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AI use policy and guidelines

Core principle

Node.js expects contributors to understand and take full responsibility for every change they propose. The answer to "Why is X an improvement?" should never be "I'm not sure. The AI did it."

Pull requests that consist of AI-generated code the contributor has not personally understood, tested, and verified waste collaborator time and will be subject to closure without additional review.

Using AI for code contributions

AI tools may assist contributors, but must not replace contributor judgment. When using AI as a coding assistant:

  • Understand the codebase first. Do not skip familiarizing yourself with the relevant subsystem. LLMs frequently produce inaccurate descriptions of Node.js internals — always verify against the actual source. When using an AI tool, ask it to cite the exact source files/PRs/docs it’s relying on, and then match the claim against that resource to verify if it holds up in the current code.

  • Own every line you submit. You are responsible for all code in your pull request, regardless of how it was generated. Be prepared to explain any change in detail during review.

  • Keep logical commits. Structure commits coherently even when an LLM generates multiple changes at once. Follow the existing commit message guidelines.

  • Test thoroughly. AI-generated code must pass the full test suite and any manually written tests relevant to the change. Existing tests should not be removed or modified without human verification. Do not rely on the LLM to assess correctness.

  • Do not disappear. If you open a PR, follow it through. Respond to feedback and iterate until the work lands or is explicitly closed. If you can no longer pursue it, close the PR. Stalled PRs block progress.

  • Edit generated comments critically. LLM-produced comments are often verbose or inaccurate. Remove comments that simply restate what the code does; add comments only where the logic is non-obvious.

Using AI for communication

Node.js values concise, precise communication that respects collaborator time.

  • Do not post messages generated entirely by AI in pull requests, issues, or the project's communication channels.
  • Verify accuracy of any LLM-generated content before including it in a PR description or comment.
  • Complete pull request templates fully rather than replacing them with LLM-generated summaries.
  • Link to primary sources — code, documentation, specifications — rather than quoting LLM answers.
  • Grammar and spell-check tools are acceptable when they improve clarity and conciseness.