Joel Marcey: Standards and Specification Work

joel@joelmarcey.com | GitHub | LinkedIn | Website

February 2026

Contents

1.        Introduction        1

2.        Leadership        1

2.1        Ecma International        1

2.2        Rust Foundation        1

2.3        Open Web Docs        1

3.        Standards        1

3.1        Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)        1

3.2        C# Programming Language        2

3.3        Ruby Language Specification        2

3.4        Open Office XML (OOXML) File Format        2

3.5        Unstructured Operation Markup Language (UOML)        2

4.        Specifications        2

4.1        PHP Programming Language        2

4.2        Hack Programming Language        2

5.        Publications        2

1. Introduction

I have been active in programming language standards and specification work for over 20 years, while serving in various leadership roles across multiple organizations. My main participation has been in Ecma International, where I received an Ecma Recognition Award in 2022 for my services and dedication to standardization work within the organization.

2. Leadership

1. Ecma International

Starting in 2000, I had taken on various leadership roles.

• 2020–2021: I served as Vice-President of Ecma.
• 2001–2006: I served as vice-chairman, then chair, of TC39, the technical committee responsible for the standardization of programming languages.
• 2001–2006: I served as vice-convenor, and then convenor, of TC39-TG3, the task group responsible for the standardization of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI), a subset and variant of Microsoft’s .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR).
• 2020–2021: I served as Chair of TC49, the Technical Committee responsible for the specification and standardization of Programming Languages. Note: In 2008, the C# and CLI work moved into a newly formed technical committee, called TC49 - Programming languages, leaving TC39 to focus exclusively on EcmaScript.

In 2022, I received a Recognition Award for my dedication and support of Ecma.

2. Rust Foundation

I served as Facebook’s first Board member at the Rust Foundation from 2021 to 2022, after which time I went to work for the Rust Foundation.

3. Open Web Docs

I helped Facebook become a lead funder of Open Web Docs in 2021, and served on its Governing Committee from 2021-2022.

3. Standards

1. Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)

I contributed technical content and tooling for the Ecma Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) specification and standard from 2000 to 2006 and again from 2009 to 2012.

From 2009 to 2012, I served as editor of the CLI standard.

2. C# Programming Language

I contributed technical content and tooling for the Ecma C# Programming Language specification and standard from 2000 to 2006.

3. Ruby Language Specification

In 2011, I served as a technical editing consultant and contributor for the original Ruby Language standard specification, subsequently approved by ISO JTC 1/SC 22. In 2021, we moved this spec from MS Word to GitHub/markdown.

4. Open Office XML (OOXML) File Format

In 2008, I served as a technical editing consultant for the Open Office XML (OOXML) file format, an Ecma and ISO standardized specification.

5. Unstructured Operation Markup Language (UOML)

In 2010, I served as a technical editing consultant for the Unstructured Operation Markup Language (UOML) standard specification within ISO JTC 1/SC 34.

4. Specifications

1. PHP Programming Language

In 2014, while at Facebook, I served as the team leader in the creation of a PHP Specification, now hosted publicly on GitHub.

2. Hack Programming Language

In 2015, while at Facebook, I served as the team leader in the creation of a Hack Programming Language Specification, now archived on GitHub. Hack is a strongly-typed derivative of PHP invented at Facebook.

5. Publications

I wrote the Foreword and contributed technical content for the book: .NET Framework Standard Library Annotated Reference: Volume 1 by Brad Abrams

I contributed technical content and sample code contributor for the book: .NET Framework Standard Library Annotated Reference: Volume 2 by Brad Abrams