Graph Improvement Proposal (GIP): Overview & Process

Purpose and Types of Proposals

• GIPs: For protocol-level changes, interface upgrades, or governance/process amendments.
• Graph Request for Comments (GRCs): For community standards and high-level discussions that may inform future proposals.
• Graph Request for Proposals (GRPs): For soliciting solutions to specific problems—though as of January 2025, the GRP step has been removed to simplify the GIP process2.

The GIP Process: Step-by-Step

1. Strawperson (Preliminary Discussion)

• Anyone can present an idea or identify a problem on the Graph Forum or Discord for initial feedback.
• Early proposals do not need detailed solutions at this stage.
• Community input and consensus are gathered; a forum poll may be added3.

2. Proposal & Drafting

• The proposer, often with a working group, develops a high-level solution.
• A formal GIP is created using the template provided (hosted via Radicle).
• The proposal is shared publicly for further feedback and refinement4.

3. Editing and Technical Review

• A GIP Editor assists the proposer in preparing final technical, risk, and security details.
• The GIP is reviewed and, if it meets requirements, advanced to the "Candidate" stage for testing.

4. Community Voting

• Proposals at the "Candidate" stage are voted on by the community using GRT (The Graph’s native token) through Snapshot.
• Voting power is based on type and amount of GRT held, delegated, or staked, with ecosystem-specific multipliers.

5. Council Resolution

• The Graph Council reviews the community vote and provides final approval or rejection. A 6-of-10 multisig is required for any proposal to pass4.
  • Accepted: Moves forward to implementation.
  • Deferred: Rejected but may be revisited.
  • Withdrawn: Proposer retracts.
  • Living: Still open to amendments.

6. Implementation

• The proposal is merged to The Graph's codebase or governance structure and deployed on the network after Council sign-off.
• Implementation is monitored and, if successful, the upgrade completes the process.

Recent Enhancements to the GIP Process

• January 2025: The GIP process was streamlined by removing the GRP stage and introducing clearer instructions and an intake form for submitting proposals and tracking auditing/testing requirements2.

Governance Bodies

• The Graph Council: Oversees protocol upgrades and funding, composed of representatives from key stakeholder communities.
• The Graph Foundation: Coordinates ecosystem growth and supports the GIP process.
• Graph AdvocatesDAO: Decentralizes grant allocation and advocacy.

Resources & Participation

• GIP Repository on Radicle
• Governance Forum
• Documentation
• DAO Forums, Snapshot Voting, Discord

Additional Notes

• The GIP process was inspired by frameworks like Ethereum’s EIP and Bitcoin’s BIP, emphasizing transparent, open-source, and permissionless proposal mechanisms4.
• The system is designed for progressive decentralization, seeking broader community authority over time.