This was originally posted on coderanger.net.

Chef RFCs are a way to propose and discuss changes to Chef and related projects.

What is an RFC?

Each RFC proposes a major change to Chef or another piece of software, or to the processes we use to develop them. Not every change requires an RFC, but for big changes or those that may affect a large number of people the RFC process allows us to discuss and develop them together. Each RFC describes the problem it is solving, the motivation for the change, a specification of the change, and a discussion of how this specification was arrived at.

Who can submit an RFC?

You! Everyone is encouraged to submit RFCs and join the discussion on existing ones. No contributor license agreement (CLA) or other paperwork is required.

How do I submit an RFC?

First read over RFC 0 which defines the RFC process. In there you can find a template to help you get started writing your own RFC. Once you have an RFC ready, you can submit it as a pull request to the chef-rfc repository. The community will then discuss your proposal, and if accepted it will be merged and you can begin your implementation work.

What does this mean for Open Source Chef?

It means that there is a much more direct way for everyone to have a voice in shaping the future of Chef as a project. Chef Software still act as stewards of the project but they have committed to working with the community through this process and believe, as I do, that it will help build better software for both the company and community!

Where can I ask questions about the RFC process?

You can always reach me at noah@coderanger.net, I’ll be happy to answer any questions I am able. You can also find me on #chef as coderanger or Twitter as @kantrn. This process is still very new and I welcome any and all help to make it as open and welcoming as possible!