Say it like this
- We need to dogfood this feature before launch
- Our whole team is dogfooding the new app
- Dogfooding revealed a critical bug in the payment flow
Use it at work
Planning
- We'll dogfood the new chat feature internally for two weeks.
- Let's dogfood it before customers see it.
Feedback
- Dogfooding found five bugs we missed in testing.
- Please share any issues you find while dogfooding.
Culture
- We dogfood everything, so we feel our users' pain.
- Is the team dogfooding the product?
Don't say this
This is correct usage. Dogfooding is commonly used in present continuous tense.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| dogfooding | Using your own product internally | Your own team | Before or after launch |
| beta | Early version for some real users | External users | Before launch |
| alpha | Early internal test version | Internal team | Very early |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your team is about to use the new analytics dashboard internally. How do you describe this?
2. Before we launch publicly, we should _______ this feature for at least two weeks.
3. Which sentence uses 'dogfooding' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using 'dogfooding': 'Our team will use the new payment system internally to check if it works correctly before customers see it.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We need to dogfood this feature before launch"
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More about dogfooding
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"We started dogfooding the mobile app yesterday, and we already found three UI issues."
- in a code review
"Before we merge this, everyone should spend time dogfooding it to make sure the workflow actually makes sense."
- in a team meeting
"The product team recommended a one-week dogfooding period before the public beta launch."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Often confused with beta testing. Dogfooding means the company uses its own product internally; beta testing involves external users. Do not use as a verb form without proper conjugation.
- ✕Dogfooding is when external users test the product.✓Dogfooding is when internal employees test the product before external users.
Dogfooding involves internal company use, not external beta testing. These are different practices.
- ✕We did some dogfoods last week.✓Dogfooding is typically used as an uncountable noun. Say 'dogfooding' not 'dogfoods'.
Other forms(2)
- dogfooding noun
"Dogfooding helped us identify the performance issue."
- dogfood (present), dogfooding (gerund), dogfooded (past) verb
"We dogfood all new features for at least one week before release."
Often used with(4)
- internal dogfooding · Refers to testing within the company only, before any external testing
- dogfooding period · The specific time frame during which internal testing occurs
- dogfood the feature · Common verb phrase meaning to use and test your own feature internally
- before dogfooding · Describes the stage before internal testing begins
Similar words(3)
- internal testing · More formal; dogfooding implies actual usage, not just testing procedures
- eating your own dog food · The original phrase; rarely used in modern tech; dogfooding is the shortened version
- alpha testing · Sometimes similar, but alpha testing is more focused on bugs; dogfooding is broader user experience testing
Opposites(2)
- external beta testing
- user acceptance testing
Questions(5)
- What does dogfooding mean in software engineering?
- Dogfooding means a company uses its own product internally before releasing it to the public. It comes from the phrase 'eating your own dog food,' implying that if you would not feed your product to yourself, you should not sell it to others. It is a form of quality assurance and user experience validation.
- How long does a dogfooding period typically last?
- A dogfooding period can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the product complexity and the severity of issues found. Many teams dogfood for one to three weeks before a major release.
- Is dogfooding the same as beta testing?
- No. Dogfooding is internal testing by company employees. Beta testing is external testing by actual customers or selected users. Dogfooding usually happens first, followed by beta testing, and then public release.
- How do you use dogfooding in a sentence at work?
- You can say 'We need to dogfood this feature before launch,' 'The team is dogfooding the new interface,' or 'Dogfooding helped us find the bug.' It works as both a noun and a verb in workplace communication.
- Is dogfooding formal or informal?
- Dogfooding is casual and informal, but it is completely acceptable in professional tech environments. You would use it in standups, code reviews, meetings, and emails. It would be less common in very formal client presentations.
