Merge pull request #342 from APIs-guru/stages

[Draft] Define stages for changes to GraphQL specification

CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Stages for changes to the GraphQL Specification
+
+> **Document status:** [Draft](https://github.com/facebook/graphql/pull/342)
+
+This document describes the stages required for merging changes to the
+GraphQL Specification. These stages are intended to:
+
++ Be as flexible as possible.
++ Define a clear process for getting changes into the specification.
++ Provide visibility for participants in the GraphQL ecosystem into the
+status and progress of proposals.
++ Encourage community discussion around the proposed changes.
+
+Any changes to the specification that affect the behavior of **GraphQL server
+or client implementations** should go through the stages below no matter how
+small they are. All other changes should be labeled as “editorial” and may
+be merged right away.
+
+## Stage -2: proposed change (optional)
+
+**Prerequisite**: Described problem/change should be specific to the content of
+GraphQL Specification and not be an implementation detail.
+
+**Purpose**: Filter out questions and issues for other repos, and engage community
+discussion.
+
+## Stage -1: PR requested (optional)
+
+**Prerequisite**: Issue should contain description of problem or use case and
+proposed solution.
+
+**Purpose**: Find member of community to be champion for this change.
+
+## Stage 0: Proposal
+
+**Prerequisite**:
++ Initial version of spec changes.
++ Filled checklist ([TBD](https://youtu.be/mePT9MNTM98?t=20m32s)) in PR description.
+
+**Steps**: Start review process.
+
+**Post-Acceptance Changes Expected**: Major.
+
+## Stage 1: Draft
+
+**Prerequisite**:
++ Finalized wording inside specification document.
++ Proposed spec changes don’t have any blind spots (undescribed edge-cases,
+missed changes to related part of spec, etc).
+
+**Steps**: Start working on [graphql-js](https://github.com/graphql/graphql-js)
+PR
+
+**Post-Acceptance Changes Expected**: Incremental.
+
+## Stage 2: Candidate
+
+**Prerequisite**:
++ Prepared PR for graphql-js.
++ Notify all members of [GraphQL WG](https://github.com/graphql/graphql-wg).
++ Community consent on the proposed change. If it’s hard to achieve, add it to
+agenda of the next WG meeting.
++ No changes to the graphql and graphql-js PRs for at least last 7 days.
+
+**Steps**: Merge graphql-js PR and release NPM package
+
+**Post-Acceptance Changes Expected**: Only those deemed critical based on
+implementation experience.
+
+## Stage 3: Merged
+
+**Prerequisite**:
++ At least one month since release of the graphql-js with proposed change.
++ Community consent on proposed change. If it’s hard to achieve add to agenda of
+the next WG meeting..
+
+**Steps**: Merge PR into “master” branch.
+
+**Post-Acceptance Changes Expected**: None.