# Technical values and priorities

The project uses these technical values to establish priorities and guide
collaboration.

## Values and priority level

* Priority 1 - Developer experience
* Priority 2 - Stability
* Priority 3 - Operational qualities
* Priority 4 - Node.js maintainer experience
* Priority 5 - Up to date Technology and APIs

## Value descriptions

### 1 - Developer experience
We value ensuring that developers are productive and enjoy developing
with Node.js. Some key elements of this include:
* Approachability (both technical and community)
* Great documentation
* Bundling friction-reducing APIs and components, even though
  they could be provided externally
* Enabling/supporting external packages to ensure overall developer experience

### 2 - Stability
Whenever possible, we seek to ensure that working code continues to work. To
keep the trust of developers and users, we value stability.
Some key elements of this include:
* Backward compatibility
* Stable releases on a predictable schedule
* A strong safety net, including testing how changes
  in Node.js affect popular packages
* Careful consideration of what goes into long term support (LTS) releases

### 3 - Operational qualities
We value keeping Node.js safe, performant, and lightweight.
We value enabling the ability to investigate and debug problems in
development and production. Some key elements of this include:
* High throughput (speed)
* Fast startup
* Small binary size
* Small memory footprint
* High-quality debugging tools
* Robust diagnostic tools (profilers, etc.)
* Responsible security practices

### 4 - Node.js maintainer experience
We value the productivity and happiness of the Node.js maintainers.
Some key elements of this include:
* Approachability of the codebase
* Good internal documentation and guides
* Low-friction policies and processes
* Good CI and tooling to make maintainers productive

### 5 - Up to date Technology and APIs
We value providing developers with modern APIs and technologies
following existing standards whenever possible.
Some key elements of this include:
* Participating in standards work and organizations
* Web API compatibility
* Supporting and exposing new technologies and standards through early adoption