From d6a66c0642babdee19593191d06c7431b8b0437a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: David Sterz Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:43:20 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] docs: mandate public adopters list for growth stage projects I would like to propose adding a requirement for projects to publicly list their adopters, but I suggest we place this in the Growth stage rather than waiting until Graduation. My thinking here is that bringing this transparency forward in the project lifecycle offers three major benefits for our ecosystem: * Lowers Adoption Hesitation: Transparency of adoption is an essential trust signal for prospective users. By showcasing real-world use earlier, we can help eliminate the hesitation enterprises feel when evaluating new software. * Increases Trust through Transparency: Publicly showcasing adoption proves that these are widely accepted standards, which encourages more providers and integrators to join and helps us circumvent market fragmentation. * Enables Easier Open Collaboration: When it is public knowledge who is already using the project, it becomes much easier for maintainers to communicate with them. As we note in our foundation goals, real-world adoption and feedback raise the quality and reliability of the entire stack for everyone. This places virtually no technical burden on developers but will significantly aid the TAC in proving the early success of our initiatives. Signed-off-by: David Sterz --- lifecycle-policy/project-lifecycle-policy.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/lifecycle-policy/project-lifecycle-policy.md b/lifecycle-policy/project-lifecycle-policy.md index a271772..20bb0c2 100644 --- a/lifecycle-policy/project-lifecycle-policy.md +++ b/lifecycle-policy/project-lifecycle-policy.md @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ Projects in the Growth stage are generally expected to move out of the Growth st ##### Acceptance Criteria -The TAC has not yet defined requirements for the Growth Stage. +* The project must maintain a public list of project adopters for at least the primary repository (e.g., via an ADOPTERS.md file or prominently displayed logos on the project website). ##### Approval Process