The Proposal Stage in the Graph Improvement Proposal (GIP) Process
The "Proposal" stage in The Graph Improvement Proposal (GIP) process is a key step in developing and formalizing changes or enhancements to The Graph protocol. Here’s an overview of what happens during this stage:
1. Drafting and Submission
- Contributors formally write and submit a detailed proposal, known as a GIP.
- The proposal outlines improvements to protocol rules, interfaces, software features, or other key areas.
- Proposals are drafted with community input and may be posted and discussed in The Graph Forum to solicit feedback from stakeholders such as Indexers, Curators, Delegators, and subgraph developers12.
2. Community Discussion and Refinement
- After submission, the proposal enters a period of active discussion and refinement.
- The draft is reviewed by the community—feedback and suggestions are incorporated to improve the proposal.
- The Graph Forum is the central place for these discussions, serving as a home for formalizing and reviewing GIPs (as well as GRCs and GRPs)12.
3. Repository Management
- The GIP process is managed via Radicle, where each proposal is tracked as a separate repository.
- As a proposal progresses, it goes through various phases in the Radicle repo, from initial drafting to candidate and final stages1.
4. Next Steps After Proposal Stage
- When a GIP gains enough support and consensus, it may proceed to additional steps, such as community signalling via Snapshot voting or formal review and voting by The Graph Council2.
- Finalized GIPs that pass governance review can be merged and integrated into the protocol12.
Purpose of the Proposal Stage
- The Proposal stage is designed to foster transparency, build credibility, and ensure broad community participation before protocol changes are adopted.
- It enables structured input from diverse network participants, allowing for a thorough evaluation of the proposed change's impact and feasibility12.
In summary:
The Proposal stage in the GIP process is where a detailed change is formally introduced, discussed, refined, and prepared for potential adoption, all with active community involvement and governance oversight.