CNCF and Synadia Collaborate to Ensure NATS.io Project's Future Stability

CNCF and Synadia Collaborate to Secure NATS.io's Future

In a significant move for the cloud-native ecosystem, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Synadia have joined forces to ensure the ongoing success of the NATS.io project. This collaboration, announced on May 1, 2025, marks a vital step in the sustainability and governance of the popular open-source messaging system widely adopted in modern applications.

The NATS project, which has garnered a robust community of developers and users, will continue to evolve with the robust backing of both organizations. CNCF, renowned for its leadership in fostering cloud-native technologies, will oversee the project's infrastructure and assets, thereby securing its future stability.

The Agreement

The partnership comes after extensive discussions aimed at aligning expectations and establishing open governance principles. As part of this agreement, Synadia has consented to transfer its NATS trademark registrations to the Linux Foundation. This strategic decision underscores a commitment to neutral stewardship, ensuring the project remains open and accessible to all contributors and users.

By entrusting the trademark to the Linux Foundation, both parties have taken measures to solidify the project's governance structure. The infrastructure, including assets like the NATS.io domain and GitHub repositories, will remain under CNCF’s care, allowing for continuous open-source development under the widely recognized Apache-2.0 license.

Community Commitment

CNCF's commitment to uphold open collaboration is evident in its approach to managing NATS. Todd Moore, Senior Vice President of Community Operations at the Linux Foundation, emphasized the importance of Synadia's role in the NATS ecosystem. He expressed gratitude for Synadia's ongoing efforts in both the development and trademark defense of NATS, highlighting their contributions as crucial in nurturing a community-driven project.

Despite the transition to CNCF’s governance, Synadia's passion for NATS remains unshaken. The company will continue its active role in contributing to and maintaining the NATS project, while also having the flexibility to pursue its own commercial initiatives based on the open-source platform. Derek Collison, Synadia’s CEO and one of the creators of NATS, expressed unwavering dedication to the project.

"NATS has been a labor of love for nearly 15 years," Collison remarked. He further emphasized that the Synadia team is wholeheartedly committed to providing impactful technology that benefits the global community—not only enriching their offerings but also connecting developers and enterprises across various sectors.

The Importance of NATS

NATS has become a critical infrastructure component for many organizations, facilitating real-time communications in cloud, on-premises, edge, and IoT environments. It empowers developers to build distributed applications swiftly, reinforcing the importance of seamless messaging solutions across industries.

With NATS's extensive adoption, the support from the global community for its continued development is vital. Observations from recent engagements have revealed considerable enthusiasm for maintaining NATS as a thriving open-source project, underscoring its value to many.

For organizations seeking enterprise-grade solutions built on NATS, further details can be found on Synadia's official website. Community members interested in participating in sustaining the project are encouraged to visit NATS.io for additional information.

The collaboration between CNCF and Synadia heralds a bright future for the NATS project, promising robust support and governance as it evolves. The industry can expect that both entities will ensure NATS continues to thrive, providing the necessary resources for it to flourish as a cornerstone in the open-source community long into the future.