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Backlogged
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|description=This issue or request is valid, but cannot be worked on right now due to limited developer time and a large backlog. This does not mean "ignored" or "declined". Options: Apply Self Support First Policy / Become a Contributor / Purchase Support.
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This issue or request is valid, but cannot be worked on right now due to limited developer time and a large backlog. This does not mean "ignored" or "declined". Options: Apply Self Support First Policy / Become a Contributor / Purchase Support.
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= Introduction =
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This wiki chapter gives additional context for issues, feature requests, usability improvements and documentation tasks that have been acknowledged as valid, but are currently not being worked on due to [[Reporting_Bugs#Policy_Rationale|constraints]] and limited developer time.

We understand this can be frustrating, especially when it affects your daily usage or your sense of safety. A "Backlogged" label is not a judgment about the importance of your report. It is a statement about limited capacity and current prioritization.

It explains [[#What "Backlogged" Means|What "Backlogged" Means]], outlines [[#What You Can Do|What You Can Do]], summarizes [[#Why Backlog Exists|Why Backlog Exists]], points to [[#Existing Workload|Existing Workload]], and highlights [[#Completed Work|Completed Work]].
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= What "Backlogged" Means =
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A "Backlogged" label means the report is tracked as valid or reasonable, but it is not currently scheduled ahead of other work.
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* <u>No active development:</u> Not currently prioritized for developer work (not currently scheduled ahead of other work).
* <u>No schedule:</u> No planned milestone (no planned date or release target) and no {{ETA}}.
* <u>Long duration possible:</u> Might remain unresolved for a very long time without external contributions or funding.
* <u>Hidden complexity:</u> May require additional research, testing, or careful design work, even if the initial change appears simple at first glance. Small changes can still require review, testing, documentation updates, release integration, and regression handling.

It does not necessarily imply "technically impossible". It also does not necessarily imply the request has been [[Declined|declined]] or is [[Unsupported|unsupported]].

For longer-term direction and current focus, see [[Security Roadmap]] for long-term vision and [[Dev/todo]] for current developer priorities.

= What You Can Do =
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Community members can help ensure the continued success of {{project_name_short}} through four primary means:
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# providing [[Reporting_Bugs#Community_Feedback|Community Feedback]];
# embracing the [[Self_Support_First_Policy|Self Support First Policy]] and becoming an active [[Free_Support_Principle#The_User_Co-developer_Concept|user co-developer]];
# helping to implement fixes and features as a [[Contribute#Contributor|contributor]];
# purchasing support from an IT service provider to implement, document, test and/or further support additional features. The {{project_name_short}} project prefers to stay out of recommending any IT service providers. See also [[Too Difficult]].

If you want to help move a backlogged item forward, the most effective additions are usually concrete and testable, such as clear steps to reproduce, logs, test results, documentation improvements, or a tested patch. Thank you for helping in any of these ways. Repeated requests usually do not change prioritization.

If you would like to help move a backlogged item forward, see also:

* [[Development_Discussion_Policy|Development Discussion Policy]]
* [[First_Time_Source_Code_Contributor_Policy|First Time Source Code Contributor Policy]]
* [[First_Time_Documentation_Contributor_Policy|First Time Documentation Contributor Policy]]
* [[Project Policies]]

In summary, developers view the broader {{project_name_short}} community as an essential part of the strategy to realize a highly secure platform with a host of valuable features. By assisting with backlogged items, individuals can help fulfill shared goals and the ultimate progression of the {{project_name_short}} development roadmap. All contributions, big or small, can lead to improvements. This is true even if progress is only incremental or due for later implementation.

= Why Backlog Exists =
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There are several reasons:
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* <u>Developer Time</u>:
** Even short individual discussions or investigations do not scale (many small requests add up quickly).
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** Developer time is often required not only for coding, but also for reproducing issues, reviewing patches, testing, documentation updates, release integration, and regression handling (fixing problems introduced by changes). See [[Reporting_Bugs#Policy_Rationale|Policy Rationale]].
* <u>Maintenance First</u>:
** A large fraction of project work is ongoing maintenance (security updates, packaging, testing, releases, infrastructure, documentation). This is necessary to keep existing users safe and systems functional. See [[What_we_do#Maintenance|Maintenance]].
* <u>Scope and Ecosystem</u>:
** Since {{project_name_short}} is [[Based_on_Debian|based on Debian]] there are thousands of software packages and configurations. Each additional supported feature or change can increase future maintenance and support burden.
* <u>Usability and Funding Constraints</u>:
** Some issues are outside project control and/or not economically viable in a Freedom Software context; see [[Linux User Experience versus Commercial Operating Systems]].
* <u>Complexity and (In)Security</u>:
** Large and fast-changing upstream code bases, as well as inherent complexity in modern computing, limit how quickly security-relevant issues can be analyzed and resolved; see [[Dev/About_Computer_(In)Security|About Computer (In)Security]].

= Existing Workload =
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To get an overview of the existing workload, see [[What we do]] and especially [[What_we_do#Maintenance|Maintenance]].
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{{IconSet|h1|1}} Large amount of bug reports and feature requests.

{{backlog}}

{{IconSet|h1|2}} [[What_we_do#Maintenance|Maintenance]]

{{IconSet|h1|3}} [[Dev/maintainability|Maintainability]]

{{IconSet|h1|4}} [[Dev/research|Research]]

{{IconSet|h1|5}} More. This list is non-exhaustive.

= Completed Work =
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To maintain a balanced perspective, please also consider completed work and existing features, not only missing features and open requests.
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= Conclusion =
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A "Backlogged" label means the issue is considered valid or reasonable, but it is not currently prioritized for developer work and has no planned milestone or {{ETA}}. This status can persist for a long time, and even seemingly small requests may involve hidden complexity.
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If you are affected by a backlogged item, your report is still useful and remains tracked as valid. The limitation is available developer time and current priorities, not whether the problem matters.

Progress on backlogged items is most likely when the wider {{project_name_short}} community helps reduce developer workload or adds capacity through contributions or funding. Options include applying the [[Self_Support_First_Policy|Self Support First Policy]], providing [[Reporting_Bugs#Community_Feedback|Community Feedback]], contributing as a [[Contribute#Contributor|contributor]] in line with the [[Development_Discussion_Policy|Development Discussion Policy]], or purchasing external support.

Backlog exists due to limited developer time, maintenance demands, project scope and ecosystem constraints, usability and funding constraints, and the complexity of modern software and (in)security. For context on longer-term direction and current priorities, see [[Security Roadmap]] and [[Dev/todo]]. For perspective on ongoing effort and outcomes, see [[What_we_do#Maintenance|Maintenance]] and the [[#Completed_Work|completed work]] listed above.

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