OCaml RFCs

This repository is for proposals to change the OCaml language or the internals of its compiler.

It is for proposals by people who actually intend to implement the proposed changes. Feature requests from users of the language should instead by made as issues on ocaml/ocaml.

Making an RFC

RFCs are made by creating a pull request that adds a file to the rfcs folder. The rfcs folder contains accepted proposals for changes to the language. The pull request will only be merged once there is consensus to accept the change in principle.

We'll adjust and adapt the process as we go, but as a starting point RFCs should provide:

• A high-level summary of the change
• Motivation for the change
• Technical details of the change
• Drawbacks of the change and alternatives to the change
• Unresolved questions

Discussing an RFC

RFCs will be discussed in the comments of the pull request that proposes them. Authors should try to respond to queries and integrate feedback into the RFC document. Commenters should try to avoid unnecessary bike-shedding.

The OCaml development team will moderate these discussions. We may delete comments or close pull requests that we feel are not productive.

Reaching a decision

Merging an RFC

If debate on the RFC converges on clear consensus, the RFC can be merged.

If a consensus of OCaml maintainers is elusive (including perhaps the case where an RFC does not attract enough attention), you can request review from the OCaml Language Committee. The linked page describes the committee workings; if you want its attention, you should tag its chair, currently @Octachron. The committee will then make a recommendation about inclusion of this feature in the language, though it has no formal power to make a final decision. At that point, it can either be merged (if there is clear willingness to do so) or sent to the next developers' meeting.

Regardless of whether the committee has driven the decision or the discussion at the developers' meeting has, a decision will be to either:

• Accept the proposal and merge the RFC

• Reject the proposal and close the RFC

• Request further changes/discussion on the RFC before reconsidering at another meeting.

Once an RFC has been accepted into the repository authors can begin implementing the proposal and be reasonably confident that a suitable implementation of the feature will be accepted upstream into the compiler.