Move to toon-format Organization vs. Fresh Start

[johannschopplich]

Hi @felipestanzani, @jenspapenhagen, @Invokedzz, and @koinsaari! 👋

Following our discussions about bringing JToon into the TOON Format organization in various other issues/discussions, I wanted to reach out and discuss how we can move forward together.

Current Situation

@felipestanzani – thank you for being open to migrating JToon to the toon-format organization! Your existing implementation is a great foundation for the official Java implementation.

Two Paths Forward

I want to give you the choice on how to proceed:

Option A: Migrate the Existing Repository

We transfer felipestanzani/JToon to toon-format/toon-java, then:

• Adapt README to match the unified structure (like toon-dotnet, toon-python)
• Add standard CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md and CONTRIBUTING.md
• Update package metadata and documentation
• Keep all your existing code and git history
• Maintain backward compatibility where possible

Option B: Fresh Start with Minimal Repo

I set up a new bare toon-format/toon-java repo (similar to toon-dotnet):

• Minimal placeholder structure
• Unified docs from the start
• You migrate the code/architecture you want to keep
• Clean slate for package naming and structure

Which approach would you prefer? I'm happy to work with whatever makes the most sense for you and the existing JToon users.

What's Ready

Language-Agnostic Tests

The spec repository now includes language-agnostic test fixtures that all implementations can use:

• Encoding tests: JSON → TOON conversion (tests/fixtures/encode/)
• Decoding tests: TOON → JSON parsing (tests/fixtures/decode/)
• Error cases: Validation and strict mode checks
• Edge cases: All specification corner cases

These JSON fixtures ensure consistency across all language implementations and make it easy to validate spec compliance.

Other Language Implementations

For reference, I've also set up toon-format/toon-dotnet, toon-format/toon-python, etc.

Team Invitation

I'd like to invite all of you (@felipestanzani, @jenspapenhagen, @Invokedzz, @koinsaari) to join as maintainers once we decide on the path forward. You'll have full access and equal decision-making power on the Java implementation.

Next Steps

1. Your Decision: Let me know which option you prefer (migrate existing repo vs. fresh start)
2. Package Name: Discuss Maven Central group ID and artifact naming
   • Current: io.github.felipestanzani:jtoon (?)
   • Future: dev.toonformat:toon or similar?
3. Team Setup: Once we agree on the approach, I'll:
   • Create the toon-java team in the organization
   • Send maintainer invites to all of you
   • Transfer/create the repository as decided
4. Unification: Align README, docs, and testing with other implementations

Key Priorities

No matter which path we choose, the goals remain:

• ✅ Full SPEC.md compliance using language-agnostic tests
• ✅ Modern Java support (Java 11+, or your preferred baseline)
• ✅ Clean, idiomatic Java API
• ✅ CI with GitHub Actions validating spec compliance
• ✅ Maven Central publishing
• ✅ Clear documentation and examples

Team Work

Please be kind to each other. If something is off or you experience troubles in the team, please DM me and we'll get it sorted out.

Let's Get Started

@felipestanzani – please let me know which option works best for you, and if you have any concerns or preferences about the migration process. I want to make sure this transition respects the work you've already done while also bringing JToon into the unified TOON Format ecosystem.

Looking forward to collaborating with all of you! 🎉

---

P.S. – Maven Central publishing credentials will be set up as organization secrets once we're ready to publish under the new coordinates.

[jpapenhagen]

My 2 cents:

1. migrate existing repo
2. packagename: dev.toonformat:toon (keep it simple)

sorry this is my git work account

[johannschopplich]

Perfect! @felipestanzani I've set up dev.toonformat on Maven Central. Once we migrate the repo, I will add the required API keys to the repo so you can publish.

[felipestanzani]

@johannschopplich move the current implementation is a better approach but first would be good to finish:

• implement the conformance tests.
• check if any change is needed.

About Maven Central:

• Is necessary to create a Maven Central account and validate the namespace with the domain DNS configuration.
• create PGP key and register it on Ubuntu
• create the publication keys properly

After finishing the conformance tests and checks we can modify the current project to fit the requirements.

With Maven Central set, I will transfer the GitHub property.

During this week I will try to make this and you can reach me if needed.

Thank you!

[johannschopplich]

Thanks for the summary! Sounds good to me.

I'm fine with just moving the repo and continuing to work over at toon-format! I will create a dedicated team and invite you; we just have to move the repo.

[felipestanzani]

I forgot to mention that the lib is documented through Javadocs, which is the standard documentation for Java.

[johannschopplich]

Fine by me! I trust your code style and best practices. I have no former Java experience, so I'm not the one to judge. :)

[felipestanzani]

Issue #32 is in progress. We may finish this movement this week.

[felipestanzani]

As the migration was finished, this topic can be closed.