顶级开源基金会全览 | 从Linux到OpenWeb的开源力量
Top Open Source Foundations
List of free and open-source software organizations
When nerds made software free again… sh*t started happening.
Open source foundations began to take off and gain popularity as renegade patrons of the digital Wild West back in the 2000s.
In the spirit of collaboration, online communities arose where the code was at least substantially free/modifiable (there might be some paid business add-ons nowadays though!) and builders could create with enterprise-level software tools without worrying about restrictive licensing issues or exorbitant high costs.
It was the 1990s and early 2000s when open source started to really take off as a widespread movement… hacker culture, IPOs, Y2K, Elon Musk was almost bald and the music was 10x less sucky than today.
Whoah … not so fast…. Open source *had* already existed BEFORE that!
- Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), started in the late 1970s and early 1980s. BSD was a Unix-based operating system distributed by the University of California, Berkeley, and had a huge impact on many other open-source projects, including Linux.
- GNU Project by Richard Stallman in 1983… The GNU operating system, while not a complete Unix distribution, provided a lot of core utilities that, when combined with the Linux kernel (developed by Linus Torvalds), formed the foundation of many modern operating systems, commonly referred to as GNU/Linux.
“Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. You should think of ‘free’ as in ‘free speech,’ not as in ‘free beer.’” — Richard Stallman
- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) — Stallman also founded FSF around 1985 with a primary mission to allow users have the right to use, study, modify, and share software, aligning with the philosophy of the GNU Project. The FSF also focused on legal, licensing, and policy efforts to safeguard these freedoms.
“The free software movement is about the users’ freedom to control the program and what it does for them.” — Richard Stallman
But now, during the dotcom tech boom some important software innovators like Apache Software Foundation and the Linux Foundation burst onto the scene and made a massive impact as the dotcom era took off.
These new .orgs gave it some structure where there was none, giving shape to the rapidly growing tribe of open source developers who wanted to work together on free code projects.
No gatekeepers, no barriers and fewer corporate roadblocks— just a focus on innovation.
“Open source ”wasn’t just a buzzword or a fleeting trend. Some called it a “revolution”, a cultural shift that says, “Let’s build together.”
Some genius nerds had gotten together and said**, “Let disintermediate the middleman and cut out the gatekeepers.”** And now they were remaking the world into a world where *developers* were substantially more in charge and software could be freely shared, modified, and distributed without corporate barriers.
So, why do open source foundations matter? You gotta have some organization, legal cover, financial lifelines, and the initiatives backbone to keep the dream alive. They’re the ones making sure that when the dust settles, there’s still a place where anyone, anywhere, can contribute to something bigger than themselves.
That’s a pretty damn good reason.
Let’s take a look at the pioneers and currently most active Open Source foundations:
Linux Foundation
Supports the Linux operating system and a vast ecosystem of open-source projects, including Kubernetes and Hyperledger.
“We help companies and developers identify and contribute to the projects that matter. Working together, the open source community is addressing the challenges of industry and technology for the benefit of society. Code is power. Community is strength. We are one.”
- Kubernetes: An open-source platform for automating containerized application deployment, scaling, and management.
- Hyperledger: A collaborative project aimed at developing open-source blockchain technologies for enterprise use.
- Linux Kernel: OBVIOUSLY. The core component of the Linux operating system, managing hardware resources and providing essential system services.
- Cloud Foundry: An open-source cloud application platform that enables developers to deploy and manage applications easily.
- LF Energy: An initiative by the Linux Foundation focused on accelerating open-source solutions for the energy sector.
- OpenChain: A project focused on developing standards for open-source compliance and best practices within organizations.
- Open Tofu: “OpenTofu is an open source successor to the MPLv2-licensed Terraform that will be community-driven, impartial, layered and modular, and backward-compatible.”
“The Linux Foundation Method: A proven and repeatable way to scale project communities via a comprehensive portfolio of support programs for aspiring industry leading projects.”
Apache Software Foundation (ASF)
Known for managing and supporting numerous successful open-source projects like Apache HTTP Server, Hadoop, and Apache Kafka.
I have a full article on Apache Software Foundation software here: 24 most popular Apache Foundation cloud software (details, use cases, alternatives)
“The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) exists to provide software for the public good. We believe in the power of community over code, known as The Apache Way. Thousands of people around the world contribute to ASF open source projects every day.”
- Apache HTTP Server: A widely-used open-source web server known for its robustness and flexibility in serving web content.
- Apache Hadoop: An open-source framework for distributed storage and processing of large data sets across clusters of computers.
- Apache Kafka: A distributed event streaming platform capable of handling high-throughput, real-time data feeds.
- Apache Tomcat: An open-source implementation of the Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, and Java Expression Language technologies.
- Apache Cassandra: A distributed NoSQL database designed to handle large amounts of data across many commodity servers without a single point of failure.
- Apache Spark: An open-source unified analytics engine for large-scale data processing with built-in modules for streaming, SQL, machine learning, and graph processing.
Free Software Foundation (FSF)
Advocates for free software and promotes software freedom through the development of the GNU operating system and various licenses.
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom.
- GNU Operating System: A free software operating system that provides a complete Unix-like environment, composed of various GNU tools and utilities.
- GNU General Public License (GPL): A widely-used free software license that ensures end-users have the freedom to run, study, share, and modify software.
- GNU Emacs: A highly extensible and customizable text editor with features for programming, text editing, and more.
- GNU Bash: A Unix shell and command language interpreter that provides a command-line interface for interacting with the operating system.
- GNU Octave: A high-level programming language primarily intended for numerical computations, often used as an alternative to MATLAB.
- GNU Coreutils: A package of basic file, shell, and text manipulation utilities that are essential for the operation of Unix-like operating systems.
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Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)
Prominent for advancing container technology and orchestrating cloud-native computing with projects like Kubernetes and Prometheus.
- Kubernetes: An open-source platform for automating containerized application deployment, scaling, and management.
- Prometheus: An open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit designed for reliability and scalability.
- Envoy: A high-performance proxy that provides advanced load balancing, observability, and security features for microservices.
- Helm: A package manager for Kubernetes that simplifies the deployment and management of applications through reusable Helm charts.
- Containerd: An industry-standard core container runtime responsible for managing the lifecycle of containers on a host.
- OpenTelemetry: An open-source observability framework providing unified instrumentation for distributed tracing and metrics collection.
Python Software Foundation (PSF)
Oversees the Python programming language and its vast ecosystem, including the Python Package Index (PyPI).
- CPython: The reference implementation of the Python programming language, written in C.
- PyPI (Python Package Index): The official repository for Python packages and libraries, allowing developers to share and install software.
- Python Standard Library: A collection of modules and packages included with Python, providing essential functionality and tools.
- Jupyter: An open-source web application for creating and sharing interactive notebooks containing code, visualizations, and text.
- Django: A high-level Python web framework that simplifies the creation of robust, scalable web applications with built-in features.
- Flask: A lightweight Python web framework designed for building small to medium-sized web applications with simplicity and flexibility.
Mozilla Foundation
Supports the Mozilla project, including the Firefox browser, and advances open web technologies and privacy.
“The Mozilla Foundation works to ensure the internet remains a public resource that is open and accessible to us all.”
- Firefox: A free and open-source web browser known for its privacy features and customization options.
- Mozilla Developer Network (MDN): A comprehensive resource for web developers, offering documentation, tutorials, and tools for web technologies.
- Thunderbird: An open-source email client with features for managing emails, calendars, and news feeds.
- Rust Programming Language: A systems programming language focused on safety, concurrency, and performance, known for its strong memory safety guarantees.
- Firefox Reality: A web browser designed for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments, optimizing the browsing experience in immersive contexts.
- Pocket: A service for saving, discovering, and recommending articles and web content, integrated into Firefox and available as a standalone app.
Eclipse Foundation
Supports a wide range of open-source projects, including the Eclipse IDE and frameworks for Java and cloud development.
- Eclipse IDE: A widely-used integrated development environment (IDE) for Java and other programming languages.
- Eclipse Jakarta EE: A set of specifications for enterprise Java development, evolving from the former Java EE standard.
- Eclipse Jetty: A high-performance HTTP server and servlet container often used in embedded systems and applications.
- Eclipse MicroProfile: A set of specifications for optimizing enterprise Java microservices, focusing on lightweight, container-based deployments.
- Eclipse Che: A cloud-native IDE that provides a web-based development environment with support for collaborative coding and containerized workspaces.
- Eclipse OpenJ9: An open-source Java Virtual Machine (JVM) optimized for performance and low memory usage.
Open Source Initiative (OSI)
Promotes and protects open-source software by advocating for open-source licenses and maintaining the Open Source Definition.
- Open Source Definition: A set of criteria that defines what qualifies as open-source software, ensuring that it meets principles of freedom and accessibility.
- OSI Approved Licenses: Licenses that have been reviewed and approved by the Open Source Initiative as complying with the Open Source Definition.
- Open Source Certification: A process by which software is certified as open-source based on adherence to open-source standards and practices.
- OSI Community Projects: Initiatives and projects supported by the Open Source Initiative to promote and advance open-source software and practices.
- OSI Best Practices: Recommended practices for developing and managing open-source software to ensure compliance, quality, and community engagement.
- OSI Membership Program: A program that offers membership benefits and involvement opportunities for organizations and individuals supporting open-source initiatives.
Rust Foundation
Supports the Rust programming language, fostering its development and maintaining its ecosystem.
- Rust Programming Language: A systems programming language focused on safety, concurrency, and performance, known for its strong memory safety guarantees.
- Cargo: The Rust package manager and build system, used for managing Rust projects, dependencies, and building code.
- Rustfmt: A tool for automatically formatting Rust code according to style guidelines, ensuring consistency across projects.
- Clippy: A collection of lints for the Rust compiler that helps identify common mistakes and improve code quality.
- Rustc: The Rust compiler that translates Rust code into executable binaries or libraries.
- Rustup: A toolchain installer for Rust, managing multiple versions of Rust and associated tools for different projects.
Open Knowledge Foundation
Promotes open data and open content to foster transparency and accessibility.
- CKAN (Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network): An open-source data management system used for publishing, sharing, and managing open data.
- Open Spending: A platform for tracking and analyzing public financial data to promote transparency and accountability in government spending.
- Open Data Commons: A project providing legal tools and resources to support the sharing and management of open data.
- Open Knowledge Maps: A tool for creating visualizations of academic and scientific knowledge to facilitate understanding and discovery.
- Open Food Facts: A database of food products from around the world, providing information on ingredients, nutritional values, and labels.
- Open Trials: A platform for sharing information about clinical trials to improve transparency and accessibility in medical research.
Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
Focuses on improving software security through its community-driven open-source projects, including the OWASP Top Ten list of security risks.
OWASP Foundation, the Open Source Foundation for Application Security | OWASP Foundation
OWASP Foundation, the Open Source Foundation for Application Security on the main website for The OWASP Foundation…
owasp.org
- OWASP Top Ten: A list of the most critical security risks to web applications, used as a guideline for secure coding practices.
- OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy): A popular open-source tool for finding security vulnerabilities in web applications during development and testing.
- OWASP Dependency-Check: A tool that identifies publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in project dependencies.
- OWASP SAMM (Software Assurance Maturity Model): A framework to help organizations formulate and implement a strategy for software security.
- OWASP Juice Shop: An intentionally vulnerable web application used for security training, awareness, and testing purposes.
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Advocates for privacy, free expression, and security online, offering tools like HTTPS Everywhere and Certbot to help users enhance their privacy.
In the U.S., the First Amendment grants individuals the right to speak without government interference. And globally, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects the right to speak both online and offline. Everyone should be able to take advantage of this promise. And no government should have the power to decide who gets to speak and who doesn’t.
- HTTPS Everywhere: A browser extension that automatically enables HTTPS encryption for websites, promoting secure browsing.
- Certbot: An open-source tool that automates the process of getting and renewing SSL/TLS certificates from Let’s Encrypt.
- Privacy Badger: A browser extension that blocks third-party trackers to enhance online privacy.
- Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD): A guide that provides tools, strategies, and tips to protect privacy and communications online.
- CoverYourTracks/Panopticlick: A tool that tests your browser’s fingerprinting and evaluates how well it protects you from online tracking.
Tor Project
Focuses on online privacy and anonymity through its Tor network, which enables users to browse the web without revealing their identity or location.
Bitcoin Foundation
Bitcoin Foundation, established in 2012, aims to promote and protect Bitcoin, but it is not directly responsible for Bitcoin’s core development. Instead, development is community-driven.
https://www.bitcoinfoundation.org/
The Bitcoin Foundation engages governments around the world in open dialogs regarding the benefits of Bitcoin, assists in providing information for pro-Bitcoin legislation, and actively advocates for the prevention of negative regulation.
Solana Foundation
The non-profit organization focused on the decentralization, security, and development of the Solana blockchain. The foundation supports core development and ecosystem growth by funding projects and grants.
Fostering an open-source community to spur the development of a robust network of financial products and services to help people access and use the Solana network.
Ethereum Foundation
A Swiss non-profit organization that supports Ethereum’s open-source development. It funds core protocol research, development of the Ethereum protocol, and open-source projects that benefit the broader ecosystem.
Our mission is to do what is best for Ethereum’s long-term success. Our role is to allocate resources to critical projects, to be a valued voice within the Ethereum ecosystem, and to advocate for Ethereum to the outside world.
Open Power Foundation
Focuses on open-source hardware and software based on the OpenPOWER architecture.
- OpenPOWER Hardware: Open-source hardware designs and specifications for POWER processors, enabling innovation and collaboration in computing.
- OpenCAPI: An open standard for high-performance, high-bandwidth interconnects, designed to accelerate data-intensive applications.
- Power9: A series of high-performance processors developed under the OpenPOWER architecture, used in enterprise and high-performance computing environments.
- OpenBMC: An open-source project providing a framework for building and managing the firmware used in server baseboard management controllers.
- OpenPOWER Ecosystem: A collection of projects and collaborations within the OpenPOWER foundation that leverage open-source hardware and software for advanced computing solutions.
- OpenPOWER Workgroup: A group within the OpenPOWER Foundation focused on developing and promoting standards and best practices for OpenPOWER technologies.
The Open Infrastructure Foundation
Supports open-source projects for infrastructure, including OpenStack and Airflow.
- OpenStack: An open-source cloud computing platform for managing and deploying virtualized resources and services across a data center.
- Airflow: An open-source workflow automation and scheduling system designed to manage complex data pipelines and workflows.
- StarlingX: An open-source platform providing edge cloud infrastructure capabilities, including container orchestration and virtualized infrastructure management.
- Zuul: An open-source project for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) that automates the testing and deployment of code changes.
- Ironic: An open-source project for managing and provisioning bare-metal servers in a cloud environment.
- Manila: An open-source project that provides shared file systems as a service in an OpenStack cloud, supporting file storage management.
The HDF Group
Manages the HDF (Hierarchical Data Format) library, which supports data-intensive computing and scientific research.
- HDF5: A file format and set of tools for managing and storing complex data structures, commonly used in scientific computing.
- HDF4: An older version of the Hierarchical Data Format, providing support for storing and organizing data in a structured way.
- HDF-EOS: An extension of HDF designed to support Earth Science data and applications, providing tools for managing satellite and atmospheric data.
- HDFView: A graphical tool for viewing and editing HDF5 and HDF4 files, providing a user-friendly interface for exploring data structures.
- HDF-EO: An extension of HDF5 tailored for Earth Observation data, enhancing support for storing and managing geospatial datasets.
- HDF4/5 Libraries: The software libraries that provide APIs for reading, writing, and manipulating HDF4 and HDF5 files.
The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFLC)
Provides support for open-source projects and advocates for software freedom and compliance.
“The Software Freedom Law Center provides pro-bono legal services to developers of Free, Libre, and Open Source Software […] SFLC’s practice brings together expertise in all the fields of law that FOSS projects are affected by, including copyrights, patents, trademarks, and nonprofit governance. We can counsel our clients on the big picture, beyond today’s specific problems, helping projects reach their long-term goals safely and efficiently so hackers can concentrate on making great software. “
- Git: A distributed version control system for tracking changes in source code during software development.
- BusyBox: A software suite providing a collection of Unix utilities in a single executable, often used in embedded systems.
- Selenium: An open-source tool for automating web browsers, enabling automated testing and interaction with web applications.
- Inkscape: A vector graphics editor used for creating and editing scalable graphics and illustrations.
- Samba: An open-source software suite that enables file and print sharing between Unix/Linux and Windows systems.
- Wine: A compatibility layer that allows running Windows applications on Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and macOS.
If you like this article, check out my big article on Apache Software Foundation software here: 24 most popular Apache Foundation cloud software (details, use cases, alternatives)
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