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+# Contributing a new API to N-API
+
+N-API is Node's next generation ABI-stable API for native modules. While improving the API surface is encouraged and welcomed, the following are a set of principles and guidelines to keep in mind while adding a new N-API API.
+
+-	A new API **must** adhere to N-API API shape and spirit
+    - **Must** be a C API
+    - **Must** not throw exceptions
+    - **Must** return napi_status
+    - **Should** consume napi_env
+    - **Must** operate only on primitive data types, pointers to primitive datatypes or opaque handles
+    - **Must** be a necessary API and not a nice to have. Convenience APIs belong in node-addon-api.
+    - **Must** not change the signature of an existing N-API API  or break ABI compatibility with other versions of Node.
+-	New API **should** be agnostic towards the underlying JavaScript VM
+-	New API request PRs **must** have a corresponding documentation update
+-	New API request PRs **must** be tagged as **n-api**.
+-	There **must** be at least one test case showing how to use the API
+-	There **should** be at least one test case per interesting use of the API.
+-	There **should** be a sample provided that operates in a realistic way (operating how a real addon would be written)
+-	A new API **should** be discussed at the N-API working group meeting
+-	A new API addition **must** be signed off by at least two members of the N-API WG
+-	A new API addition **should** be simultaneously implemented in at least one other VM implementation of Node.
+-	A new API **must** be considered experimental for at least one minor version release of Node before it can be considered for promotion out of experimental
+    - Experimental APIs **must** be documented as such
+    - Experimental APIs **must** require an explicit compile-time flag (#define) to be set to opt-in
+    - Experimental APIs **must** be considered for backport
+    - Experimental status exit criteria **must** involve at least the following:
+        - A new PR **must** be opened in nodejs/node to remove experimental status. This PR **must** be tagged as **n-api** and **semver-minor**.
+        - Exiting an API from experimental **must** be signed off by the working group.
+        - If a backport is merited, an API **must** have a down level implementation.
+        - The API **should** be used by a published real-world module. Use of the API by a real-world published module will contribute favorably to the decision to take an API out of experimental status
+        - The API **must** be implemented in a node implementation with an alternate VM