Note: This article was written in October 2022
Understanding open source is key to understanding Web3 and some root causes of how our world operates.
In this article, we'll explore various topics including today's open source ecosystem, the crucial role of foundations like Linux and Apache, thriving open source communities such as Kubernetes, and the comparison between companies, open source communities, and DAOs.
Let's start with a quick recap:
- The open source movement truly took off when Linus Torvalds created Git, helping Linux become the first globally successful open source community.
- Since the new millennium, we've seen three generations of open source business models. Companies like Red Hat, MongoDB, and HashiCorp (Terraform) have proven that open source can be a mature and innovative approach to software development, gaining favor in both private and public markets.
However, even "successful" open source startups face challenges:
- Time to market: Open source projects often take years or even decades to mature, which can seem slow compared to the rapid iteration cycles of traditional companies.
- Contributor retention: Unlike company employees, open source contributors often lack financial incentives. This can lead to high turnover in the community and slower overall progress.
Today's Open Source Ecosystem
Looking at how roles have evolved, the open source landscape has become clearer: Open source companies (like PingCap in China and HashiCorp with Terraform internationally) drive innovation using open source methods. To balance various interests, foundations like Linux and Apache emerged, accepting project donations and supporting development. When projects become industry standards, they often partner with cloud giants to offer SaaS solutions:
How crucial are foundations like Linux and Apache? Let's use CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation), a Linux Foundation sub-one, as an example. Consider this partial screenshot from the CNCF Cloud Native Interactive Landscape:
Note how numerous renowned projects like Kubernetes (container orchestration), gRPC (remote procedure calls), and etcd (service discovery) all fall under this foundation's umbrella. It's fair to say that without CNCF, established in 2015, nurturing these open source technologies, cloud computing's commercialization would have lagged significantly.
Foundations like Linux and Apache act much like the United Nations, balancing various interests NGO-style. This approach encourages newcomers and established players alike to contribute without fear that early adopters will monopolize community benefits.
These foundations also manage projects, hold copyrights, and provide comprehensive support including incubation, legal assistance, event exposure, community building, and mentorship. Seasoned open source veterans guide newcomers, much like Apache's renowned mentorship program.
CNCF, for instance, has a robust governance structure. During my tenure at Alibaba Cloud, I oversaw the donation of several infrastructure projects. The process was akin to a corporate acquisition, involving months of work and extensive legal documentation.
Similar to the UN's Security Council, CNCF has a Technical Oversight Committee (TOC), with representatives typically appointed by major financial backers:
Lei Zhang was my direct superior at Alibaba Cloud before he moved to Microsoft
While these foundations aren't entirely neutral, given their funding from tech giants, they provide sufficient ground for innovation. They've evolved into a Nash equilibrium for all stakeholders in the ecosystem.
What Makes a Top-Tier Open Source Community?
Let's examine one of the most popular open source projects: Kubernetes, a cornerstone of cloud computing.
As of now, it boasts 93k stars, over 3k contributors, and 70k Pull Requests. Imagine a software company with 3,000 employees - it would undoubtedly be a massive unicorn.
The project's open source code resides in the Kubernetes Organization on GitHub, featuring:
- Multiple repositories: main code, documentation, community, and more
- Fully open-sourced official website code in the docs repo
- A code of conduct
- A well-defined community governance structure
Open source communities often outperform traditional companies in driving software innovation. However, they haven't discarded proven corporate practices - they've adapted them. The community governance structure, typically detailed in the community repo's governance.md file, is a prime example:
Looks familiar, doesn't it?
- The Steering Committee mirrors a company's C-suite
- Sub-projects, or SIGs (Special Interest Groups), are akin to business units
- Working Groups facilitate cross-project collaboration
- The code of conduct serves as the community's "employee handbook"
The key distinction is that open source communities divide labor by roles, not power. There's no hierarchy, avoiding the common corporate pitfall where subordinates curry favor instead of letting their work speak for itself. In an open source community, if the best ideas aren't implemented, everyone faces the project's potential failure.
It's all for one and one for all. Paradoxically, these communities, devoid of salaries or monetary benefits, often foster a sense of ownership rivaling that of company shareholders. It's evident that developers who invest significant time and energy in a project truly believe in its vision.
Now, let's bring DAOs into the mix and compare all three in 2022: Companies vs Open Source Communities vs DAOs:
The centuries-old company structure (particularly LLCs) seems to be showing its age, struggling to consistently deliver innovation.
Open source communities, after decades of successful commercialization, are like seasoned professionals, but lack a solid legal foundation.
DAOs, the new kids on the block, are full of potential but inexperienced, seeking guidance from their predecessors.
Upstream First: Don't Reinvent the Wheel
Open source might sound like tech jargon, but it's actually a key player in our digital world. Understanding it can give you a fresh perspective on how things work and even help you make smarter investments. Take the "Upstream First" principle, for example. While it's common for developers to branch off and do their own thing (we call it "forking" in the biz), this principle reminds us: "Hey, let's not duplicate work if we don't have to."
So, next time you hear about a shiny new blockchain, put on your skeptic's hat. Ask yourself: Is this truly groundbreaking, or just another attempt to attract investors? Remember, if Ethereum isn't fundamentally broken, the open source community would rather build on it than start from scratch. It's all about standing on the shoulders of giants, not reinventing the wheel.
Stay tuned for our next deep dive into "The Open Source Story."
We'll unpack why open source contributors joke about "coding for love," yet keep at it with boundless enthusiasm, even without a paycheck.
What makes open source tick? And what's the real deal behind principles like "Upstream First"?
Adios~
