Meta hands React to independent foundation to ensure long-term stability

Meta has taken a significant step toward ensuring the long-term stability and independence of React by transferring control of the popular JavaScript framework to the newly established React Foundation. The move, announced Wednesday, fulfills a commitment made last October and represents a major shift in how one of the web's most widely-used technologies will be governed going forward.

The React Foundation is an independent organization hosted by the Linux Foundation, with founding members including Amazon, Callstack, Expo, Huawei, Meta, Microsoft, Software Mansion, and Vercel. This diverse group of technology companies brings together major players from different sectors of the tech industry, creating a governance structure designed to prevent any single company from having disproportionate control over React's future direction.

"React has become critical digital infrastructure for the modern web and beyond," said Seth Webster, executive director of the React Foundation, in a statement. "By establishing the React Foundation under the Linux Foundation, we are ensuring a strong, vibrant React for decades to come – guided by open governance and shared stewardship from the global community that builds with it every day."

Why this matters for developers

The governance change addresses a fundamental concern in the open source community: the risk of relying on technology controlled by a single company, especially one that could become a competitor. Large technology companies have learned from painful experiences like Oracle's handling of Java, where corporate control led to uncertainty and fragmentation in the ecosystem.

React's popularity makes this governance question particularly important. According to the 2025 State of JavaScript report, React is used by 85 percent of developers surveyed, making it the most popular front-end JavaScript framework. This widespread adoption means that any uncertainty about React's future could have ripple effects across the entire web development ecosystem.

The move follows a pattern established by other major open source projects. Kubernetes, now the dominant container orchestration platform, only achieved its current status after Google surrendered control to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation in 2015. Similarly, Meta previously transferred PyTorch, its deep learning framework, to the Linux Foundation in 2022.

Meta's complicated relationship with open source

Meta's history with open source governance has been challenging. The company isn't particularly well-loved in open source circles, partly due to concerns about its business practices and data handling. In 2017, Meta had to change React's software license from BSD + Patents to the more permissive MIT license after organizations like the Apache Software Foundation refused to accept the original licensing terms.

This history of friction with the open source community made the governance transfer particularly important. By stepping back from direct management, Meta aims to provide reassurance that React will be steered with an even hand, free from the perception of corporate favoritism or strategic manipulation.

What the foundation structure provides

The Linux Foundation's involvement brings established best practices for open source governance. The foundation has experience managing large, critical open source projects and provides infrastructure for transparent decision-making, trademark management, and community governance.

The founding member structure ensures that major stakeholders in the React ecosystem have a voice in its future. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Vercel all have significant investments in React-based technologies and services, creating natural alignment between the foundation's governance and the needs of the broader developer community.

Looking ahead

For developers and organizations building on React, the governance transfer provides long-term stability and reduces the risk of sudden changes in direction or licensing. The vendor-neutral governance model means that React's evolution will be driven by the needs of its users rather than the strategic interests of any single company.

The timing of this move is significant as the web development landscape continues to evolve rapidly. With increasing competition from alternative frameworks and growing concerns about JavaScript bundle sizes and performance, having stable, community-driven governance becomes even more critical for React's continued success.

As Krzysztof Magiera, director of engineering and co-founder of Software Mansion, noted: "The React Foundation is the right structure for what React has become: a technology that belongs to the community. We're proud to be founding members, and glad to see our commitment reflected in something built to last."

This governance transition represents more than just an administrative change – it's a recognition that React has grown beyond any single company's control and requires institutional structures capable of supporting its role as fundamental web infrastructure for the foreseeable future.