diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index b341ed6703..d98e41dd4c 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ This is a minor release.
 ### Table Of Contents
 
 * [New and noteworthy](#new-and-noteworthy)
+    *   [Drawing a line between private and public API](#drawing-a-line-between-private-and-public-api)
     *   [New Rules](#new-rules)
 * [Fixed Issues](#fixed-issues)
 * [API Changes](#api-changes)
@@ -20,6 +21,63 @@ This is a minor release.
 
 ### New and noteworthy
 
+#### Drawing a line between private and public API
+
+Until now, all released public members and types were implicitly considered part
+of PMD's public API, including inheritance-specific members (protected members, abstract methods).
+We have maintained those APIs with the goal to preserve full binary compatibility between minor releases,
+only breaking those APIs infrequently, for major releases.
+
+
+In order to allow PMD to move forward at a faster pace, this implicit contract will
+be invalidated with PMD 7.0.0. We now introduce more fine-grained distinctions between
+the type of compatibility support we guarantee for our libraries, and ways to make
+them explicit to clients of PMD.
+
+##### `.internal` packages and `@InternalApi` annotation
+
+*Internal API* is meant for use *only* by the main PMD codebase. Internal types and methods
+may be modified in any way, or even removed, at any time.
+
+Any API in a package that contains an `.internal` segment is considered internal.
+The `@InternalApi` annotation will be used for APIs that have to live outside of
+these packages, e.g. methods of a public type that shouldn't be used outside of PMD (again,
+these can be removed anytime).
+
+##### `@ReservedSubclassing`
+
+Types marked with the `@ReservedSubclassing` annotation are only meant to be subclassed
+by classes within PMD. As such, we may add new abstract methods, or remove protected methods,
+at any time. All published public members remain supported. The annotation is *not* inherited, which
+means a reserved interface doesn't prevent its implementors to be subclassed.
+
+##### `@Beta`
+
+APIs marked with the `@Beta` annotation at the class or method level are subject to change.
+They can be modified in any way, or even removed, at any time. If your code is a library
+itself (i.e. it is used on the CLASSPATH of users outside your own control), you should not
+use beta APIs, unless you repackage them (e.g. using ProGuard, shading, etc).
+
+##### `@Experimental`
+
+
+APIs marked with the `@Experimental` annotation at the class or method level will almost certainly
+change. They can be modified in any way, or even removed, at any time. You should not use or rely
+ on them in any production code. They are purely to allow broad testing and feedback.
+
+##### `@Deprecated`
+
+APIs marked with the `@Deprecated` annotation at the class or method level will remain supported
+until the next major release but it is recommended to stop using them.
+
+
+##### The transition
+
+*All currently supported APIs will remain so until 7.0.0*. All APIs that are to be moved to
+`.internal` packages or hidden will be tagged `@InternalApi` before that major release, and
+the breaking API changes will be performed in 7.0.0.
+
+
 #### New Rules
 
 *   The new Java rule [`LinguisticNaming`](pmd_rules_java_codestyle.html#linguisticnaming) (`java-codestyle`)
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Beta.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Beta.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60db861ca4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Beta.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+
+
+/**
+ * Indicates the feature is in beta state: it will be most likely stay but
+ * the signature may change between versions without warning.
+ *
+ * @since 6.7.0
+ */
+@Documented
+public @interface Beta {
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Experimental.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Experimental.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82a838e616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/Experimental.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+
+
+/**
+ * Indicates the feature is in experimental state: its existence, signature or behavior
+ * might change without warning from one release to the next.
+ *
+ * @since 6.7.0
+ */
+@Documented
+public @interface Experimental {
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/InternalApi.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/InternalApi.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbcef90350
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/InternalApi.java
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/**
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+
+
+/**
+ * Tags API members that are not publicly supported API.
+ * Such members may be removed, renamed, moved, or otherwise
+ * broken at any time and should not be relied upon outside
+ * of the main PMD codebase.
+ *
+ * <p>Members and types tagged with this annotation will remain
+ * supported until 7.0.0, after which some will be moved to internal
+ * packages, or will see their visibility reduced.
+ *
+ * @since 6.7.0
+ */
+// NOTE: use @Deprecated with this annotation to raise a compiler warning until 7.0.0
+@Documented
+public @interface InternalApi {
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/ReservedSubclassing.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/ReservedSubclassing.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47f10de80c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/annotation/ReservedSubclassing.java
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/**
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+
+/**
+ * Indicates that subclassing this type is not publicly
+ * supported API. Abstract methods may be added or removed
+ * at any time, which could break binary compatibility with
+ * existing implementors. Protected methods are also part of
+ * the private API of this type.
+ *
+ * <p>The API that is not inheritance-specific (unless {@linkplain InternalApi noted otherwise},
+ * all public members), is still public API and will remain binary-
+ * compatible between major releases.
+ *
+ * <p>Types tagged with this annotation will remain supported
+ * until 7.0.0, at which point no guarantees will be maintained
+ * about the stability of the inheritance hierarchy for external
+ * clients.
+ *
+ * <p>This should be used for example for base rule classes that
+ * are meant to be used in PMD only, or for AST-related interfaces
+ * and abstract classes.
+ *
+ * @since 6.7.0
+ */
+@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+@Documented
+public @interface ReservedSubclassing {
+}