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I would submit a pull request updating a library or a language. I would do so even if there are breaking changes (ex. Python 2 -> Python 3). I would submit a pull request that adds a new library if it is relevant to the functionality.

However, I am struggling with the acceptability changing the implementation language via a pull request, so would like to hear community's thoughts on: is it acceptable to change the implementation language via pull request?

To give an concrete example, there are lots of little packages on npm, and there are lots of type definitions hand-rolled on DefinitivelyTyped. For some projects it would be a trivial matter to add type annotations (making the file TypeScript) so it generates always-up-to-date definitions and nearly identical JavaScript (whitespace differences), but I hesitate because that would be a language switch and I question if that is socially acceptable.

I know the simple solution would be to open an Issue asking about it first, but I find often times that can lead to too long of feedback loop because maintainers are busy and may take a week or more to reply, so for small things will often create a PR directly eliminating the first feedback cycle.

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    Does using TypeScript require an additional step in the build process? (to transpile down to js)?
    – Alexander
    Jun 20, 2017 at 16:28
  • It does. Any PR would include the relevant modifications.
    – vossad01
    Jun 20, 2017 at 16:38
  • What do you mean by "acceptable?" Is this a question about etiquette? As a practical matter, issuing a pull request requires that the project maintainer approve or reject the change on its merits, so why wouldn't that be an acceptable arrangement?
    – Robert Harvey
    Jun 20, 2017 at 18:19
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    @RobertHarvey I suppose not wasting the maintainers time with things that are out of scope, the example in my head is, "Contributor: Your project is great, but it would be even better in LISP, here your go." "Maintainer: ...but this project is a Java library".
    – vossad01
    Jun 20, 2017 at 20:59
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    @Delioth context would be open source projects on the Internet with no previously established relationship.
    – vossad01
    Jun 20, 2017 at 21:00

2 Answers 2

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I know the simple solution would be to open an Issue asking about it first, but I find often times that can lead to too long of feedback loop because maintainers are busy and may take a week or more to reply, so for small things will often create a PR directly eliminating the first feedback cycle.

I think opening an issue is the correct way to go even if it takes a while for maintainers to address it. Issues are the correct place for discussion about whether switching languages is the correct choice, and it's a good place for you to state your case for why you think it's an important change.

If you feel like it you can immediately submit a PR against the issue so the maintainers can see the impact of the changes, and they may be more open to changing languages if it means no additional work for them. I think this is perfectly socially acceptable.

You're going to have to wait for somebody to address your PR, so I don't think that's a reason not to create an issue.

If you need changes to an open source library for a project you're working on immediately, you should make them in a fork and publish to a private (or local) repository so you can use your changes immediately while your PR goes through the review process and gets released eventually. You shouldn't try to rush the process.

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is it acceptable to change the implementation language via pull request?

Everything is "acceptable" for you to propose... but not everything may be accepted. If you were to submit a PR to one of my project that support Python2 and 3 and that your PR makes it support Python 3 only, I will very unlikely merge your PR unless I am ready to abandon Python 2 support. In most cases I may just politely decline.

Even more so for TypeScript where the change would have even more impact (as a new compilation/transform would be needed).

So you surely need to discuss this on a ticket and/or on a case by case basis. Any such change will likely raise eyebrows and make a discussion around merging more involved.

If you feel strongly about it, fork and maintain your own forks and packages: that's the beauty of FOSS after all!

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