 15w51a ▪ 15w51b
 * 15w50a
 * 15w49a ▪ 15w49b
 * 15w47a ▪ 15w47b ▪ 15w47c
 * 15w46a
 * 15w45a
 * 15w44a ▪ 15w44b
 * 15w43a ▪ 15w43b ▪ 15w43c
 * 15w42a
 * 15w41a ▪ 15w41b
 * 15w40a ▪ 15w40b
 * 15w39a ▪ 15w39b ▪ 15w39c
 * 15w38a ▪ 15w38b
 * 15w37a
 * 15w36a ▪ 15w36b ▪ 15w36c ▪ 15w36d
 * 15w35a ▪ 15w35b ▪ 15w35c ▪ 15w35d ▪ 15w35e
 * 15w34a ▪ 15w34b ▪ 15w34c ▪ 15w34d
 * 15w33a ▪ 15w33b ▪ 15w33c
 * 15w32a ▪ 15w32b ▪ 15w32c
 * 15w31a ▪ 15w31b ▪ 15w31c

1.8.8

 * 1.8.8-pre

1.8.2

 * View all
 * 1.8.2-pre1 ▪ 1.8.2-pre2 ▪ 1.8.2-pre3 ▪ 1.8.2-pre4 ▪ 1.8.2-pre5 ▪ 1.8.2-pre6 ▪ 1.8.2-pre7

1.8.1

 * View all
 * 1.8.1-pre1 ▪ 1.8.1-pre2 ▪ 1.8.1-pre3 ▪ 1.8.1-pre4 ▪ 1.8.1-pre5

1.8

 * View all
 * 1.8-pre1 ▪ 1.8-pre2 ▪ 1.8-pre3
 * 14w34a ▪ 14w34b ▪ 14w34c ▪ 14w34d
 * 14w33a ▪ 14w33b ▪ 14w33c
 * 14w32a ▪ 14w32b ▪ 14w32c ▪ 14w32d
 * 14w31a
 * 14w30a ▪ 14w30b ▪ 14w30c
 * 14w29a ▪ 14w29b
 * 14w28a ▪ 14w28b
 * 14w27a ▪ 14w27b
 * 14w26a ▪ 14w26b ▪ 14w26c
 * 14w25a ▪ 14w25b
 * 14w21a ▪ 14w21b
 * 14w20a ▪ 14w20b
 * 14w19a
 * 14w18a ▪ 14w18b
 * 14w17a
 * 14w11a ▪ 14w11b
 * 14w10a ▪ 14w10b ▪ 14w10c
 * 14w08a
 * 14w07a
 * 14w06a ▪ 14w06b
 * 14w05a ▪ 14w05b
 * 14w04a ▪ 14w04b
 * 14w03a ▪ 14w03b
 * 14w02a ▪ 14w02b ▪ 14w02c

1.7.10

 * View all
 * 1.7.10-pre1 ▪ 1.7.10-pre2 ▪ 1.7.10-pre3 ▪ 1.7.10-pre4

1.7.6

 * View all
 * 1.7.6-pre1 ▪ 1.7.6-pre2

1.7.4

 * View all
 * 1.7.4-pre
 * 1.7.3-pre
 * 13w49a
 * 13w48a ▪ 13w48b
 * 13w47a ▪ 13w47b ▪ 13w47c ▪ 13w47d ▪ 13w47e

1.7.2

 * View all
 * 1.7.2-pre
 * 1.7.1-pre
 * 1.7-pre
 * 13w43a
 * 13w42a ▪ 13w42b
 * 13w41a ▪ 13w41b
 * 13w39a ▪ 13w39b
 * 13w38a ▪ 13w38b ▪ 13w38c
 * 13w37a ▪ 13w37b
 * 13w36a ▪ 13w36b

1.6.4

 * 1.6.3-pre

1.6.2

 * 1.6.2-pre

1.6.1

 * View all
 * 1.6.1-pre
 * 1.6-pre
 * 13w26a
 * 13w25a ▪ 13w25b ▪ 13w25c
 * 13w24a ▪ 13w24b
 * 13w23a ▪ 13w23b
 * 13w22a
 * 13w21a ▪ 13w21b
 * 13w19a
 * 13w18a ▪ 13w18b ▪ 13w18c
 * 13w17a
 * 13w16a ▪ 13w16b

1.5.2

 * 1.5.2-pre

1.5.1

 * View all
 * 1.5.1-pre
 * 13w12~
 * 13w11a

1.5

 * View all
 * 1.5-pre
 * 13w10a ▪ 13w10b
 * 13w09a ▪ 13w09b ▪ 13w09c
 * 13w07a
 * 13w06a
 * 13w05a ▪ 13w05b
 * 13w04a
 * 13w03a
 * 13w02a ▪ 13w02b
 * 13w01a ▪ 13w01b

1.4.7

 * 1.4.7-pre

1.4.6

 * View all
 * 1.4.6-pre
 * 12w50a ▪ 12w50b
 * 12w49a

1.4.5

 * 1.4.5-pre

1.4.4

 * View all
 * 1.4.4-pre
 * 1.4.3-pre

1.4.2

 * View all
 * 1.4.2-pre
 * 1.4.1-pre
 * 1.4-pre
 * 12w42a ▪ 12w42b
 * 12w41a ▪ 12w41b
 * 12w40a ▪ 12w40b
 * 12w39a ▪ 12w39b
 * 12w38a ▪ 12w38b
 * 12w37a
 * 12w36a
 * 12w34a ▪ 12w34b
 * 12w32a

1.3.2

 * 1.3.2-pre

1.3.1

 * View all
 * 1.3.1-pre
 * 1.3-pre
 * 12w30a ▪ 12w30b ▪ 12w30c ▪ 12w30d ▪ 12w30e
 * 12w27a
 * 12w26a
 * 12w25a
 * 12w24a
 * 12w23a ▪ 12w23b
 * 12w22a
 * 12w21a ▪ 12w21b
 * 12w19a
 * 12w18a
 * 12w17a
 * 12w16a
 * 12w15a

1.2.5

 * 1.2.5-pre

1.2.1

 * View all
 * 1.2-pre
 * 12w08a
 * 12w07a ▪ 12w07b
 * 12w06a
 * 12w05a ▪ 12w05b
 * 12w04a
 * 12w03a

1.1

 * View all
 * 12w01a
 * 11w50a
 * 11w49a
 * 11w48a
 * 11w47a

1.0.0

 * View all
 * RC2
 * RC1
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease 6
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease 4
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease 2
 * Beta 1.9 Prerelease

Beta 1.8

 * View all
 * Beta 1.8 Pre-release 2 ;)
 * Beta 1.8 Pre-release

Beta 1.6

 * Beta 1.6 Test Build 3