What to Do When Critical Open Source Projects Go End of Life
14 days ago
- #end-of-life
- #software-maintenance
- #open-source
- 98% of organizations use open source software (OSS), making it pervasive in daily applications.
- Open source version life cycles are shortening, with over 100 scheduled EOLs for top projects in 2025 alone.
- EOLs can be for minor/major versions (e.g., .NET 6) or entire projects (e.g., AngularJS).
- Maintainer burnout and underfunding contribute to project abandonment, with 60% of maintainers considering quitting.
- EOL challenges include security vulnerabilities, technical debt, and compatibility issues.
- Steps to handle EOL: gather information, assess damage, look for alternatives, take over maintenance, fork, or hire experts.
- Forking requires deep domain knowledge and community support, not just a random team effort.
- Investing in OSS health through contributions, funding, and community support can prevent abandonment.
- Corporate initiatives like HeroDevs' $20M fund and Bloomberg's FOSS Contributor Fund help sustain critical projects.
- Automated tools like SBOMs can help track EOL timelines, but proactive involvement is key to sustainability.