The RFC Process

Motivation

I want a structured way to think through technical decisions before committing to them. Writing things down forces clarity, and publishing them creates accountability.

What is an RFC?

An RFC (Request for Comments) is a short document that describes a technical decision, design, or proposal. Each RFC goes through a lifecycle:

1. Draft — work in progress, not yet ready for review
2. Proposed — ready for review and feedback
3. Accepted — approved and ready for implementation
4. Rejected — reviewed and declined, with reasoning documented
5. Superseded — replaced by a newer RFC
6. Withdrawn — pulled by the author before a decision was made

RFC Format

Every RFC should include:

• Number and title — assigned sequentially (RFC-001, RFC-002, …)
• Status — current lifecycle stage
• Abstract — one-paragraph summary
• Motivation — why this RFC exists
• Proposal — the core idea, with enough detail to evaluate
• Alternatives considered — what else was on the table
• Decision — what was decided and why (filled in after review)

Process

1. Create a new markdown file in src/content/rfcs/ with the next available number
2. Write the RFC with status draft
3. When ready, change status to proposed
4. After review, update to accepted or rejected with reasoning
5. If a newer RFC replaces this one, mark as superseded with a reference