A silicate-free developer composition having a pH of at least 12.5, and comprising: an alkali metal hydroxide present in an amount sufficient to provide the pH of at least 12.5; a coating protecting agent, and a moderator for the coating protecting agent that is represented by the following general formula: wherein m is an integer of at least 1 and up to and including 10, and M represents one or more counterions sufficient to balance the negatively-charged sulfonate groups, wherein the coating protecting agent is a quaternary ammonium salt or a phosphonium salt represented by the following formulae and, respectively, or a mixture thereof: N(R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4) + X - wherein R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the nitrogen atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated nitrogen atom; P(R 5 R 6 R 7 R 8) + X - wherein R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the phosphorus atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated phosphorus atom; and X - is an anion. an alkali metal hydroxide present in an amount sufficient to provide the pH of at least 12.5; a coating protecting agent, and a moderator for the coating protecting agent that is represented by the following general formula: wherein m is an integer of at least 1 and up to and including 10, and M represents one or more counterions sufficient to balance the negatively-charged sulfonate groups, wherein the coating protecting agent is a quaternary ammonium salt or a phosphonium salt represented by the following formulae and, respectively, or a mixture thereof: N(R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4) + X - wherein R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the nitrogen atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 1, R 2, R 3, and R 4 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated nitrogen atom; P(R 5 R 6 R 7 R 8) + X - wherein R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the phosphorus atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated phosphorus atom; and X - is an anion. wherein R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the phosphorus atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 5, R 6, R 7, and R 8 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated phosphorus atom; and X - is an anion.