View source for Fedora Project

{{short description|Community that develops Fedora Linux operating system}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = Fedora Project
| image                    = Fedora logo (2021).svg
| founder                  = Warren Togami, [[Red Hat]] et al.
| type                     = Community
| tax_id                   =
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| founded_date             = {{Start date and age|2003|09|22|df=yes}}
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| leader_name              = Jef Spaleta<ref>{{cite web |title=Fedora Project Leader |url=https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/council/fpl/ |access-date=September 23, 2025 |website=Fedora Docs |publisher=Fedora Project}}</ref>
| area_served              =
| products                 = [[Fedora Linux]], [[389 Directory Server]]
| services                 =
| focus                    = [[Open source]]
| mission                  =
| method                   = Artwork, development, documentation, promotion, and translation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Projects |url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424163547/https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects |archive-date=April 24, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2013 |publisher=Fedora Project}}</ref>
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| homepage                 = {{URL|https://fedoraproject.org/}}
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}}

The '''Fedora Project''' is an independent project<ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FAQ#Is_the_Fedora_Project_independent_of_Red_Hat.2C_Inc..3F |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118150953/https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FAQ |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |access-date=January 18, 2022 |website=Fedora Project Wiki |publisher=Fedora Project |quote=Is the Fedora Project independent of Red Hat, Inc.? The Fedora Project is a community project, separate from Red Hat, but Red Hat sponsors the Fedora Project and provides a great deal of valuable management and resources to the Fedora Project. Red Hat uses the material that the Fedora Project produces to develop its enterprise platform offerings. Red Hat has a strong interest in Fedora, and the success of the Fedora Project has been thanks to the great contributions of Red Hat.}}</ref> to coordinate the development of [[Fedora Linux]], a [[Linux]]-based [[operating system]], operating with the mission of creating "''an innovative platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users''".<ref name="docs.fedoraproject.org">{{cite web |title=Mission Statement |url=https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/#_our_mission |access-date=May 8, 2020 |website=Fedora Docs}}</ref>

The project also oversees Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux, a special interest group which maintains the eponymous packages.<ref name="epel" /> The project was founded in 2003 as a result of a merger between the [[Red Hat Linux]] (RHL) and Fedora Linux projects. It is sponsored by [[Red Hat]] primarily, but its employees make up only 35% of project contributors, and most of the over 2,000 contributors are unaffiliated members of the community.<ref>{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Matthew |date=August 2016 |title=State of Fedora August 2016 |url=https://mattdm.org/fedora/2016flock/StateofFedoraAugust2016-v160731a.pdf |access-date=May 25, 2017 |website=mattdm.org}}</ref>

== History ==
The Fedora Project was founded in November 2003<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Rebecca |date=November 7, 2003 |title=Red Hat parades Fedora Core 1 |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240053365/Red-Hat-parades-Fedora-Core-1 |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=ComputerWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref> when Red Hat decided to split [[Red Hat Linux]] into [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] (RHEL) and a community-based operating system, Fedora.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 22, 2003 |title=Announcement: Red Hat Linux Merging with Fedora Linux |url=http://www.fedora.us/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031001204515/http://www.fedora.us/ |archive-date=October 1, 2003 |website=fedora.us}}</ref> Red Hat Professional Workstation was created at this same time.<ref>{{cite web |last=Prince |first=Jason |date=February 14, 2004 |title=Red Hat Professional Workstation: More Expensive, Fewer features |url=http://www.linux.com/articles/34346?theme=print |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204030555/http://www.linux.com/articles/34346?theme=print |archive-date=December 4, 2007 |access-date=December 21, 2007 |publisher=Linux.com}}</ref>

=== Fedora operating system ===
{{Main|Fedora Linux}}
Fedora Linux, then known as "Fedora Core," was a fork of RHL launched in 2003. It was introduced as a free-of-cost, community-supported alternative intended for home use, shortly after Red Hat discontinued RHL in favor of [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] (RHEL).<ref name="newdirection">{{cite mailing list |last=Johnson |first=Michael K. |title=Fedora Project: Announcing New Direction |mailing-list=Fedora development |date=September 22, 2003 |url=http://www.redhat.com/archives/rhl-list/2003-September/msg00064.html |access-date=October 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120053411/http://www.redhat.com/archives/rhl-list/2003-September/msg00064.html |archive-date=November 20, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> RHEL branches its releases from versions of Fedora.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burke |first=Tim |date=August 22, 2006 |title=The Fedora Project and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Part 4 of 4: Red Hat Enterprise Linux development |url=http://www.redhat.com/magazine/022aug06/features/fedora_rhel_4/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012162113/http://www.redhat.com/magazine/022aug06/features/fedora_rhel_4/ |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=October 18, 2007 |series=Red Hat Magazine, Issue No. 22 |publisher=Red Hat}}</ref>

Since the release of Fedora 21 in December 2014, three editions have been made available: [[personal computer]], [[Server (computing)|server]] and [[cloud computing]]. This was expanded to five editions for [[Containerization (computing)|containerization]] and [[Internet of Things]] (IoT) as of the release of Fedora 37 in November 2022.<ref name="arstechnica fedora21">{{cite web |last=Gilbertson |first=Scott |date=January 16, 2015 |title=Fedora 21 review: Linux's sprawliest distro finds a new focus |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/fedora-21-review-linuxs-sprawliest-distro-finds-a-new-focus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130114711/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/fedora-21-review-linuxs-sprawliest-distro-finds-a-new-focus/ |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |access-date=July 15, 2017 |publisher=ArsTechnica.com}}</ref><ref name="official website">{{cite web |title=Fedora |url=https://getfedora.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106140006/https://getfedora.org/ |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |access-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref> A new version of Fedora Linux is released every six months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fedora Linux Releases |url=https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/releases/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831003744/https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/releases/ |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |publisher=Fedora Project}}</ref>

The current release is Fedora 42, which was released on 15 April 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Matthew |date=April 15, 2025 |title=The answer is 42! Fedora Linux 42, that is. |url=https://fedoramagazine.org/announcing-fedora-linux-42/ |access-date=April 16, 2025 |website=Fedora Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Security intrusion ===
In August 2008, several Fedora servers were compromised. Upon investigation it was found that one of the compromised servers was used for signing Fedora update [[Software package (installation)|packages]]. The Fedora Project stated that the attacker(s) did not get the package [[Digital signature#Authentication|signing key]] which could be used to introduce malicious software onto Fedora users' systems through the update process. Project administrators performed checks on the software and did not find anything to suggest that a [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horse]] had been introduced into the software. As a precaution the project converted to new package signing keys.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemos |first=Robert |date=August 22, 2008 |title=Online intruders hit Red Hat, Fedora Project |url=http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11532 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121153207/http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11532 |archive-date=November 21, 2008 |website=SecurityFocus}}</ref><ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Frields |first=Paul W. |title=Infrastructure report, 2008-08-22 UTC 1200 |mailing-list=fedora-announce-list |date=August 22, 2008 |url=https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2008-August/msg00012.html |access-date=October 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080824222621/https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2008-August/msg00012.html |archive-date=August 24, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Fedora published the full details on March 30, 2009.<ref>{{cite mailing list |last=Frields |first=Paul W. |title=Update and Report on Fedora August 2008 Intrusion |mailing-list=fedora-announce-list |date=March 30, 2009 |url=https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2009-March/msg00010.html |access-date=October 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403083329/https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2009-March/msg00010.html |archive-date=April 3, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Governance ==
The Fedora Project is not a separate legal entity or organization; Red Hat retains liability for its actions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roblimo |date=August 18, 2006 |title=Fedora Project Leader Max Spevack Responds to Slashdot Questions |url=http://interviews.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/17/177220 |access-date=February 12, 2007 |website=interviews.slashdot.org}}</ref> The Fedora Council is the top-level community leadership and governance body. The Council is composed of a mix of representatives from different areas of the project, named roles appointed by Red Hat, and a variable number of seats connected to medium-term project goals.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fedora Council Charter |url=http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Council |access-date=May 27, 2016 |website=Fedora Project}}</ref> The previous governance structure (Fedora Board) comprised five Red Hat appointed members and five community-elected members. Additionally, Fedora Project leader had a [[veto]] power over any board decision; in the current model, all voting members can block on issues, with a valid reason.<ref name=":0" /> Red Hat at one point announced intentions to create a separate ''Fedora Foundation'' to govern the project,<ref>{{cite web |last=Galli |first=Peter |date=June 3, 2005 |title=Red Hat Creates Fedora Foundation |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Red-Hat-Creates-Fedora-Foundation/ |access-date=March 29, 2014 |website=eweek.com}}</ref> but after consideration of a variety of issues, canceled it in favor of the board model currently in place.<ref>{{cite web |title=Foundation |url=http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Foundation |access-date=February 6, 2007 |website=Fedora Project Wiki}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list |last=Spevack |first=Max |title=Fedora Foundation |mailing-list=fedora-announce-list |date=April 4, 2006 |url=http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2006-April/msg00016.html |access-date=October 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419031916/https://listman.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2006-April/msg00016.html |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The community is also involved in organizing lower levels of leadership, both the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee (FESCo) and the Mindshare Committee (responsible for technical and community oversight, respectively) are community-elected bodies which manage significant portions of the project.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fedora Engineering Steering Committee |url=https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fesco/#_common_tasks_and_responsibilities |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=Fedora Docs |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fedora Mindshare Committee |url=https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/mindshare-committee/#responsibilities |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=Fedora Docs |language=en}}</ref>

The project facilitates online communication among its developers and community members through public mailing lists and wiki pages. It also coordinates two main events, known as the [[fedora:FUDCon|Fedora Users and Developers Conference]] (FUDCon) and [[fedora:Flock|Flock]] (or Flock to Fedora). FUDCon is a free software event held at different locations in the two designated regions of Latin America and Asia/Pacific. Typically, it revolves around some combination of conferencing, social events, and a [[hackathon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FUDCon |url=http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FUDCon/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008123509/http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FUDCon/ |archive-date=October 8, 2007 |access-date=February 12, 2007 |website=Fedora Project Wiki}}</ref> Flock is a similar event which replaced FUDCon in North America and Europe/the Middle East.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fedora Project Conference |url=https://flocktofedora.org/ |access-date=May 25, 2017 |publisher=Fedora Project}}</ref> Task-specific, flexibly scheduled events known as Fedora Activity Days also gather many project contributors together in various regions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fedora Activity Day |url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_Activity_Day_-_FAD |access-date=May 25, 2017 |website=Fedora Project Wiki |publisher=Fedora Project}}</ref>

== Sub-projects ==
=== Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) ===
'''EPEL''' is a repository of extra packages published by the Fedora project, which can be expected to work in [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] (RHEL) and [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux derivatives]] systems.
EPEL is organised by a Fedora Special Interest Group.<ref name="epel">{{Cite web |title=Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) |url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720171944/https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=Fedora Docs}}</ref> EPEL packages are usually based on their Fedora counterparts and will never conflict with or replace packages in the base Enterprise Linux distributions. EPEL uses much of the same infrastructure as Fedora, including buildsystem, [[Bugzilla]] instance, updates manager, mirror manager and more.<ref name="epel" />

== See also ==
* [[Fedora Linux]]
* [[Fedora Linux#Rawhide|Fedora Linux Rawhide]]
* [[389 Directory Server]]

{{Portal bar|Linux|Free and open-source software}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://fedoraproject.org/}}

{{Fedora Project}}
{{IBM FOSS}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fedora Project|*]]