The Apache Software Foundation

The Apache Software Foundation is an American nonprofit corporation that helps support many open-source software projects. It started from a group of developers who worked on the Apache HTTP Server and became an official organization on March 25, 1999. By 2021, it had about 1000 members.

The Apache Software Foundation is a group where developers work together in a friendly way. The software they create is shared under the Apache License, which is a special kind of open-source license that lets anyone use, change, and share the software freely. Each project is led by a team of experts who help make the software better.

The Apache Software Foundation wants to keep its volunteers safe and make sure that only the right people can use the "Apache" name. It also holds several Community Over Code conferences each year to talk about its projects and new technology ideas.

History

The Apache Software Foundation began with a group of developers working on a special kind of computer program called the Apache HTTP Server. In February 1993, eight developers started improving an existing program called the NCSA HTTPd. They officially formed the Apache Software Foundation on March 25, 1999.

The group chose the name “Apache” after watching a documentary about Geronimo and the Apache people, a Native American tribe. One of the founders, Brian Behlendorf, thought the name was interesting and romantic for their project.

Projects

See also: List of Apache Software Foundation projects

The Apache Software Foundation organizes its work into separate areas called "top-level projects." These areas are led by groups of volunteers. Before a project can join Apache, it must agree to share its rights with the foundation. This helps protect the projects and makes sure everyone can use and improve them freely.

Board of directors

The board of directors of The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) helps manage the foundation's work and resources. They take care of the foundation's money, property, and tools, and they choose leaders to run daily activities. However, each project makes its own technical decisions with its own group of members, not the board.

The board members as of March 6, 2025, are: Rich Bowen, Zili Chen, Shane Curcuru, Jim Jagielski, Justin Mclean, Jean-Baptiste Onofré, Greg Stein, Sander Striker, and Kanchana Welagedara.