unicode-org · aphillips · Sep 25, 2023 · Aug 22, 2023 · Aug 22, 2023 · Aug 28, 2023
diff --git a/exploration/0001-builtin-registry-capabilities.md b/exploration/0001-builtin-registry-capabilities.md
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+# Capabilities for built-in registry
+
+Status: **Proposed**
+
+<details>
+	<summary>Metadata</summary>
+	<dl>
+		<dt>Contributors</dt>
+		<dd>@ryzokuken</dd>
+		<dt>First proposed</dt>
+		<dd>2023-08-22</dd>
+		<dt>Pull Request</dt>
+		<dd><a href="https://github.com/unicode-org/message-format-wg/pull/457">#457</a></dd>
+	</dl>
+</details>
+
+## Objective
+
+Document the set of capabilities needed by the _built-in registry_ in order to provide a reasonably complete set of
+functions.
+This includes ensuring sufficient compatibility with the various functions available in ICU4X, JavaScript `Intl` as well
+as MessageFormat v1.
+
+## Background
+
+Users have the ability to specify and call arbitrary custom functions in their messages thanks to the function registry.
+That said, there are a number of common i18n operations that are quite universal and there's a lot of value in
+standardizing the usage of these common operations across the ecosystem.
+This document aims to list down the basic capabilities that implementations need to be provide in a _built-in registry_.
+
+## Use-Cases
+
+From formatting date and time values to performing selection based on plural rules, the use cases for a minimal set of
+common tools standardized across implementations are virtually everywhere.
+While a number of applications might require more complex functions with custom logic, a well-provisioned default
+registry could significantly lower the barrier of entry as well as the need to write and maintain many custom functions.
+
+## Requirements
+
+Implementations are required to implement and expose the entire _built-in registry_ that would provide the capabilities
+in this document.
+
+The names of functions and associated options defined by the registry **MUST** remain unchanged for the sake of
+compatibility, interoperability and general API stability.
+
+## Constraints
+
+Since MessageFormat would be used alongside other internationalization features in many programming environments, the
+final interface **SHOULD NOT** deviate a lot from existing APIs in order to minimize developer confusion.
+
+## Proposed Design
+
+The **_<dfn>built-in registry</dfn>_** is the set of functions, together with their options, that are present in every
+implementation.
+Implementations MUST provide each of the functions defined in the _built-in registry_, including all of the options.
+The output of each function is implementation-defined.
+Implementations MAY include additional options for built-in functions, although implementers are cautioned to avoid
+adding options that might conflict with future standardization.
+These include the following capabilities:
+
+- Formatting the following types of data in a locale-sensitive manner:
+  - Dates and times
+  - Numbers
+  - Lists
+- Selecting between pattern strings in a locale-sensitive manner based on:
+  - String equality
+  - Plural rules
+  - Ordinality
+
+## Alternatives Considered
+
+The working group has considered a number of ways to address core functionality. These include:
+
+**No default registry** Each implementation would be free to define its own set of functions and options for each.
+
+- (+) Each implementation would be able to define functions and options according to existing I18N APIs which would be
+  familiar to users in that language or runtime
+- (-) Messages would not be portable between implementations
+- (-) Users would have to learn the variations between implementations
+- (-) Tooling would have to be adjusted for each variation
+
+**Informative registry** The default registry could be made informative with implementations allowed to pick-and-choose
+(or ignore) entries.
+This would provide better interoperability for implementations claiming to implement the default registry, while
+allowing platform-specific variation.
+
+**Non-extensible registry entries** Like this design, but not allowing implementation specific options.