Exploring Apache incubator project trajectories with APEX
Anirudh Ramchandran, Likang Yin, Vladimir Filkov · 2022
Open Source Software (OSS) is a major component of our digital infrastructure, yet more than 80% of such projects fail. Seeking less uncertainty, many OSS projects join established software communities, e.g., the Apache Software Foundation (ASF), with established rules and community support to guide projects toward sustainability. In their nascent stage, ASF projects are incubated in the ASF incubator (ASFI), which provides systematic mentorship toward long-term sustainability. Projects in ASFI eventually conclude their incubation by either graduating, if successful, or retiring, if not.