#United States #San Francisco #Open Source #Linux Foundation #Chromium Browsers

The Linux Foundation's New Initiative to Support Chromium-Based Browsers

On January 9, 2025, the Linux Foundation announced a significant step towards promoting innovation within the open-source community with the launch of the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers initiative. This new project aims to fund and enhance developments within the Chromium ecosystem, reinforcing its commitment to open-source contributions that drive technological advancements.

The initiative represents a collaborative effort to create a neutral platform where various stakeholders—from industry leaders to academic institutions and independent developers—can converge to support the ongoing projects within the Chromium ecosystem. The core objective is to cultivate a cooperative environment that minimizes barriers, expands project adoption, and ensures these initiatives have the necessary resources to thrive.

Jim Zemlin, the Executive Director of the Linux Foundation, emphasized the importance of this project in a statement: _"With the launch of the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers, we are taking another step forward in empowering the open source community. This project will provide much-needed funding and development support for open development of projects within the Chromium ecosystem."_

Leading organizations in digital innovation, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Opera, have already pledged their support for this initiative. Their involvement illustrates a shared commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration among developers working on Chromium-based projects.

Parisa Tabriz, VP of Chrome, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, stating: _"With the incredible support of the Linux Foundation, we believe the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers is an important opportunity to create a sustainable platform to support industry leaders, academia, developers, and the broader open source community in the continued development and innovation of the Chromium ecosystem."_

Furthermore, Meghan Perez, VP of Microsoft Edge, highlighted the significance of this collaboration: _"Microsoft is pleased to join this initiative which will help drive collaboration within the Chromium ecosystem. This initiative aligns with our commitment to the web platform through meaningful and positive contributions, engagement in collaborative engineering, and partnerships with the community to achieve the best outcome for everyone using the web."_

Similarly, Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera, stated: _"As one of the major browsers contributing to the Chromium project, Opera is pleased to join the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers and to lend our efforts towards the development of the open-source ecosystem. We look forward to collaborating with members of the project to foster this growth and to keep building innovative and compelling products for all users."_

The governance model for the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers follows an open governance approach, taking inspiration from best practices established by other successful initiatives of the Linux Foundation. The primary focus of this structure is to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and community-driven development. To facilitate the initiative's growth and responsiveness to the community's needs, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be instituted.

About the Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is a pivotal organization for collaboration on open-source software, hardware, standards, and data, being integral to major global infrastructures, including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, PyTorch, and more. The foundation is committed to leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors and users to foster sustainable models for collaborative efforts. For more details, you can visit linuxfoundation.org.

As the world moves rapidly towards digital transformation, initiatives like the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers not only bolster technological growth but also underline the importance of shared resources and community support in achieving innovation.