> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://evoke-f0bfabff.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RFC / ADR Process

> How RStack records research-backed architecture decisions and roadmap governance.

RStack uses RFCs as lightweight Architecture Decision Records. The process keeps major AI-SDLC platform decisions explicit, reviewable, and citable.

## Why RFCs matter

RStack is evolving from an npm package into a research-backed AI-SDLC operating layer. That means important choices should be traceable:

* why the feature exists,
* what decision was made,
* what alternatives were rejected,
* which research or prior-art references informed the decision,
* how implementation will be validated.

This turns roadmap work into primary-source evidence for the RStack research paper.

## Registry

The source registry lives in [`rfcs/`](https://github.com/richard-devbot/SDLC-rstack/tree/main/rfcs).

| RFC                                                                     | Status | Issue | Purpose                                      |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | ----: | -------------------------------------------- |
| [RFC-0001](../../../rfcs/RFC-0001-rstack-spec-v1alpha1.md)              | Draft  |   #71 | RStack Spec v1alpha1.                        |
| [RFC-0002](../../../rfcs/RFC-0002-decision-queue-and-readiness-gate.md) | Draft  |   #70 | Decision Queue and Definition-of-Ready gate. |
| [RFC-0003](../../../rfcs/RFC-0003-cross-harness-validation.md)          | Draft  |   #72 | Cross-harness validation independence.       |
| [RFC-0004](../../../rfcs/RFC-0004-attestation-envelope.md)              | Draft  |   #73 | Attestation envelope.                        |
| [RFC-0005](../../../rfcs/RFC-0005-traceability-drift-detection.md)      | Draft  |   #74 | Traceability drift detection.                |
| [RFC-0006](../../../rfcs/RFC-0006-untrusted-pr-gate.md)                 | Draft  |   #75 | Untrusted PR gate.                           |

## Lifecycle states

* `Draft` — proposed and open for refinement.
* `Accepted` — approved for implementation.
* `Implemented` — shipped and validated.
* `Superseded` — replaced by a later RFC.

## Validation

RStack includes a CI-backed RFC validator in `tests/validate-rfcs.test.js`. It checks:

* RFC filenames use `RFC-000N-short-title.md`,
* headers match the file number,
* statuses are valid,
* required sections exist,
* RFC numbers are unique and sequential,
* the index links every RFC.

Run locally:

```bash theme={null}
npm test
```

For a fast local RFC-only check, run `npx tsx --test tests/validate-rfcs.test.js`.

## Human review rule

RFC PRs should wait for CI and reviewer-bot comments before merge. A human operator should approve the merge after reviewing the summary.