Which Zip Should I Install from the Store?

When you purchase any Astra package, you’ll find zip files for the package plugins on your store account under Account > Dashboard.

Sometimes you may find more than one zip file for the Astra theme and other purchased plugins. You might be wondering which zip you should install from the list. This article will help you understand the various zip files available in the store. For example –

In the above screenshot, you can see the information about the various product names that are available for download. The above screenshot shows the Essential Toolkit products, and the available products may be different on your account dashboard depending on the plan you’re subscribed to.

Now, clicking on the plugin name with the download icon, you will get the plugin file zip downloaded on your computer. However, for some products, you can see multiple zip files. For example, once you click on Astra, you will see something like below:

In the above screenshot, you can download three files for Astra. These are as follows:

• Astra theme: This is your core Astra theme zip file. The file downloaded here is named astra-4.12.0.zip. You can upload this by navigating to WP Dashboard > Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload.
• Astra Child theme: This is the child theme zip file, which is used for adding custom codes to the theme without affecting the core theme file. The installation is the same as the parent Astra theme. Check this guide to learn more about the Astra child theme.
• Astra Pro Addon Plugin: This is the premium plugin for which you have purchased a subscription. The downloaded file will be like astra-addon-plugin-4.12.0.zip. Since this is an add-on plugin that enables premium features for the Astra theme, you can upload it under WP Dashboard > Plugins > Add New > Upload.

Apart from the above mentioned files, you may also see the development / beta versions for the Astra theme when available.

Similarly, when you click on Spectra, you get related product links such as the Spectra plugin, Spectra Pro, Spectra One theme, and any beta/development versions. Please check the screenshot shared below:

While working on a major update for the Astra, we make it a point to release a few beta or RC versions before the final stable product. Here, users can try out the new features, test them, and share their feedback on the beta/RC version. For example, as shown in the screenshot above, you can download and test the Spectra Version 3.0 beta in your staging environment before the stable version is pushed.

The stable version release process follows the pattern: Alpha -> Beta -> RC -> Stable. Below is the description for these versions  –

1. Alpha
   • This package contains very initial development for the new feature.
   • Generally, it is for the internal usage of the development team, and it is not available to the public.
2. Beta
   • This is the next version of the alpha and contains the basic functionality of the new features.  They are available to the public.
   • It is strongly recommended to use beta zip on the staging or local environment. DO NOT use them on live sites, as they are released in the middle of development.
   • Beta is released so that users can try the new features, test, and share feedback. Read more here.
3. RC ( Release Candidate )
   • As the name suggests, this package is a candidate for a stable release.
   • Usually, we do not update anything major after the RC package.
   • Again, it is strongly recommended to use RC zip on the staging or local environment. DO NOT use them on live sites.
4. Stable
   • Zip files that do not have a suffix like RC or beta are stable version zip files. As in the above screenshot,  Astra Addon Plugin – Version 4.12.0 is a stable version zip for the Astra Pro plugin.
   • You can use the stable version zip on your live sites.

Conclusion

If you wish to test new features, you can use the beta/RC version on the staging/ test environment. As they might need some improvements, we DO NOT recommend using them on live sites.

Finally, if you want to update Astra Pro on your live website, use only a stable version (e.g., Astra Pro Addon Plugin – Version 4.12.0). A stable version is tested and usually error-free, so there should be no major issues after the update.

We hope the above information has been helpful. If you have any questions or need help with the installation, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.