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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +layout: default |
| 3 | +title: What's Next for EDG |
| 4 | +permalink: /announcement/ |
| 5 | +description: >- |
| 6 | + A note from John Spicer on EDG's C++ front end becoming open source, with |
| 7 | + answers to frequently asked questions about the transition. |
| 8 | +--- |
| 9 | +<section class="hero hero--compact" aria-labelledby="hero-title"> |
| 10 | + <div class="container"> |
| 11 | + <p class="eyebrow eyebrow--on-dark">The EDG open source transition</p> |
| 12 | + <h1 id="hero-title">What’s next for EDG</h1> |
| 13 | + <p class="lead">A note from John Spicer on EDG's move to open source, followed by answers to the questions EDG users are most likely to ask about the transition.</p> |
| 14 | + <div class="hero__actions"> |
| 15 | + <a class="button button--primary" href="#note">Read the note</a> |
| 16 | + <a class="button button--ghost" href="#faq">Jump to the FAQ</a> |
| 17 | + </div> |
| 18 | + </div> |
| 19 | +</section> |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +<section id="note" class="section" aria-labelledby="note-title"> |
| 22 | + <div class="container"> |
| 23 | + <p class="eyebrow">Announcement</p> |
| 24 | + <h2 id="note-title">A note from John Spicer</h2> |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | + <article class="letter"> |
| 27 | + <p>Hello members of the C++ community,</p> |
| 28 | + <p>I wanted to share some news about EDG and where we’re headed next.</p> |
| 29 | + <p>After many years of developing and supporting EDG’s C++ front end, we’ve decided to make it open source. On September 30, 2026, the source code will be publicly available at <a href="{{ site.github_url }}">github.com/edgcpp</a>. The C++ Alliance, a nonprofit, will be the open-source home of the open-source project. The project will work under a fiscal sponsorship agreement, similar to how Boost operates. In addition, the C++ Alliance will explore ways in which it can facilitate EDG development going forward.</p> |
| 30 | + <p>This is a significant change for EDG, and I believe it’s the right path forward. A lot has gone into this technology over the years, and it has found its way into more compilers, tools and products than I could have imagined when we started. Open source means more people in the C++ community can use it, contribute to it and help shape what comes next.</p> |
| 31 | + <p>I’ll stay closely involved. I’ll chair the Fiscal Sponsorship Committee, which will oversee the project’s development alongside volunteers from the EDG user community.</p> |
| 32 | + <p>For those of you who use EDG today, the first questions are likely to be practical ones: what changes, what stays the same, how the project will be maintained and what this means for you. Our <a href="#faq">FAQ</a> answers those questions, and we’ll share more as the transition moves forward.</p> |
| 33 | + <p>Everyone at EDG has worked very hard to meet, and hopefully exceed the expectations of our customers in terms of the quality of our product and the service that we have provided.</p> |
| 34 | + <p>We are entering a new chapter in the life of the EDG C++ Front End. In this chapter, each of you and others in the C++ community will write what happens next.</p> |
| 35 | + <p>On behalf of all of the people that have worked to make the EDG C++ Front End what it is, I hope that our users and the C++ community will take what has been produced and continue its development to stand alongside of g++ and clang as fundamental tools of the C++ world.</p> |
| 36 | + <p>I also want to thank the many people who have worked with us over the years. EDG has benefited enormously from its users. That goes beyond your business to the questions, bug reports, difficult test cases and conversations that made the technology better.</p> |
| 37 | + <p>I hope many of you will stay involved in this next phase. If you have questions, concerns or ideas about where EDG should go from here, please reach out.</p> |
| 38 | + <p>My deepest appreciation to all of our customers for their support over the many years.</p> |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | + <p class="letter__signoff">Best,<br><span class="letter__name">John Spicer</span></p> |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | + <div class="letter__postscript"> |
| 43 | + <p><strong>P.S.:</strong> EDG has had the privilege of an incredible team over the years. They are acknowledged in the <code>cfe.c</code> source file, but I would also like to acknowledge them here (in chronological order by start date at EDG):</p> |
| 44 | + <ol class="team"> |
| 45 | + <li>J. Stephen Adamczyk <span class="team__note">(founder and visionary of EDG)</span></li> |
| 46 | + <li>R. Michael Anderson</li> |
| 47 | + <li>Daveed Vandevoorde</li> |
| 48 | + <li>William M. Miller</li> |
| 49 | + <li>Michael J. Herrick</li> |
| 50 | + <li>Ellen Herrick</li> |
| 51 | + <li>Nina Ranns</li> |
| 52 | + <li>Caleb Sunstrum</li> |
| 53 | + <li>Wyatt Childers</li> |
| 54 | + <li>Christof Meerwald</li> |
| 55 | + </ol> |
| 56 | + </div> |
| 57 | + </article> |
| 58 | + </div> |
| 59 | +</section> |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +<section id="faq" class="section section--alt" aria-labelledby="faq-title"> |
| 62 | + <div class="container"> |
| 63 | + <p class="eyebrow">FAQ</p> |
| 64 | + <h2 id="faq-title">Frequently asked questions</h2> |
| 65 | + <p class="section__lead">What the transition means for EDG users, the code, and the people who maintain it.</p> |
| 66 | + |
| 67 | + <ol class="faq"> |
| 68 | + <li id="faq-what-is-changing"> |
| 69 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">01</span> |
| 70 | + <div> |
| 71 | + <h3>What is changing with EDG?</h3> |
| 72 | + <p>EDG’s C++ front end is becoming open source, with the C++ Alliance serving as the project’s nonprofit fiscal sponsor. The change opens EDG’s continued development to developers and organizations across the C++ community.</p> |
| 73 | + </div> |
| 74 | + </li> |
| 75 | + <li id="faq-why-open-source"> |
| 76 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">02</span> |
| 77 | + <div> |
| 78 | + <h3>Why is EDG becoming open source?</h3> |
| 79 | + <p>EDG has played an important role supporting compilers and developer tools across the C++ ecosystem for decades. Opening the code lets more people learn from it, build on it and help shape its future.</p> |
| 80 | + </div> |
| 81 | + </li> |
| 82 | + <li id="faq-alliance-role"> |
| 83 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">03</span> |
| 84 | + <div> |
| 85 | + <h3>What role will the C++ Alliance play?</h3> |
| 86 | + <p>The C++ Alliance will give the project a nonprofit home and support the infrastructure and funding it needs, similar to the model the Alliance uses for Boost.</p> |
| 87 | + </div> |
| 88 | + </li> |
| 89 | + <li id="faq-going-away"> |
| 90 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">04</span> |
| 91 | + <div> |
| 92 | + <h3>Is EDG going away?</h3> |
| 93 | + <p>No. EDG as a corporation is going away, but the front end will be open-sourced and continue to be developed and be usable for a larger audience.</p> |
| 94 | + </div> |
| 95 | + </li> |
| 96 | + <li id="faq-current-users"> |
| 97 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">05</span> |
| 98 | + <div> |
| 99 | + <h3>What does this mean for current EDG users?</h3> |
| 100 | + <p>The EDG C++ Front End will be supported by the C++ community in the same way as g++ and clang.</p> |
| 101 | + <!-- |
| 102 | + TODO: the draft FAQ has an open note here: |
| 103 | + "[ anything you want to say about C++ Alliance support ]" |
| 104 | + --> |
| 105 | + </div> |
| 106 | + </li> |
| 107 | + <li id="faq-availability"> |
| 108 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">06</span> |
| 109 | + <div> |
| 110 | + <h3>When will the source code be available?</h3> |
| 111 | + <p>The code will be available at edgcpp.org on September 30 under the LLVM license. Details on how to contribute will follow.</p> |
| 112 | + </div> |
| 113 | + </li> |
| 114 | + <li id="faq-commercial-use"> |
| 115 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">07</span> |
| 116 | + <div> |
| 117 | + <h3>Can organizations continue to build commercial products using EDG?</h3> |
| 118 | + <p>Yes. The LLVM license permits commercial use, subject to its terms. Organizations with existing agreements can continue under those terms.</p> |
| 119 | + </div> |
| 120 | + </li> |
| 121 | + <li id="faq-maintainers"> |
| 122 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">08</span> |
| 123 | + <div> |
| 124 | + <h3>Who will maintain EDG, and how will decisions be made?</h3> |
| 125 | + <p>The experienced EDG engineers will serve as the initial maintainers. Over time, the goal is an open process that welcomes community contributors while keeping the technical quality EDG is known for.</p> |
| 126 | + </div> |
| 127 | + </li> |
| 128 | + <li id="faq-new-standards"> |
| 129 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">09</span> |
| 130 | + <div> |
| 131 | + <h3>Will EDG continue to support new C++ standards?</h3> |
| 132 | + <p>Yes, with the support of the community. Standard conformance has long been one of EDG’s strengths and remains a priority. Roadmap details will be shared as they’re finalized.</p> |
| 133 | + </div> |
| 134 | + </li> |
| 135 | + <li id="faq-get-involved"> |
| 136 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">10</span> |
| 137 | + <div> |
| 138 | + <h3>How can developers and current users get involved?</h3> |
| 139 | + <p>Once the repository is live, developers can report issues, contribute code and join technical discussions. Current users bring real-world experience with EDG, and their input is especially welcome. Questions and feedback can go to <a href="mailto:jhs@edg.com">jhs@edg.com</a>.</p> |
| 140 | + </div> |
| 141 | + </li> |
| 142 | + <li id="faq-contact"> |
| 143 | + <span class="faq__number" aria-hidden="true">11</span> |
| 144 | + <div> |
| 145 | + <h3>Who should users contact with questions about the transition?</h3> |
| 146 | + <p>Questions can be directed to <a href="mailto:jhs@edg.com">jhs@edg.com</a>. We also welcome feedback from existing users about what they would like to see as the project moves forward.</p> |
| 147 | + </div> |
| 148 | + </li> |
| 149 | + </ol> |
| 150 | + </div> |
| 151 | +</section> |
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