PHP RFC: Clarify discussion and voting period rules

• Version: 2.0
• Date: 2025-08-29
• Author: Tim Düsterhus, timwolla@php.net
• Status: Under Discussion
• Implementation: https://github.com/php/policies/pull/23

The current written policy governing the RFC process no longer matches the current process practiced and expected by the community.

This leads to confusion for participants that are less familiar with the RFC process and possible points of contention when the current underspecified policy is used as an argument to “bend the rules” with regard to the process expected nowadays.

Accept the policy in https://github.com/php/policies/pull/23.

The policy intends to formalize various unwritten rules and best practices of the RFC process that were only upheld based on a “Gentleman’s Agreement”.

To summarize the changes in the PR from a high-level perspective, the updated policy clearly specifies:

• A minimum of 2 weeks of discussion even for non-language RFCs.
• An extension of the discussion period after making changes to the RFC text.
• That changes to RFC text need to be announced on the list when they are ready to be reviewed and discussed.
• That the discussion period needs to be extended when the discussion was inactive for too long.
• That a “heads up” email needs to be sent before the start of a vote.
• The information that needs to be specified in the email announcing the vote.
• That the end of the voting period may not fall into the end-of-year holiday period and must be extended as necessary (or the start of the vote deferred).

None.

None.

• https://github.com/php/policies/pull/23

After the RFC is implemented, this section should contain:

1. the version(s) it was merged into
2. a link to the git commit(s)
3. a link to the PHP manual entry for the feature

• Discussion thread: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/128594

None.

• 2025-09-19: Rephrase the entire proposal for clarity, add maximum voting period, maximum “intent to vote” lifetime, define grace period for cut-off dates, expand on Errata explanation.
• 2025-09-08: Soften the language around “new discussion points” before starting the vote
• 2025-09-05: Clarify that any change to the voting widgets (incl. removal) is a major change, that RFCs may not change after the vote started, and that the voting interval is right-open (the end date is not part of the voting period).
• 2025-09-04: Removed an obsolete and confusing sentence, disallow starting a vote during EOY, rename minimum discussion period to cooldown period, minor phrasing adjustments.
• 2025-09-03: Require that the discussion and voting thread archives are linked from the RFC.
• 2025-08-29: Initial version.