Yarn RFCs
A structured process for proposing and reviewing substantial changes to the Yarn package manager.
What is Yarn RFCs?
Yarn RFCs is the formal Request for Comments process for the Yarn package manager. It is a structured workflow for proposing, discussing, and approving substantial changes to Yarn, such as new features, API modifications, or removal of existing functionality. The process ensures that significant changes undergo design review and achieve consensus among the Yarn core team and community before implementation.
Yarn contributors, maintainers, and community members who want to propose or review major changes to the Yarn package manager. It is particularly relevant for developers submitting substantial feature proposals or those involved in Yarn's governance.
Developers choose Yarn RFCs because it provides a transparent and controlled framework for evolving a critical tool like Yarn, reducing the risk of breaking changes and ensuring alignment with project goals. Its structured approach, inspired by Rust and Ember RFC processes, fosters high-quality design discussions and community involvement.
Overview
RFCs for changes to Yarn
Use Cases
Best For
- Proposing new features or APIs for the Yarn package manager
- Substantial changes that affect Yarn's public interface or conventions
- Community-driven design discussions for Yarn's evolution
- Learning about open-source governance and RFC processes
- Contributors seeking feedback on major Yarn modifications before implementation
- Reviewing and tracking active proposals for Yarn's development
Not Ideal For
- Developers submitting minor bug fixes or documentation tweaks that bypass formal design review
- Projects requiring rapid, iterative feature development without community consensus delays
- Teams preferring informal, ad-hoc contribution processes over structured governance
Pros & Cons
Pros
Provides a detailed template and step-by-step process for RFCs, ensuring thorough consideration of motivation, impact, and alternatives, as outlined in the 'What the process is' section.
Requires broad support from the Yarn community and core team before acceptance, fostering inclusive and transparent decision-making for substantial changes.
Maintains an active list of RFC pull requests for public discussion, allowing contributors to monitor progress and provide feedback openly.
Includes a mandatory 7-day final comment period for RFCs candidate for inclusion, reducing the risk of overlooked issues before implementation.
Cons
The README admits the process is 'actively developing' and may change, creating uncertainty for contributors about long-term procedures.
RFCs must present convincing details and alternatives; poorly prepared proposals are 'poorly-received', which can discourage participation from less experienced contributors.
Active RFCs do not assure implementation or priority, as noted in 'The RFC life-cycle', potentially leading to abandoned efforts and wasted contributor time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
React RFCsRFCs for changes to React
Vue RFCsRFCs for substantial changes / feature additions to Vue core
OTEPsSpecifications for OpenTelemetry
Compose SpecificationThe Compose specification
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.