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The Wikimedia RFC Process is used to facilitate technical decisions or complex changes that are strategic, cross-cutting, and/or hard to undo. Read more about the scope in the TechCom Charter.

Overview

The RFC (Request for comments) process provides a structured workflow for contributors to solicit qualified feedback on a technical proposal. It collects all ideas in one place and it documents whether ideas will be worked on or were discarded, and why.

Note that most changes to Wikimedia software (including MediaWiki), such as bug fixes and enhancements, should not follow the RFC process, but should instead be discussed in the software's issue tracker and/or be submitted as Git patches and follow the normal code review process.

An RFC may be declined if it is believed to be out of the defined scope. If in doubt, consult with TechCom. TechCom members manage the review process and have the authority to approve or decline RFCs.

How to participate

People of all backgrounds and skillsets welcome to provide information during an RFC. This includes Wikimedia users, third-party site admins, bot operators, designers, developers, and more. The rest of this page describe what the focus of the conversation should be at different phases of an RFC.

The RFC conversations take place on Phabricator, our issue tracker. Learn more about commenting on Phabricator.

Ask for help

If you have questions or need help to move to the next phase, you can always ask for help on the task. Other participants might help you get back on track, and TechCom also reviews new comments weekly and will help whenever needed. You can also let other developers know about your RFC or ask for input by e-mailing the Wikitech-l mailing list. Another option is to discuss the RFC with other people during an IRC chat (see RFC review meetings).

Create an RFC

RFCs take the form of a task on the #TechCom-RFC Phabricator workboard.

To create an RFC task, use the Create RFC task template.

Phases

There is no set length of time for a technical RFC.

Phase 1: Define

Under a "Motivation" section, define the problem(s) you are seeking to solve with this RFC, and specify the requirements that proposals should meet.

If the exact scope and requirements are not yet known, it is okay to not yet specify this when creating the task. There are several ways to ask for help.

Once the problem space and desired outcome or acceptance criteria are filled in, the RFC can proceed to Phase 2. To do so, you may move it there on the Phabricator workboard.

Phase 2: Resource

During this phase, the following need to be determined:

Affected components. (Which components benefit from the problem being solved? For example, parts of MediaWiki core, an extension, a service etc. If the scope of the RFC is entirely new and separate from existing Wikimedia software, then specify which components the new service would be used by.)
Software engineer(s) for the initial implementation. (One or more persons, or teams)
Code steward for the code that will be changed or created.

If you're unsure about who the code steward or product owner is for a project, ask for help on the task. A TechCom member, or someone else participating, will help you.

For RFCs that propose a new development policy, the above does not apply; you can lead the writing yourself, if you want to. TechCom is also available to help write the documentation for new policies.

Once the RFC is resourced, the RFC should enter Phase 3. You can move it on the Phabricator workboard.

Phase 3: Explore

In this phase an explicit effort should be made to reach out to hear from stakeholders, engineers, etc. Ask yourself:

Who should be aware of upcoming developments in this area?
Who should be in this conversation that isn't yet?

This is when interested persons should consider the different directions this RFC could take and actively draft proposals. These should be described in the comments on the task. To iterate on longer or more complex proposals, you may want to use a wiki page on mediawiki.org instead (Create a personal sub page, and link your proposal from a comment on the task). Keep the discussion central on the Phabricator task.

Once you have heard from the stakeholders, and have a selected at least one proposal that meets the requirements, the RFC should enter Phase 4. You can move it on the Phabricator workboard.

Phase 4: Tune

This is where you and other participants narrow down which proposal to pursue and make it more concrete. Any concerns that have previously not been explicitly addressed but thought to work out somehow, should be worked out at this point. This is also a good time for stakeholders to confirm that any concerns they raised about the general direction have been accommodated.

Review the proposal(s) against the Architecture Principles and identify any areas that warrant improvement or further discussion.

Once the stakeholder concerns and the Architecture Principles have been addressed, you should indicate which proposal you want to move forward and request a Last Call.

TechCom reviews requests for Last Call weekly and should respond within two weeks. When TechCom has completed their Last Call review and reached a consensus, it will either express any concerns it found, or announce the Last Call.

Phase 5: Last Call

TechCom will ensure that the Last Call status is reflected on the TechCom-RFC workboard and announced in the TechCom Radar.

In this final phase, all stakeholders, current and new participants, have two weeks to introduce new concerns. If no new significant concerns were raised and if no substantive changes were made to the RFC proposal, then TechCom will close the RFC. Otherwise, the RFC may continue in the Tune phase.

To ensure that stakeholders are able to give RFCs the attention they deserve, at most three RFCs may be on Last Call at any given time.

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-{{for|linking IETF RFCs in wikitext|Help:Magic links}}{{for|Wikipedia user decisions and content policies|m:Requests for comment}}{{for|consultations about non-technical subjects|m:Community Consultations}}{{TNT|shortcut|RFC}}
+{{for|linking IETF RFCs in wikitext|Help:Magic links}}{{for|user decisions and content policies regarding Wikimedia projects|m:Requests for comment}}{{for|consultations about non-technical subjects|m:Community Consultations}}{{TNT|shortcut|RFC}}
-{{historical|See [[Technical Decision Making Process]] for the current process.}}
+{{historical|See [[Technical decision making]] for the current process.<sup>''[update needed]''</sup>}}
 The '''Wikimedia RFC Process''' is used to facilitate technical decisions or complex changes that are strategic, cross-cutting, and/or hard to undo. Read more about the scope in the [[Wikimedia Technical Committee/Charter|TechCom Charter]].
 {{TOC|align=right}}
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 To create an RFC task, use the [[phab:maniphest/task/edit/form/82/|Create RFC]] task template.
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----
-In the name and memory of the great and merciful Creator who created humanity beyond a
-belief in a new thought. What I have prepared in this article (the creator of the world of digital
-currencies) is Satoshi. The world around mankind has always been subject to pure human
-talents and new creations from the beginning of creation.At the beginning of the creation of
-each phenomenon, humanity has presented various criticisms based on the lack of complete
-understanding and thought. By reflecting on the creation of technology and the advancement
-of science and the normalization of its understanding, followed by numerous experiments to
-serve Humanity will change its beliefs again, and the inferential understanding of that idea
-and example will reach its peak. Reach valuable. At the time I was onI was working on this
-topic (digital currencies), no one around and even in other lands was able to induce and fully
-understand this phenomenon, but this issue did not create any point of confrontation and
-obstacle for my emergence and coding, because every creator must first understand It is full
-of its own creation and may be beyond the mind of the Creator in the age of this idea and
-phenomenon beyond the beliefs of other peoples who have an irrational mentality and
-nature. Once I was sitting on a chair in one of my country's banks waiting for my banking
-process and waiting for my request fromI was a banker and a clerk. Suddenly, a new thought
-came to me. The initial spark appeared in me, and that spark was the creation of a new
-platform for transactions and exchanges, as well as a new phase of the economic system in
-which money (banknotes, coins) The material meaning does not exist externally. And the
-whole base consists of technology and the receiver communicates with the sender through a
-two-way program away from the expectation and absence of the person in the banks, as well
-as the opposition and superiority of the mind of each person in the position of banker. And
-he is responsible for auditing his propertyWhat we see during the day and night and the
-passing of months and years and years of our lives is far more complex than it can be
-understood by humanity. We only see aging but the friends of many cocoons after the birth
-of the silkworm. It turns out that it is full of mysteries. Yes, our dear ones, we have come for
-the beyond and our power is to the infinity of our inner thoughts. We are all the highest
-creatures in the world and have a great position. I came to this great induction from the
-knowledge of God and His understanding, and through this sparksPromising the greatness
-of God, I have been able to witness to the service of my invention to the world to this day.
-The defined irregular numerical scale gives rise to a specific order. My main goal in creating
-the prototype of this phenomenon was to know and understand humanity to fully understand
-this knowledge and science. Over the years, many different people have tried to replace
-their virtual identities with mine, but in the meantime, they are the only real creators of any
-phenomenon.It can prove to the world what it has created and has a sufficient and completeknowledge of its phenomenon. In the years 2008-2009, all my work in this field (digital
-currency) sought to understand and find a suitable solution to facilitate communication
-(P2P). And finally, with the help of the transcendental power and ability instilled in me, this
-thinking was able to work successfully and be happy. The idea of digital currencies is an
-evolved example of billions of cells from the infinite position of the cells of the universe, and
-the blocks each represent these cells, each of which is a position.They have special. The
-past and present economic system no longer meets the existential needs of those who look
-beyond the genius. So the advent of digital currency science itself is a huge ascent. At that
-time the friends who were in contact with me in the chat room criticized all the original
-coding. But only my true faith and hope was able to stabilize its true place. Reach yourself.
-My dear, digital currency coding will now reach a new direction and point with the re-
-emergence and resurrection of me, and that after the evolution of initial understanding and
-familiarityThe whole world will happen with this phenomenon. If what is written now and if my
-determination for another new revolution is broken, all this is due to the trust and honors of
-you dear ones who have helped me from the beginning and have always been by my side
-because of their inner beliefs in digital currencies. I have the power of pen and writing in my
-hands. Let me say that I will always be by your side with eternity and with all my heart and all
-that I have, and I will create a wonderful evolution of myself for your trust. Our inner
-concerns stem from misconceptions thatWe stimulate our inner hope and essence to
-challenge them. My dear friends and masters, from now on, instead of laughing at each
-other, let's learn to laugh together. Once upon a time, when I was talking to others about the
-idea and creation of a phenomenon, it was nothing but ridicule. My story was exactly like a
-human being who experienced a journey through time and did not understand what he was
-saying. These issues gave me more hope and belief. My dear, you should know that
-everything has a halfThere is (good, bad_gg, beauty_of_knowledge, complete ignorance,
-incomplete_wealth, poverty) Choose your own half . After creating the prototype, I started
-serving in the way of my created phenomenon (Bitcoin) and started sharing their
-advertisements in different markets and I received a salary of 0.3 Bitcoin units and in
-exchange for several advertisements and sharing of different brands. I was paid 1 bitcoin as
-a wage and I kept my balance in Paypall. I continued my activity for a few months and
-earned about 1000 bitcoins this wayFor the first time, I did extraction and mining operations
-on 500 of them with my mobile phone, which eventually led to the burning of my phone's
-hard drive after extraction, but this operation was very interesting. There are many memories
-and stories. In my autobiography, I will tell and transmit them all in their entirety to each and
-every one of you all over the world. The ID used that the world remembers as Satoshi
-Nakamoto, and I chose it for myself. It is just a mask and an identity. My real and original is
-something elseThey have not been able to find me now, but it is better to say that the great
-economic mafia of the world did not want anyone to know my true identity and be aware of
-my existence. Turn on. The new dawn in this century can be promising, newer ideas,
-thoughts and creations. In this article, I do not intend to challenge a particular character, but
-it is better to say that any person or persons who want to understand my identity Must know
-that I belong to a particular race or tribe or territoryI am not, but I am only in the service of
-the whole world and my fellow human beings, and my main goal is to end poverty and poor
-belief in the whole world, and I want the world to be needless in every way. I get a lot of
-conversations in chat rooms during the day. If you want to understand this fact. Let me be
-honest and assertive to everyone, I have the ability to raise or lower the value of digital
-currencies very, very easily. For the purpose I have stated. I always try to maintain
-moderation and assert the value of my invention.I will increase the d to higher digits. After
-sharing this article, each recipient will be responsible for transmitting it to others. The
-cryptography of this article all belongs to Satoshi Nakamoto's identity. This article will be
-translated and submitted in several languages of the world.
 == Phases ==

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