To prevent our issue tracker getting filled up with issues that are hard to follow, we propose a new way of handling features. You can see the whole flow in more detail in this pad.

Specification-driven design

The Funkwhale collective follows a specification-driven design. Each feature is outlined in a specification (spec) that contains the following information:

The problem the feature addresses
The solution the feature proposes
The scope of the feature
The behavior of the feature
The availability of the feature
The working groups responsible for delivering the feature

Each request type follows a workflow based on this design philosophy. You can find a template for feature specs here.

New feature request

A new feature is a new behavior in the software. This can be a new API, a new task, or an addition to the application. Each new feature must be defined by a spec before development begins.

This is the workflow for a new feature:

A user or developer suggests a new feature in the forum
Members of the collective discuss the new feature and answer the following questions:
- Should the feature be included in the software?
- What is the expected behavior of the feature?
If the collective decides to include the feature, the development team creates an epic for the feature
The responsible working groups are assigned tasks to complete their part of the spec
Once the spec is complete, the epic is marked as Ready
The feature is selected for development
The responsible working groups are assigned tasks to complete their part of the spec. These tasks are linked together to show if any tasks block other tasks
Once all tasks are complete, the feature is tested to ensure it aligns with the spec
The feature is released

Feature enhancement request

A feature enhancement is an extension to an existing spec. This can take the form of additional fields in APIs or adding existing information to the frontend app. A feature enhancement doesn't change the behavior of a feature, it only extends it. If an enhancement changes the behavior, it is considered a new feature.

This is the workflow for a feature enhancement:

A user or developer suggests a feature enhancement in the forum
Members of the collective discuss the enhancement and answer the following questions:
- Does this enhancement break or change the expected behavior of the feature?
If the collective decides to include the enhancement, the development team creates an issue for the enhancement
A related issue is added for the responsible working group(s) to update the spec with the enhancement
Once the spec if updated, the issue is marked as Ready
The issue is selected for development
The responsible working groups are assigned tasks to complete their part of the spec. These tasks are linked together to show if any tasks block other tasks
Once all tasks are complete, the enhancement is tested to ensure it aligns with the updated spec
The enhancement is released

Bugfix reports

A bug report aligns a feature to its spec. Bugs should be reported when a feature does not align to what is outlined in its spec or if there is a performance issue. A bug report doesn't change the behavior of a feature.

This is the workflow for a bug report:

A user or developer reports a bug in the forum or in the issue tracker
The development team assesses the report against the spec and confirms the bug
The issue is assigned to the responsible working group(s)
The issue is marked as Ready
The issue is selected for development
The responsible working group(s) are assigned tasks to fix the issue. These tasks are linked together to show if any tasks block other tasks
Once all tasks are complete, the bugfix is tested to ensure it aligns with the spec
The bugfix is released