The Apache Software Foundation

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Original synthesis to sit alongside the encyclopedia article below. Not part of Wikipedia; verify facts on Wikipedia when precision matters.

The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in the US, dedicated to supporting open-source software projects through community-driven governance. It hosts hundreds of widely used open-source projects across domains like web servers, big data, cloud computing, and software libraries, adhering to the "Apache Way" principles of transparency, collaboration, and merit-based contribution.

Key moments

February 1995The original Apache Group forms, modifying the NCSA HTTPd web server
June 1999ASF is incorporated as a formal non-profit organization
Early 2000sExpands beyond the HTTP server project to launch new open-source initiatives
2020sMaintains over 300 active open-source projects with thousands of global contributors

Governance and Core Principles

ASF operates under the "Apache Way", a set of practices that prioritize community consensus over top-down control. Each project is managed by a volunteer Project Management Committee (PMC), with decisions made through public discussion and merit-based promotion of contributors. The foundation also provides legal infrastructure, trademark support, and licensing guidance to ensure projects remain open and sustainable.

Industry Impact and Key Projects

ASF is one of the most influential open-source organizations globally. Its flagship projects include the Apache HTTP Server (long the world's most widely used web server), Hadoop and Spark for big data processing, Tomcat for Java web applications, and Kafka for real-time data streaming. These tools power millions of websites and enterprise systems worldwide, shaping modern software development practices.

Non-Profit Model and Sustainability

As a 501(c)(3) charity, ASF relies on sponsorships from tech companies and individual donations to fund its operations. It maintains strict neutrality, allowing competing corporations to collaborate on open-source projects without corporate control over community direction. This model has made it a trusted hub for global open-source collaboration.

Overview

The Apache Software Foundation

mapframe	yes
mapframe-coordinates	39.74728°N, -75.5496°W
type	501(c)(3) organization
focus	Open-source software
headquarters	1000 N West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, United States
method	Apache License
revenue	$2.31 million‡R1R‡

expenses	$2.01 million‡R1R‡

expenses year	2023

website	apache.org

formation	1999

The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) is an American nonprofit corporation (classified as a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States) that supports a number of open-source software projects. The ASF was formed from a group of developers of the Apache HTTP Server, and incorporated on March 25, 1999.[2][3] As of 2021, it includes approximately 1000 members.[4]

The Apache Software Foundation is a decentralized open source community of developers. The software they produce is distributed under the terms of the Apache License, a permissive open-source license for free and open-source software (FOSS). The Apache projects are characterized by a collaborative, consensus-based development process and an open and pragmatic software license, which is to say that it allows developers, who receive the software freely, to redistribute it under non-free terms.[5] Each project is managed by a self-selected team of technical experts who are active contributors to the project. The ASF is a meritocracy, with membership granted only to volunteers who have actively contributed to Apache projects.

Among the ASF's objectives are: to provide legal protection to volunteers working on Apache projects, and to prevent the "Apache" brand name from being used by other organizations without permission.[6]

The ASF holds several Community Over Code conferences each year, highlighting Apache projects and related technology.[7]

History

The history of the Apache Software Foundation is linked to the Apache HTTP Server. Beginning in February 1993, a group of eight developers—later known as the Apache Group—started working on enhancing the NCSA HTTPd daemon, and on March 25, 1999, they formed the Apache Software Foundation. [2] Its first official meeting was held on April 13, 1999, and after a series of additional meetings to elect board members and resolve other legal matters regarding incorporation, the effective incorporation date of the Apache Software Foundation was set to June 1, 1999.[3]

The initial "Apache Group" members of the Apache Software Foundation were: Brian Behlendorf, Ken Coar, Miguel Gonzales, Mark Cox, Lars Eilebrecht, Ralf S. Engelschall, Roy T. Fielding, Dean Gaudet, Ben Hyde, Jim Jagielski, Alexei Kosut, Martin Kraemer, Ben Laurie, Doug MacEachern, Aram Mirzadeh, Sameer Parekh, Cliff Skolnick, Marc Slemko, William (Bill) Stoddard, Paul Sutton, Randy Terbush and Dirk-Willem van Gulik.[8]

Co-founder Brian Behlendorf described why the

Projects

Apache divides its software development activities into separate semi-autonomous areas called "top-level projects" (formally known as a "Project Management Committee" in the bylaws[10]), some of which have a number of sub-projects. Unlike some other organizations that host FOSS projects, before a project is hosted at Apache it has to be licensed to the ASF with a grant or contributor agreement.[11] In this way, the ASF gains the necessary intellectual property rights for the development and distribution of all its projects.[12]

Board of directors

The board of directors of The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) is responsible for management and oversight of the business and affairs of the corporation in accordance with the Bylaws. This includes management of the corporate assets (funds, intellectual property, trademarks, and support equipment), appointment of a President and corporate officers managing the core operations of the ASF, and allocation of corporate resources for the benefit of Apache projects. Technical decision-making authority for every Apache project is assigned to their independent project management committee; the participants in each project provide direction, not the board. The board is elected annually by the ASF membership.[13]

Since March 6, 2025, the board of directors has been:[14][15][16][17]

External links

Supports Apache
ApacheCon website
"Trillions and Trillions Served" – Feature documentary by the Apache Software Foundation detailing its history and impact on the open-source software community (2020)

References

Apache Software Foundation, Tax Filings – Nonprofit Explorer Nonprofit Explorer, ProPublica, December 20, 2024, retrieved January 19, 2024^
Roy T. Fielding. Certificate of Incorporation of the Apache Software Foundation retrieved May 26, 2009^
Jim Jagielski. The Apache Software Foundation Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 01 June 1999

The Apache Software Foundation

WorldBrand briefing

Governance and Core Principles

Industry Impact and Key Projects

Non-Profit Model and Sustainability

History

Projects

Board of directors

See also

Further reading

External links

References