diff --git a/content/inside-rust/sunsetting-the-rustwasm-github-org.md b/content/inside-rust/sunsetting-the-rustwasm-github-org.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..f5f7bf66a --- /dev/null +++ b/content/inside-rust/sunsetting-the-rustwasm-github-org.md @@ -0,0 +1,136 @@ ++++ +path = "inside-rust/2025/07/17/sunsetting-the-rustwasm-github-org" +title = "Sunsetting the rustwasm GitHub org" +authors = ["Alex Crichton"] +aliases = [] ++++ + +In 2024 the Rust and WebAssembly Working Group was [officially +archived][archive] in the Rust project after ~5 years of inactivity with an +intent to shut down the [rustwasm] GitHub Organization soon after. Although a +bit later than intended the purpose of this post is to give a concrete timeline +for this process in which the [rustwasm] GitHub Organization will become fully +archived. + +The [`wasm-bindgen`] repository is going to be transferred to a new +[wasm-bindgen organization][wbgorg] with new additional maintainers. All +other repositories in the [rustwasm] organization are going to be archived in +place or transferred to their existing maintainers if they elect to do so. +Transferring [`wasm-bindgen`] will occur in the weeks following this post and +archiving the organization is going to happen September 2025. + +The [rustwasm] organization has historically been under the purview of the Rust +and WebAssembly Working Group, and given the historical prominence of some +projects it contained, this post is serving as an announcement of upcoming plans +for repositories in the organization. + +[archive]: https://github.com/rust-lang/team/pull/1489 +[wbgorg]: https://github.com/wasm-bindgen + +## History of the Rust and WebAssembly Working Group + +The Rust and WebAssembly Working Group was [created in 2018][create] as part of +the initiative for the 2018 edition at the time. Through 2019 the +working group was quite active and helped Rust's support for WebAssembly +flourish. Tools such as [`wasm-bindgen`] and [`wasm-pack`] were created as part +of this effort and continue to be used to this day. After 2019 though the +organization saw a drastic reduction in activity and most projects have been in +maintenance mode for nearly 5 years at this point. + +While the working group has been officially archived for over a year now the +repositories in the [rustwasm] organization continued on and continued to see +some use and minor maintenance. This has perpetuated a confusing situation for +users and maintainers alike where it's not clear what the maintenance story for +many of these repositories are and how to move forward with the repositories +that are actively in use. + +## Sunsetting the `rustwasm` Organization + +In September of 2025 the [rustwasm] GitHub organization will be archived to +cease all activity within the organization. This will help clarify that +[rustwasm] is no longer a central hub for all things Rust-and-WebAssembly but +instead is a historical archive of efforts. + +The [rustwasm] organization has a number of repositories within it, most of +which haven't seen any activity in quite some time. The current plan at this +time is to arrange for [`wasm-bindgen`] to be transferred to a new +[project-specific organization][wbgorg] and additionally add new fresh +maintainers to assist with project direction going forward. All other +repositories in the [rustwasm] organization will be archived or transferred to +their existing maintainers if needed. + +### Transferring `wasm-bindgen` + +The [`wasm-bindgen`] project is relied on in a number of contexts today and +existing users have expressed interest in both maintaining and growing the +repository over time. The [rustwasm] organization is no longer a great home for +this work so the plan is to transfer it out to a new home in a neutral location +not owned by any one person or company. This transfer will be coupled with +inviting new maintainers to the repository for improved project maintenance in +addition to evolving the project. + +While a critical mass of new maintainers has already been reached, if you are +interested in helping out with maintenance [an issue has been +created][wasm-bindgen-help] to coordinate efforts around maintenance with +[`wasm-bindgen`]. Feel free to leave a comment there to help out with this +transition. + +### Archiving other repositories + +The current plan at this time is to archive all other repositories in the +[rustwasm] organization. This includes repositories such as: + +* https://github.com/rustwasm/wasm-pack +* https://github.com/rustwasm/gloo +* https://github.com/rustwasm/twiggy +* https://github.com/rustwasm/walrus +* https://github.com/rustwasm/weedle +* (see https://github.com/orgs/rustwasm/repositories for the full list) + +> **Note**: wasm-bindgen depends on crates such as `walrus` and `weedle` at this +> time and won't depend on archived repositories. Depending on how maintainers +> would like to organize it these dependencies may be inlined into the +> wasm-bindgen repository for wasm-bindgen's needs or they may be transferred to +> the new wasm-bindgen organization. Regardless wasm-bindgen will not be using +> unmaintained dependencies. + +If you are an preexisting maintainer of one of these repositories please reach +out to have the repository transferred to you. Otherwise it's not clear at this +time whether these repositories are still actively in use or how much they're +relied on. The historically trusted nature of the [rustwasm] organization means +it's not quite as simple as transferring these repositories to the first +volunteer. Instead transferring repositories will require vetting new +maintainers for trustworthiness and reliability and unfortunately the current +admin of the [rustwasm] organization is not prepared to do this. + +If your use case critically relies on these repositories it is +recommended to fork the repository. Where required it's possible to leave a +message in the old README pointing to the fork. If a fork is not viable then +understanding is appreciated in that the [rustwasm] organization has been +inactive for over 5 years now and there are no known active maintainers to +reach out to. Charting a path for each repository requires a significant amount +of effort to understand current users and plan for future users and no one is +available to perform this work. The goal of this effort is to do the best with +maintainers/admins that still remain and while not a perfect answer it's +predicted the best answer in many cases here is archiving the repository. + +As an absolute last resort you can reach out to [@alexcrichton] on Zulip to +discuss alternatives. + +## Timeline for transfers/archives + +The [`wasm-bindgen`] repository will be transferred to a new [wasm-bindgen +organization][wbgorg] in the weeks after this post. Some minor details still +need to be sorted out maintainer-wise and that's all that's left to do. +Afterwards a final grace period will be allowed until September at which point +the [rustwasm] organization will become fully archived. Issues will be filed in +various repositories giving a heads up to any interested folks indicating as +such. + +[rustwasm]: https://github.com/rustwasm +[create]: https://blog.rust-lang.org/2018/12/06/Rust-1.31-and-rust-2018/ +[`wasm-bindgen`]: https://github.com/rustwasm/wasm-bindgen +[`wasm-pack`]: https://github.com/rustwasm/wasm-pack +[@alexcrichton]: https://github.com/alexcrichton +[wasm-bindgen-help]: https://github.com/rustwasm/wasm-bindgen/issues/4533 +