Earlier this year, a number of Node.js developers started their own fork of the framework, io.js, after a public spat with the “steward” of the framework, Joyent.

Today, the Linux Foundation has announced that Node.js and io.js will officially merge codebases under a new entity: the ‘Node Foundation.’

A number of partners have come onboard to sponsor the new organization and help it stay independent, including Famous, IBM, Intel, Joyent, Microsoft and PayPal.

The idea with the new foundation is that Node.js gains a “neutral structure” in order to “balance the needs of the community.” It will use an open governance foundation which will allow public contribution to the roadmap.

Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation said that “by tapping into the strength of an empowered, unified community, the Node.js Foundation will advance this rapidly growing platform that supports millions of users around the world.”

The Linux Foundation will oversee contributions to the code and facilitate discussions going forward.

In its role as steward, Joyent’s task was to keep Node.js on track and ensure its consistent development. Talk of a possible split from Node.js began in mid-2014 and reached a fever-pitch as development of the framework continued to slow and talks broke down with Joyent.

Eventually, io.js was born, as a fork of Node that moved development in a community direction, much more in the open. After months of pressure, Joyent backed down as steward and handed Node off to the independent organization.

Today’s news is good for developers and companies who had bet on either of the frameworks — it means Node.js as a whole will move forward much faster and that many of the original contributors are back working on the same codebase.

➤ Node.js Foundation Advances Community Collaboration, Announces New Members and Ratified Technical Governance [Linux Foundation]

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