An LF Decentralized Trust project's lifecycle is quite complex, especially for new software developers. Initially, submitting an official project proposal is demanding and needs a high level of approval, which may not be suitable for projects that are still in early development stages.

Labs offers a simpler alternative. It reduces the burden on the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for launching new projects, allowing them to be developed in a more flexible legal framework. This framework makes it easier to transition these projects to a more advanced incubation stage if needed.

Unlike graduated and incubating projects, Labs are not overseen by the TAC, instead, they are initiated and managed by the community. Anyone can propose a new Lab by submitting a simple request (in the form of a Pull Request) to the Labs Stewards.

The goal of Labs is to encourage more developers to participate and try out their ideas in the community, offering a more accessible entry point for experimentation.