FeatureProposalFreeze

= Feature Proposal Freeze (FPF) = FeatureProposalFreeze (FPF) is an optional deadline some projects implement ahead of FeatureFreeze to avoid being drowned in late code reviews for late-proposed features. It generally happens one or two weeks ahead of FeatureFreeze.

Freeze
Once FPF kicks in, all code reviews for new features should be proposed already. New patchsets for existing code reviews are OK, as well as new bugfix code reviews, but new feature code reviews should be rejected by the review team and postponed until the next series development opens (which should happen when RC1 is published).

Rationale
FPF ensures busy projects can prioritize reviewing resources toward features that were proposed early. It also gives priority to features that were tracked on the development cycle roadmap. It facilitates getting those early and tracked features in before we hit FF.

Exception procedure
If you want to propose brand-new feature code for merging after FPF, follow those steps:


 * Make sure the proposed change is linked to the associated blueprint (if any)
 * Propose your change for merging
 * In a specific comment on the review, provide the following information:
 * Benefit of the change (why we need this in this release rather than the next)
 * Complexity of the code proposed

The project PTL, with the assistance of the core developers of the associated product, will evaluate the request and grant or deny the exception. The farther we are in the release cycle, the less likely it is for the exception to be granted. Remember that the next cycle is just a few weeks away :)