Terraform Fork Renamed and Joins Linux Foundation
In a significant development for the open-source community, the official fork of Terraform, a popular open-source project by HashiCorp, has changed its name to OpenTofu. The Linux Foundation, in an announcement, has declared OpenTofu as an open-source project under its umbrella. Simultaneously, OpenTofu has applied for membership in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), which will further solidify its position.
A Playful Name with a Serious Purpose
While the name OpenTofu may exude a lighthearted tone, it underscores the project’s underlying mission. Yevgeniy Brikman, a member of the OpenTofu founding team and co-founder of Gruntwork, emphasized the team’s commitment to humor while building an open-source fork.
OpenTofu emerged in response to HashiCorp’s transition from an open-source Mozilla Public License v2.0 to a Business Source License v1.1 for Terraform. This licensing shift ignited discontent within the open-source community, prompting the creation of OpenTofu as a community-driven and open alternative.
HashiCorp’s implemented the license change as a strategic move to safeguard a core aspect of business
According to Armon Dadgar, co-founder of HashiCorp, this decision aimed to counter vendors who exploit open-source projects for commercial purposes without giving back to the community. At the same time, opinions on the license shift may vary, and HashiCorp’s actions are aligned with its long-term business strategy.
Paving the Way for Industry Adoption
The future success of OpenTofu hinges on its ability to attract larger enterprises. Brikman acknowledged that this would be a gradual process but expressed confidence that as OpenTofu achieves milestones and gains community support, major players such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft will take notice and become involved.
OpenTofu’s roadmap includes a transparent plan for an alpha release, followed by stable releases aimed at growing adoption and winning industry support.
