This is the place for the ArchReviewWorkingPrinciples text, wikified so the ArchReview group can revise and expand on it.

Revised Proposed Manifesto for the DSpace Architecture Review

1. DSpace is primarily open source software for building digital repositories.

DSpace is intended to be free and open source software for digital repositories that enables services for access, provision, stewardship and re-use of digital assets with a focus on educational and research materials; i.e. to fulfill the mission of the DSpace Consortium.

2. DSpace will be usable based purely on free and open source software.

Although setups including custom and/or proprietary features and technologies will be possible, it will always be possible to deploy DSpace using only free and open source software.

3. DSpace will have a decoupled, stable, and application-neutral core.

DSpace will always have a "core" system that supports a variety of higher-level applications, whose full scope is not bounded unnecessarily. It will define stable APIs to enable diverse and innovative applications and functionality to be built on this core, without need to modify the source code of the core.

4. While usable for a variety of applications, DSpace will retain useful "out-of-the-box" functionality for common use cases.

DSpace cannot support all the variable and emerging definitions and innovations in the repository space in a single interface application. DSpace will provide out-of-the-box functionality for a common set of use cases (e.g. an Open Access preprints application, a general content archive) that can be installed with minimum possible effort, as well as modular support for the easy construction of new applications.

5. DSpace will employ and support existing, open standards where possible and practical.

For all DSpace functionality, open and established standards (when available) will be employed to
– promote interoperability of various kinds with other systems, – support the migration of data into or out of other systems,
– leverage external development wherever possible
But there are practical considerations of the maturity of particular standards that will be considered before implementing it.

6. DSpace releases should be minimally disruptive.

The architecture should reinforce good behavior in making changes/customizations/improvements to future releases of the system, so that upgrades are minimally disruptive for current adopters.

7. DSpace will support an exit strategy for content.

It will be possible to export all data necessary for the future re-use and stewardship of content held in a DSpace repository, in open, well-documented formats, for enabling migration into other systems and/or backup.

8. DSpace will continue to evolve.

There are many unsolved problems associated with stewardship of digital materials, which will require research and experimentation (including some failures) to solve. In addition to providing a robust, stable and functional system, DSpace will enable innovation and experimentation, and will be designed with the knowledge that future development and re-architecting will inevitably be necessary.

Initial manifesto