Is the Apache Incubator Right for Your Project?

Most projects that join the Apache Incubator successfully graduate and become top-level ASF projects. Some, however, face challenges along the way, and a few may retire or decide to leave. Before applying, it’s worth asking whether the ASF is the right home for your community.

Here are some of the things you should expect if your project enters incubation:

Getting Started May Take Time

Transferring the code, setting up repositories, mailing lists, and websites takes effort. Some steps are manual, and it may take longer than you expect.

You’ll Use ASF Infrastructure and Tools

The ASF provides a standard set of services. If your project currently relies on custom CI/CD systems, issue trackers, or bots, you may need to adjust.

Release Processes Will Change

Apache projects follow strict release rules to provide legal protection for contributors and users. Podlings run two community-wide votes for every release: one within the podling and one with the Incubator PMC. This takes time and may delay releases compared to your current process.

Communication Will Happen on Mailing Lists

All decisions must be made on publicly archived mailing lists. If your community primarily uses Slack, Discord, or real-time meetings, you’ll need to adapt to mailing list-based decision-making.

Licensing and IP Are Taken Seriously

Every source file must have the right license header. All contributors need to sign contributor agreements, and only compatible dependencies may be used. If your project includes incompatible code, you’ll need to replace or remove it.

Branding Must Follow ASF Guidelines

Projects must follow ASF branding policies. This sometimes means renaming repos, websites, or packages to avoid confusion with third-party sites.

No Single Company or Individual Runs the Show

The ASF emphasizes consensus and “community over code.” Projects cannot be controlled by a single vendor or benevolent dictator. Everyone in the community should have an equal voice.

Policies and Traditions Can Feel Bureaucratic

The ASF has rules designed to protect communities and users. For teams used to a more lightweight approach, this structure may take some getting used to.

Mentors Are Volunteers

Every podling has mentors to guide it. Mentors may sometimes be unavailable, and you may need to seek help from the wider Incubator community.

Learning the “Apache Way” Takes Time

The ASF’s culture of openness, meritocracy, and consensus may not be immediately apparent. Different people describe it differently. Expect to learn by doing.

Graduation Requires Full Compliance

Before your project can graduate from incubation, it must meet ASF requirements for licensing, governance, releases, and branding. Delaying this work can slow down your graduation.

Tip: If you run into problems, ask early — on your project’s dev@ list, with your mentors, or on the general@incubator list. The earlier you raise issues, the easier they are to fix.