# Interop 2026: An Invitation for Contributions to Improve Cross-Browser Compatibility
Submissions are now being accepted for [Interop 2026](https://webkit.org/blog/17320/submit-your-ideas-for-interop-2026/), a project that seeks input from users and web developers to better cross-browser compatibility. This yearly initiative aims to collect creative solutions that confront authentic obstacles faced by developers in guaranteeing uniform functionality across various web browsers.
## History of Interop
Interop was initiated in 2022, initiated by a consortium of prominent technology firms, including Apple, Bocoup, Google, Italia, Microsoft, and Mozilla. The project was created to improve interoperability in 15 essential areas that greatly affect the web developer experience. It developed from Google’s [Compat](https://web.dev/blog/compat2021#css_transforms) project, which focused on resolving compatibility challenges between browsers. The achievements of the initial endeavors prompted the establishment of this as an annual event.
## The Aim of Interop 2026
The primary aim of Interop 2026 is to gather suggestions that address particular interoperability issues. The organizers stress the importance of tackling challenges that developers face while striving to ensure their projects operate flawlessly across all browsers, even when applying appropriate progressive enhancement methods. Numerous enduring bugs have been addressed in previous Interop sessions, yet new challenges persist, and the community is urged to highlight these issues.
Apple has emphasized that submitted suggestions must rely on established web standards created by organizations such as W3C and TC39. This guarantees that proposals are anchored in verified technologies, making them more suitable for consideration.
## Submission Requirements
To assist with the submission process, the Interop team has supplied detailed documentation on [Github](https://github.com/web-platform-tests/interop/blob/main/proposal_guide.md). Below are the main criteria for submitting a proposal, as specified by Apple:
1. **Specificity**: Concentrate on a specific interoperability issue. Proposals should focus on one feature or a limited set of related features.
2. **Impact**: Clearly outline the interoperability problem and provide personal use cases to demonstrate the issue.
3. **Value**: Describe the advantages for web developers and users. Justify the proposal’s added value compared to other potential solutions and include evidence of its significance, such as survey data.
4. **Stability**: Provide a link to the stable web standard that defines the relevant technology. Resources like the [MDN web documentation](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/) can be useful for this purpose.
5. **Testability**: Refer to the [WPT test](https://wpt.fyi/results/?label=experimental&label=master&aligned) coverage regarding the proposal. If more tests are required, specify how they may be created.
Participants are encouraged to explore [previous proposals](https://github.com/web-platform-tests/interop/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aclosed%20label%3Afocus-area-proposal) for inspiration and can either [submit new issues](https://github.com/web-platform-tests/interop/issues/new?template=focus-area-proposal.yml) or comment on existing proposals to bolster their cases.
## Key Dates
Proposal submissions for Interop 2026 commenced on September 4 and will stay open until September 24. This period allows developers to share their thoughts and contribute to the ongoing effort to improve web interoperability.
In summary, Interop 2026 embodies a cooperative endeavor to tackle the challenges of cross-browser compatibility. By submitting proposals, developers can significantly influence the future of web standards and enhance the overall experience for users and developers alike.
