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Clarify SEP finalization requirements#2526

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pja-ant wants to merge 4 commits intomainfrom
pja/clarify-sep-reference-impl
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Clarify SEP finalization requirements#2526
pja-ant wants to merge 4 commits intomainfrom
pja/clarify-sep-reference-impl

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@pja-ant pja-ant commented Apr 6, 2026

Summary

Tightens up what's required for a SEP to reach final status and be merged.

The previous wording around "reference implementation" was ambiguous — it wasn't clear whether it meant SDK PRs, spec changes, or something else, and in practice most Final SEPs had no reference implementation section at all. Note that the guidelines already have "prototype implementation" as a requirement to review. It seems that "reference implementation" is a leftover phrase from before we added the prototype requirement.

Changes

  • Replace "reference implementation" with "specification changes" in the guidelines and SEP template — for Standards Track SEPs this means schema updates, spec text, and a changelog entry added to the SEP's PR.
  • Clarify that SDK implementations are not required for Final status (the prototype is sufficient); SDKs can begin implementing once the SEP is merged.
  • State explicitly that a SEP's PR can be merged once it reaches final.
  • Update the workflow diagram, status table, step-by-step process, and seps/TEMPLATE.md to match.

pja-ant added 2 commits April 6, 2026 17:07
Define "reference implementation" for Standards Track SEPs as the spec
changes (schema, spec text, changelog entry) added to the SEP PR — not
SDK implementations, which follow after release. State that SEPs in
Final status can be merged. Aligns the guidelines, status table,
workflow diagram, and SEP template.
Rename the section to "Specification Changes" rather than redefining
"reference implementation" to mean spec edits. Note that SDKs can begin
implementing once the SEP is merged, not after the next spec release.
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mcp-staging 🟢 Ready View Preview Apr 6, 2026, 4:17 PM

The SEP document section is for linking the prototype, not describing
spec changes — those go directly in the PR as schema/docs/changelog
files. Align the guidelines format list with the template.
@pja-ant pja-ant marked this pull request as ready for review April 6, 2026 16:27
@pja-ant pja-ant requested review from a team as code owners April 6, 2026 16:27
@dend dend added documentation Improvements or additions to documentation enhancement New feature or request labels Apr 14, 2026
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