A policy is a plan of action to guide decisions and actions. The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and groups, and individuals. The policy process includes the identification of different alternatives, such as programs or spending priorities, and choosing among them on the basis of the impact they will have.

Policies can be understood as political, management, financial, and administrative mechanisms arranged to reach explicit goals. There is disagreement between those who believe rules should be explicitly stated and those who feel that written rules are inherently inadequate to cover every possible variation of problematic or disruptive behavior.

In either case, a user who acts against the spirit of our written policies may be reprimanded, even if technically no rule has been violated. You don't need to read every policy before you contribute. However, the following policies are particularly important to the project, and the sooner you understand and use them, the better.