about_rpips.html

---
layout: default
title: About
---

<p>Rocket Pool Improvement Proposals (RPIPs) describe standards for Rocket Pool, including core protocol specifications, high-level governance procedures, and contract standards.

<h2>Contributing</h2>
<p>First review <a href="RPIPs/RPIP-1">RPIP-1</a>. Then clone the repository and add your RPIP to it. There is a <a href="https://github.com/rocket-pool/RPIPs/blob/main/rpip-template.md">template RPIP here</a>. Then submit a Pull Request to Rocket Pool's <a href="https://github.com/rocket-pool/RPIPs">RPIPs repository</a>.</p>

<h2>RPIP Statuses</h2>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Draft</strong> - The first formally tracked stage of an RPIP in development. An RPIP is merged by an RPIP Editor into the RPIP repository when properly formatted.</li>
  <li><strong>Review</strong> - An RPIP Author marks an RPIP as ready for and requesting review.</li>
  <li><strong>Final</strong> - This RPIP represents the final standard. A Final RPIP exists in a state of finality and should only be updated to correct errata and add non-normative clarifications.</li>
  <li><strong>Stagnant</strong> - Any RPIP in Draft or Review which becomes inactive is moved to Stagnant. An RPIP may be resurrected from this state by Authors or RPIP Editors through moving it back to Draft.</li>
  <li><strong>Withdrawn</strong> - The RPIP Author(s) have withdrawn the proposed RPIP. This state has finality and can no longer be resurrected using this RPIP number. If the idea is pursued at later date, it is considered a new proposal.</li>
  <li><strong>Living</strong> - An RPIP that is designed to be continually updated and not reach a state of finality.</li>
  <li><strong>Obsolete</strong> - An Obsolete RPIP has been replaced, superseded or removed.</li>
</ul>

<h2>RPIP Types</h2>

<p>RPIPs are separated into a number of types, and each has its own list of RPIPs.</p>

<h3><a href="{{'protocol'|relative_url}}">Protocol</a> ({{site.pages|where:"type","Protocol"|size}})</h3>
<p>Describes any change that affects the core Rocket Pool protocol as is currently defined via the smart contract implementations. Protocol RPIPs can be broken down into the following categories:</p>

<h4 class="category"><a href="{{'core'|relative_url}}">Core</a> ({{site.pages|where:"type","Protocol"|where:"category","Core"|size}})</h4>
<p class="category">Improvements relevant to core protocol design which require core contract changes (e.g. <a href="RPIPs/RPIP-5">RPIP-5</a>).</p>

<h4 class="category"><a href="{{'rprc'|relative_url}}">RPRC</a> ({{site.pages|where:"type","Protocol"|where:"category","RPRC"|size}})</h4>
<p class="category">Application-level standards and conventions, including non-core contract standards (e.g. <a href="RPIPs/RPIP-3">RPIP-3</a>).</p>

<h3><a href="{{'meta'|relative_url}}">Meta</a> ({{site.pages|where:"type","Meta"|size}})</h3>
<p>Describes a process surrounding Rocket Pool or proposes a change to (or an event in) a process. Meta RPIPs are like Core Protocol RPIPs but apply to areas other than the Rocket Pool protocol itself. They may propose an implementation, but not to Rocket Pool’s codebase; they often require community consensus. Examples include procedures, guidelines, and changes to the community decision-making process (i.e. governance).</p>

<h3><a href="{{'informational'|relative_url}}">Informational</a> ({{site.pages|where:"type","Informational"|size}})</h3>
<p>Describes a Rocket Pool design issue, or provides general guidelines or information to the Rocket Pool community, but does not propose a new feature.</p>

<i>Note that there is no Type reserved for Smart Node changes. Improvements to the Smart Node are not part of the RPIP process and are best discussed via an Issue and/or PR on the rocket-pool/smartnode repository.</i>