Changes Freeze Policy

Feature Freeze Policy

Features are accounted for at two different levels:

1. Feature page promotion and distro coordination--see Fedora Feature Process
2. Package level (continue reading)

After the Feature Freeze milestone, no new features or major version bumps are allowed for packages already in the Fedora collection (new packages can still be reviewed, added in CVS and built).

At Feature Freeze all new features for the release should be substantially complete and in a testable state, including enabled by default if so specified by the feature. In the Fedora development process, all new feature work is completed by Feature Freeze and tested during the test releases: Alpha and Beta.

Some Example Do's and Don't's

After Feature Freeze, Fedora has certain expectations about what will be happening with your feature. These expectations are based on needing to test your feature (package), test how other pieces of the distribution interact with your feature, and test the overall stability, look, and feel of the distribution.

This what we all expect post-Feature Freeze:

• Do: Have something testable
• Do: Have the the feature significantly complete
• Do: submit bugfixes
• Do not: Enable the feature by default
• Do not: Make changes that require other (dependent) software packages to make changes as well

Exception Process

If you believe you have a good reason to break feature freeze. file a ticket with Release Engineering. Please include the following information:

1. A description of what you want to change
2. Rationale for why the change is important enough to be allowed in after the feature freeze.
3. Impact of not accepting the the new package(s) at this point in the schedule.
4. Information on what testing you've performed to mitgate risks introduced by replacing the existing package(s)

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What Happens Next?

The release engineering team will evaluate your request and provide feedback. If your request is rejected, you will have to wait for the next development cycle to add your package to Fedora. Disputes over rejected changes can be escalated to FESCo.

Approval comes in the form of +1's. Two +1's (without any negative feedback) are necessary to build. If there is negative feedback, conversation will ensue and a new vote will take place.

Ignoring the freeze process and introducing new features (packages) anyway may lead to your package being reverted and a reduction of the chances of an exception being made.