Wire Improvement Proposals (WIPs)

This repository contains public draft proposals for changes to the WIRE ecosystem.

A WIP is the starting point for discussing protocol updates, governance changes, node operations changes, Hub improvements, tokenomics adjustments, and other ecosystem proposals.

Governance model

WIPs move through three distinct stages:

1. GitHub issue = draft / public proposal
   A proposal begins here as a public draft for visibility and discussion.

2. Tier-2 suggestion / nomination = governance sponsorship
   A Tier-2 node owner may sponsor a proposal for governance consideration.

3. Council vote = formal decision
   The Council votes on sponsored proposals during the appropriate vote period.

This repository is the public proposal layer. Formal governance logic and voting are handled separately from GitHub.

How to submit a WIP

1. Open a new issue using the WIP Proposal form.
2. Fill out every section clearly and completely.
3. Keep the title concise and specific.
4. Explain the problem, proposed solution, rationale, and risks.
5. Submit the issue for public discussion.

How to structure a strong proposal

A strong WIP should include:

• Clear problem statement
  What is broken, missing, inefficient, or unclear?

• Concrete proposal
  What exactly should change?

• Rationale
  Why is this the right solution?

• Technical design
  How might it work in practice?

• Impact
  Who is affected and how?

• Risks and tradeoffs
  What are the downsides, alternatives, or edge cases?

• Success criteria
  How will the community know the proposal worked?

Writing guidelines

• Be specific.
• Avoid vague goals without implementation direction.
• Separate the problem from the solution.
• Include technical detail where relevant.
• Note any contract, backend, frontend, indexing, or governance implications.
• Call out migration or backward-compatibility concerns if applicable.

Proposal lifecycle

A proposal will typically move through a lifecycle similar to this:

• Draft
• Sponsored
• Queued
• Voting
• Passed / Rejected
• Implemented

Not every GitHub issue will necessarily advance to a council vote.

Notes

• Creating a GitHub issue does not mean the proposal is formally nominated.
• Tier-2 sponsorship is required before a proposal can enter governance review.
• Council voting is the authoritative decision-making step.
• GitHub is used for proposal drafting, public discussion, and archival.

Repository conventions

• One GitHub issue = one draft WIP
• Use clear, descriptive titles
• Search for existing WIPs before opening a new one
• Keep discussion constructive and proposal-focused

Future direction

As WIRE governance evolves, proposal display, sponsorship tracking, and formal voting will be surfaced in WIRE Hub and connected to the broader governance system.