Design Docs

Decisions you own — documented for posterity.

What Belongs Here

Design Docs are decisions you own. Write one when:

Making architectural decisions in your area
Choosing between implementation approaches
Introducing design patterns others will follow
Documenting internal APIs or component specs

When to Use RFC Instead

Use an RFC (rfc/) when:

Changes public API surface
Affects product direction
Affects user-facing developer experience
Significant changes to core architecture
Hard to reverse once shipped

Rule of thumb: If you need someone else's approval, it's an RFC. If you're documenting your own decision, it's a Design Doc.

Format

---
status: decided
date: 2025-01-27
---

# Title

## Decision

What you decided. Be direct.

## Context

Why this came up. What problem triggered the decision.

## Alternatives Considered

- **Option A** — Why not chosen
- **Option B** — Why not chosen

## Rationale

Why this choice wins. Keep concise.

Status Values

Status	Meaning
`draft`	Thinking through it, not final
`decided`	Decision made, documented
`superseded`	Replaced by another design doc

File Naming

Use lowercase with hyphens:

queue-design.md
hook-naming.md
skin-theming.md

README.md