The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source Maintainer spotlight! Feross Aboukhadijeh (Interview)
Aug 29, 2019
Feross Aboukhadijeh, a trailblazer in open source with projects like StandardJS and WebTorrent, shares his journey navigating the challenges of maintaining popular software. He candidly discusses the emotional pressure and burnout that often accompany such responsibilities. The conversation explores innovative collaborations, particularly with Brave on WebTorrent, and emphasizes the necessity of community engagement. Feross also tackles the financial sustainability of open source contributions, highlighting the importance of secure funding and corporate support for maintainers.
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Feross Aboukhadijeh's Projects
- Feross Aboukhadijeh first discussed WebTorrent on The Changelog podcast in 2016.
- Now, he maintains over 100 open-source projects with millions of monthly downloads, including StandardJS and BitMidi.
Open Source Maintainer Burnout
- Open-source maintainer burnout often stems from projects growing too large to handle alone.
- Initial excitement of user engagement turns into dread as issue volume becomes overwhelming.
Inspiration from Paul Irish
- Feross Aboukhadijeh's open-source journey began by watching Paul Irish analyze jQuery's source code.
- This demystified open source, showing that anyone could contribute, inspiring him to create projects.