Hello Open edX Community,
We’re excited to announce that OEP-21 (Deprecation and Removal) has been significantly updated to make deprecating and removing code more straightforward and better aligned with real-world practices.
What’s Changed:
Simplified Workflow with Clearer States:
The new flow is: Draft → RFC → Plan Accepted → Transition Unblocked (optional) → Breaking Changes Unblocked → Plan Completed
Default timelines (all negotiable):
- RFC period: 2 weeks for community feedback
- Plan Accepted → Breaking Changes: 6 months (if no replacement needed)
- Transition Unblocked → Breaking Changes: 1 month migration window
- All timelines can be adjusted based on complexity and impact
New “Transition Unblocked” State:
We’ve added a crucial new state that addresses a common scenario. When you have a replacement ready for deprecated code, “Transition Unblocked” allows both old and new implementations to run in parallel. This gives users time to migrate safely with feature flags controlling which version is active. After the transition period (default: 1 month), you can proceed to breaking changes with confidence that users have had adequate time to switch. Operators in particular should follow items in this state as this is when operators may need to update their systems to adapt to the change.
Key Benefits:
- Better matches how deprecation actually works in practice
- Provides a clear migration path for users when replacements exist
- Reduces confusion about when deprecation vs. removal happens
- More flexibility for different types of changes
Do You Need to Update Existing DEPR Tickets?
No immediate action required! Your existing tickets remain valid. When you next update them, simply use the new state names.
Full Details:
Questions or feedback? Please reach out in #wg-depr-slash-and-burn or comment here.
Thank you for helping us continuously improve our processes!