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Submit an AIP

Anyone can submit an Arrow Improvement Proposal. The process is defined in AIP-001. Read it first if you want the full detail. This page is the practical walkthrough.

1. Read AIP-001 and existing proposals​

AIP-001 is the canonical guide to the AIP process, formatting requirements, and style conventions. It's a Living AIP, so it's always up to date. Then browse the AIP Index to understand what's already been established — your proposal should build on the existing framework, not duplicate it.

2. Discuss your idea first​

Before writing a formal proposal, post your idea in the DAO forum or raise it in Discord. Early feedback surfaces objections before you've invested time in writing, and it gives the community a heads-up before the formal vote.

3. Write your AIP​

Clone the dao-aips repository and copy the AIP template. A complete AIP includes:

  • Preamble — Title, author(s), type, status (Draft), and creation date
  • Abstract — One or two sentences describing what the proposal does
  • Motivation — Why this change is needed and what problem it solves
  • Specification — The full operational or technical description of the change
  • Rationale — Why this approach over alternatives
  • Backwards Compatibility — Any impact on existing processes, contracts, or systems

Name your file AIP-XXX.md — AIP Editors will assign the number. Use the same zero-padded three-digit format as existing AIPs (e.g. AIP-010.md).

4. Open a pull request​

Submit a PR to the dao-aips repository. AIP Editors will review the PR for formatting and completeness, then merge it with Draft status. They won't evaluate whether the idea is good — that's for the community.

5. Engage during Review​

Once merged, your AIP enters Review status. A corresponding thread should exist (or be created) on the DAO forum. Respond to questions, revise the proposal based on feedback, and keep the community updated on any changes.

6. Request Last Call​

When you believe the AIP is ready and feedback has been addressed, ask an AIP Editor to move it to Last Call. This is a final notice period — typically one week — for any remaining objections before the vote is scheduled.

7. Snapshot vote​

After Last Call, an AIP Editor creates the vote on Snapshot. The vote runs for 7 days (with a 1-day delay), requires 2,000,000 ARROW quorum, and uses For / Against / Abstain choices.

If the vote passes, your AIP is marked Final (or Living if it's meant to be updated over time) and becomes part of how Arrow operates.