Meta is transferring React, React Native, and JSX to a new organization: the React Foundation. This foundation will become part of the Linux Foundation. The organization’s purpose is to ensure that the development of the popular JavaScript framework is no longer under the direct influence of a single company.
React was developed by Facebook in 2013. It has grown to become the most widely used front-end framework for web development. According to the State of JavaScript survey, it is now used by more than 80 percent of developers. React Native has also played a major role in the development of cross-platform apps, including at Microsoft.
The React Foundation will be tasked with managing React’s infrastructure. This includes GitHub, CI systems, and trademarks. The foundation will also organize React Conf and provide financial support to projects within the ecosystem, for example, through grants and development programs.
Seth Webster, head of React at Meta, will be the foundation’s first executive director. The board of directors will oversee the use of resources and ensure that the foundation remains vendor-neutral.
Broadly supported community
The founding members of the new foundation are Amazon, Callstack, Expo, Meta, Microsoft, Software Mansion, and Vercel. According to Meta, these companies have made a significant contribution to the React ecosystem. The organization wants to further expand its membership, creating a broad-based community that supports the development of React.
In addition to establishing the foundation, Meta is working on a new technical governance structure. This structure will operate independently of the React Foundation and will determine the project’s technical direction. Meta’s aim is to prevent any single supplier or organization from gaining too much influence. The new structure will be developed in consultation with the open-source community.
The move comes amid criticism within the React community about the role of certain companies, particularly Vercel, which maintains the popular Next.js framework. A significant portion of the React Core team comprises employees from Meta and Vercel, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. With the new governance structure, anchored within the Linux Foundation, Meta aims to address these concerns and secure the future of React as an open, independent project.