VictoriaMetrics/docs/goals.md

---
weight: 500
title: Development goals
menu:
  docs:
    parent: 'victoriametrics'
    weight: 500
---
## Goals

1. The main goal - **to help users and [clients](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/enterprise/) resolving issues with VictoriaMetrics components,
   so they could use these components in the most efficient way**.
1. Fixing bugs in the essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components. Small usability bugs are usually the most annoying,
   so they **must be fixed first**.
1. Improving [docs](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/tree/master/docs) for VictoriaMetrics components,
   so users could find answers to their questions via Google or [Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/) without the need
   to ask these questions at our [support channels](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#community-and-contributions).
1. Simplifying usage of VictoriaMetrics components without breaking backwards compatibility, so users could regularly
   upgrade to [the latest available release](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/CHANGELOG) and remain happy.
1. Improving usability for the existing functionality of VictoriaMetrics components.
1. Improving the readability and maintainability of the code base by removing unnecessary abstractions and simplifying the code whenever possible.
1. Improving development velocity by optimizing and simplifying CI/CD tasks, so they take less time to execute and debug.

## Non-goals

1. Convincing people to use VictoriaMetrics components when there are better suited solutions exist for their tasks,
   since users will become angry at VictoriaMetrics after they discover better solutions.
1. Breaking links to [VictoriaMetrics docs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/), since users will be unhappy seeing 404 page
   or unexpected results after they click some old link somewhere on the Internet or in the internal knowledge base.
1. Breaking backwards compatibility in new releases, since users will be unhappy when their working setup breaks after the upgrade.
1. Adding non-trivial features, which require significant changes in the code and the architecture,
   since these features may break the essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components, so a big share
   of the existing users may become unhappy after the upgrade.
1. Adding unnecessary abstractions, since they may worsen project maintainability in the future.
1. Implementing all the features users ask. These features should fit [the goals](#goals) of VictoriaMetrics.
   Other feature requests must be closed as `won't implement`, with the link to this page.
1. Merging all the pull requests users submit. These pull requests should fit [the goals](#goals) of VictoriaMetrics.
   Other pull requests must be closed as `won't merge`, with the link to this page.
1. Slowing down and complicating CI/CD pipelines with non-essential tasks, since this results in development velocity slowdown.
1. Introducing non-essential requrirements, since this slows down development velocity.

## VictoriaMetrics proverbs

- **Small usability fix is better than non-trivial feature.** Usability fix makes happy existing users.
  Non-trivial feature may make happy some new users, while it may make upset a big share of existing users
  if the feature breaks some essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components or makes it less efficient.

- **Good docs are better than new shiny feature.** Good docs help users discovering new functionality and dealing
  with VictoriaMetrics components in the most efficient way. Nobody uses new shiny feature if it isn't documented properly.

- **Happy users are more important than the momentary revenue.** Happy users spread the word about VictoriaMetrics,
  so more people convert to VictoriaMetrics users. Happy users are eager to become happy [customers](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/enterprise/).
  This increases long-term revenue.

- **Simple solution is better than smart solution.** Simple solution is easier to setup, operate, debug and troubleshoot than the smart solution.
  This saves users' time, costs and nerve cells.
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`---`
			`weight: 500`
docs: grouped changelog docs, removed old make commands, replaced docs in root README with official docs links (#6727) ### Describe Your Changes - replace docs in root README with a link to official documentation - remove old make commands for documentation - remove redundant "VictoriaMetrics" from document titles - merge changelog docs into a section - rm content of Single-server-VictoriaMetrics.md as it can be included from docs/README - add basic information to README in the root folder, so it will be useful for github users - rm `picture` tag from docs/README as it was needed for github only, we don't display VM logo at docs.victoriametrics.com - update `## documentation` section in docs/README to reflect the changes - rename DD pictures, as they now belong to docs/README Signed-off-by: hagen1778 <roman@victoriametrics.com> Co-authored-by: hagen1778 <roman@victoriametrics.com> 2024-07-31 14:03:18 +00:00			`title: Development goals`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`menu:`
			`docs:`
			`parent: 'victoriametrics'`
			`weight: 500`
			`---`
docs/goals.md: heading fixes 2024-06-26 14:41:13 +00:00			`## Goals`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00
Revert "replaced global http refs with relative markdown ones (#6692)" This reverts commit 537266363ad63a72cf266e0049d6be506fe95d80. Reason for revert: relative links in docs are much harder to maintain in consistent state comparing to absolute links: - It is non-trivial to figure out the proper relative link path when creating and editing docs. - Relative links break after moving the doc files to another paths, and it is non-trivial to figure which links are broken after that. - The updated relative links do not work properly right now in the docs. For example, the https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/quickstart.md#building-from-source-code link at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/changelog/ leads to 404 page. This is documented at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#images-in-documentation . 2024-07-25 10:46:22 +00:00			`1. The main goal - **to help users and [clients](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/enterprise/) resolving issues with VictoriaMetrics components,`
docs/goals.md: add additional non-goals, which frequently become false goals according to the development history of VictoriaMetrics 2024-06-26 09:39:26 +00:00			`so they could use these components in the most efficient way**.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`1. Fixing bugs in the essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components. Small usability bugs are usually the most annoying,`
docs/goals.md: add additional non-goals, which frequently become false goals according to the development history of VictoriaMetrics 2024-06-26 09:39:26 +00:00			`so they must be fixed first.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`1. Improving [docs](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/tree/master/docs) for VictoriaMetrics components,`
			`so users could find answers to their questions via Google or [Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/) without the need`
Revert "replaced global http refs with relative markdown ones (#6692)" This reverts commit 537266363ad63a72cf266e0049d6be506fe95d80. Reason for revert: relative links in docs are much harder to maintain in consistent state comparing to absolute links: - It is non-trivial to figure out the proper relative link path when creating and editing docs. - Relative links break after moving the doc files to another paths, and it is non-trivial to figure which links are broken after that. - The updated relative links do not work properly right now in the docs. For example, the https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/quickstart.md#building-from-source-code link at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/changelog/ leads to 404 page. This is documented at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#images-in-documentation . 2024-07-25 10:46:22 +00:00			`to ask these questions at our [support channels](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#community-and-contributions).`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`1. Simplifying usage of VictoriaMetrics components without breaking backwards compatibility, so users could regularly`
docs: updated docs titles and links (#6741) The changes are based on SEO report and supposed to improve ranking and indexation by search engines by using prompt and unique titles and by updating unreachable links. It also updates links to have a simplified form and replaces relative links with absolute links according to https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#documentation --------- Co-authored-by: Roman Khavronenko <roman@victoriametrics.com> 2024-08-06 13:54:52 +00:00			`upgrade to [the latest available release](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/CHANGELOG) and remain happy.`
docs/goals.md: clarify that the usability of the existing functionality must be improved the first 2024-06-27 07:54:58 +00:00			`1. Improving usability for the existing functionality of VictoriaMetrics components.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`1. Improving the readability and maintainability of the code base by removing unnecessary abstractions and simplifying the code whenever possible.`
docs/goals.md: clarify that complicated CI/CD tasks make debugging harder 2024-07-19 06:50:58 +00:00			`1. Improving development velocity by optimizing and simplifying CI/CD tasks, so they take less time to execute and debug.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00
docs/goals.md: heading fixes 2024-06-26 14:41:13 +00:00			`## Non-goals`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00
docs/goals.md: add additional non-goals, which frequently become false goals according to the development history of VictoriaMetrics 2024-06-26 09:39:26 +00:00			`1. Convincing people to use VictoriaMetrics components when there are better suited solutions exist for their tasks,`
			`since users will become angry at VictoriaMetrics after they discover better solutions.`
Revert "replaced global http refs with relative markdown ones (#6692)" This reverts commit 537266363ad63a72cf266e0049d6be506fe95d80. Reason for revert: relative links in docs are much harder to maintain in consistent state comparing to absolute links: - It is non-trivial to figure out the proper relative link path when creating and editing docs. - Relative links break after moving the doc files to another paths, and it is non-trivial to figure which links are broken after that. - The updated relative links do not work properly right now in the docs. For example, the https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/quickstart.md#building-from-source-code link at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/changelog/ leads to 404 page. This is documented at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#images-in-documentation . 2024-07-25 10:46:22 +00:00			`1. Breaking links to [VictoriaMetrics docs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/), since users will be unhappy seeing 404 page`
docs/goals.md: add additional non-goals, which frequently become false goals according to the development history of VictoriaMetrics 2024-06-26 09:39:26 +00:00			`or unexpected results after they click some old link somewhere on the Internet or in the internal knowledge base.`
			`1. Breaking backwards compatibility in new releases, since users will be unhappy when their working setup breaks after the upgrade.`
			`1. Adding non-trivial features, which require significant changes in the code and the architecture,`
			`since these features may break the essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components, so a big share`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics goals and non-goals page Everybody who works on VictoriaMetrics must be aware of these goals and non-goals 2024-06-25 16:00:03 +00:00			`of the existing users may become unhappy after the upgrade.`
			`1. Adding unnecessary abstractions, since they may worsen project maintainability in the future.`
docs/goals.md: add additional non-goals, which frequently become false goals according to the development history of VictoriaMetrics 2024-06-26 09:39:26 +00:00			`1. Implementing all the features users ask. These features should fit [the goals](#goals) of VictoriaMetrics.`
			Other feature requests must be closed as `won't implement`, with the link to this page.
			`1. Merging all the pull requests users submit. These pull requests should fit [the goals](#goals) of VictoriaMetrics.`
			Other pull requests must be closed as `won't merge`, with the link to this page.
docs/goals.md: make clear that complication of CI/CD pipeline is bad CI/CD pipeline is usually hard to debug. So it is good to keep it as simple as possible. 2024-07-18 09:47:13 +00:00			`1. Slowing down and complicating CI/CD pipelines with non-essential tasks, since this results in development velocity slowdown.`
			`1. Introducing non-essential requrirements, since this slows down development velocity.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics proverbs 2024-06-26 12:01:08 +00:00
docs/goals.md: heading fixes 2024-06-26 14:41:13 +00:00			`## VictoriaMetrics proverbs`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics proverbs 2024-06-26 12:01:08 +00:00
docs/goals.md: clarify that the usability of the existing functionality must be improved the first 2024-06-27 07:54:58 +00:00			`- Small usability fix is better than non-trivial feature. Usability fix makes happy existing users.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics proverbs 2024-06-26 12:01:08 +00:00			`Non-trivial feature may make happy some new users, while it may make upset a big share of existing users`
docs: add spellcheck command (#6562) ### Describe Your Changes Implement spellcheck command: - add cspell configuration files - dockerize spellchecking process - add Makefile targets This PR adds a standalone `make spellcheck` target to check `docs/.md` files for spelling errors. The target process is dockerized to be run in a separate npm environment. Some `docs/` typo fixes also included. ### Checklist The following checks are mandatory*: - [x] My change adheres [VictoriaMetrics contributing guidelines](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/contributing/). --------- Signed-off-by: Arkadii Yakovets <ark@victoriametrics.com> Signed-off-by: hagen1778 <roman@victoriametrics.com> Co-authored-by: hagen1778 <roman@victoriametrics.com> 2024-07-11 10:39:42 +00:00			`if the feature breaks some essential functionality of VictoriaMetrics components or makes it less efficient.`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics proverbs 2024-06-26 12:01:08 +00:00
			`- Good docs are better than new shiny feature. Good docs help users discovering new functionality and dealing`
			`with VictoriaMetrics components in the most efficient way. Nobody uses new shiny feature if it isn't documented properly.`

			`- Happy users are more important than the momentary revenue. Happy users spread the word about VictoriaMetrics,`
Revert "replaced global http refs with relative markdown ones (#6692)" This reverts commit 537266363ad63a72cf266e0049d6be506fe95d80. Reason for revert: relative links in docs are much harder to maintain in consistent state comparing to absolute links: - It is non-trivial to figure out the proper relative link path when creating and editing docs. - Relative links break after moving the doc files to another paths, and it is non-trivial to figure which links are broken after that. - The updated relative links do not work properly right now in the docs. For example, the https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/quickstart.md#building-from-source-code link at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/changelog/ leads to 404 page. This is documented at https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#images-in-documentation . 2024-07-25 10:46:22 +00:00			`so more people convert to VictoriaMetrics users. Happy users are eager to become happy [customers](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/enterprise/).`
docs/goals.md: add VictoriaMetrics proverbs 2024-06-26 12:01:08 +00:00			`This increases long-term revenue.`

			`- Simple solution is better than smart solution. Simple solution is easier to setup, operate, debug and troubleshoot than the smart solution.`
			`This saves users' time, costs and nerve cells.`