Merge pull request magento-commerce/devdocs#2636 from magento-devdocs/marketplace-compliance

Marketplace extension compatibility requirements

Author: jeff-matthews

src/_data/toc/marketplace-sellers.yml

@@ -14,6 +14,23 @@ pages:
       url: /marketplace/sellers/extension-quality-program.html
       versionless: true
 
+- label: Compatibility Requirements
+  url: /marketplace/sellers/compatibility/requirements.html
+  versionless: true
+  children:
+
+     - label: Release Compatibility
+       url: /marketplace/sellers/compatibility/releases.html
+       versionless: true
+
+     - label: Abandoned Extensions
+       url: /marketplace/sellers/compatibility/abandoned-extensions.html
+       versionless: true
+
+     - label: Obsolete Extensions
+       url: /marketplace/sellers/compatibility/obsolete-extensions.html
+       versionless: true
+
 - label: Seller Overview
   url: /marketplace/sellers/seller-overview.html
   versionless: true

src/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/abandoned-extensions.md

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+group: marketplace-sellers
+title: Abandoned Extensions
+---
+
+Outside of regular extension compatibility checks with the latest patch version, we require the extension to be updated at least once every year.
+
+There are two reasons for this. First, it's a reasonable assumption that extensions that represent an actively supported and developed product need at least one release every year, even if these extensions are in fact simplistic connectors. Second, EQP grows, develops, and evolves constantly. We want to regularly re-run some of our tests that we don't run for compatibility checks.
+
+Every month we run an automated checker that collects all extensions that have not been updated for 11 months or more and have not been notified yet to submit a new version.
+
+If an extension has not been updated for 12 months and automated notification has been sent, it will be removed from Marketplace.
+
+## Example notifications
+
+See the following example notification for cancelling an abandoned extension:
+
+![Example delisting notification from the marketplace]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/images/abandoned-cancelled.png)
+
+See the following example notification for delisting an abandoned extension:
+
+![Example delisting notification from the marketplace]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/images/abandoned-delisted.png)

src/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/obsolete-extensions.md

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+---
+group: marketplace-sellers
+title: Obsolete Extensions
+---
+
+As the {{ site.data.var.ce }} and {{ site.data.var.ee }} technology moves forward, release lines get marked as End of Life (EOL) and deprecated.
+
+We call extensions that are only compatible with deprecated (EOL) release lines "obsolete extensions".
+
+Monthly automated checks are performed to identify extensions that only support EOL release lines and notify the developers that they are required to submit a version compatible with the latest release line.
+
+There is a 30-day window to submit a compatible version; otherwise the extension is removed from the Marketplace.
+
+If a compatible version is submitted through the Developer Portal and passes EQP tests and Marketing review, the listing is restored.
+
+## Example notifications
+
+See the following example notification for cancelling an obsolete extension:
+
+![Example delisting notification from the marketplace]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/images/obsolete-cancelled.png)
+
+See the following example notification for delisting an obsolete extension:
+
+![Example delisting notification from the marketplace]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/images/obsolete-delisted.png)

src/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/releases.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+group: marketplace-sellers
+title: Release Compatibility
+---
+
+A key factor for merchants' Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is having their extension suite up-to-date and available for seamless upgrades to the latest version of {{ site.data.var.ce }} or {{ site.data.var.ee }}. To best serve this need, our goal is to proactively monitor and eliminate extensions that are out-of-date, out of compatibility with supported release lines, or have been otherwise abandoned. Therefore, we are updating our policies to clearly state certain requirements for version compatibility and frequency of updates:
+
+1. Every extension must be compatible with a supported release line in order for the SKU to remain searchable and available for purchase.
+1. After every minor (2.x.0) release, extensions have 60 days to submit a compatible version, otherwise they will be delisted.
+1. After every patch (2.x.y) release, extension developers have 30 days to submit a compatible version. Extensions that do not pass EQP tests on a new patch release after 30 days will be delisted.
+1. Delisted extensions' product pages will remain accessible by direct link and extensions will remain downloadable from `repo.magento.com`, but won't be found in search results or Catalog pages.
+
+To minimize the amount of manual maintenance associated with this new rule, existing EQP tests are automatically executed when the new patch release is available. Extensions that pass these tests are marked as compatible with the new patch release and no action is required.
+
+If an extension fails the tests, the developer receives an email notification instructing them to supply a new version within 30 days. If you receive such a notification, just re-submit a new version to Marketplace, ensuring it was tested against the latest patch version using the Cloud Docker environment.
+
+An exception to this rule is the initial compatibility check in October 2021 when extensions will be verified against {{ site.data.var.ee }} 2.4.3. Extensions that failed the tests this first time were given 60 days.
+
+## Example notification
+
+See the following example notification:
+
+![Example delisting notification from the marketplace]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/images/release-delisted.png)

src/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/requirements.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+group: marketplace-sellers
+title: Compatibility Requirements
+---
+
+The {{ site.data.var.ee}} Marketplace requires extensions to adhere to standards of quality and maintenance. Merchants that install extensions that are not well maintained suffer from an inability to upgrade. This inability exposes merchants to security risks and prevents them from accessing the latest features in other extensions and services.
+
+To mitigate this, Adobe has introduced multiple requirements for extensions that address three specific issues:
+
+-  [**Compatibility with release lines**]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/releases.html)—To unblock go-to-market for new merchants and upgrades for existing merchants, we need extensions to support the latest versions of {{ site.data.var.ce }} and {{ site.data.var.ee }}, including both latest release lines and latest patch versions.
+-  [**Abandonment**]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/abandoned-extensions.html)—Merchants don't need to be presented with extensions that are not regularly updated and maintained.
+-  [**Obsoletion (EOL)**]({{ site.baseurl }}/marketplace/sellers/compatibility/obsolete-extensions.html)—Merchants need to be protected from situations when a significant number of available extensions only support EOL versions of {{ site.data.var.ce }} and {{ site.data.var.ee }}.
+
+The topics in this section describe these requirements in more detail. They're also covered in the Policies section of the Developer Portal (to see Policies, go to Resources in the top menu).