Update documentation guidelines for contribution content

alamb · Dec 9, 2024 · 8bb1595 · 8bb1595
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diff --git a/docs/source/contributor-guide/index.md b/docs/source/contributor-guide/index.md
@@ -72,13 +72,35 @@ recently active community members in the ticket to get their attention.
 
 ### What Features are Good Fits for DataFusion?
 
-DataFusion is designed to highly extensible, and many features can be implemented
-as extensions without changing the core of DataFusion.
-
-We are [working on criteria for what features are good fits for DataFusion], and
-will update this section when we have more to share.
-
-[working on criteria for what features are good fits for datafusion]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/12357
+DataFusion is designed to highly extensible, and many features can be
+implemented as extensions without changing the core of DataFusion. Support for
+new functions, data formats, and similar functionality can be added using those
+extension APIs, and there are already many existing community supported
+extensions listed in the [extensions list].
+
+Query engines are complex pieces of software to develop and maintain. Given our
+limited maintenance bandwidth, we try to keep the DataFusion core as simple and
+focused as possible, while still satisfying the [design goal] of an easy to
+start initial experience.
+
+With that in mind, contributions that meet the following criteria are more likely
+to be accepted:
+
+1. Bug fixes for existing features
+2. Test coverage for existing features
+3. Documentation improvements / examples
+4. Performance improvements to existing features (with benchmarks)
+5. "Small" functional improvements to existing features
+6. Additional APIs for extending DataFusion's capabilities
+
+Contributions that likely require discussion prior to acceptance include:
+
+1. New functionality that is part of the "standard sql"
+2. New functions that aren't part of the "standard sql"
+3. New data sources (e.g. support for Apache ORC)
+
+[extensions list]: ../library-user-guide/extensions.md
+[design goal]: https://docs.rs/datafusion/latest/datafusion/index.html#design-goals
 
 # Developer's guide