The formation of the OpenJS Foundation was in support of a number of goals. The first was to support JavaScript projects, providing a neutral place for people to collaborate and resources needed by those projects (legal, marketing, best practices governance support, infra, etc.).
The second goal was to foster greater collaboration in the JavaScript ecosystem. Bringing projects together in a single Foundation provides an easier path to collaboration between projects.
The OpenJS Collaboration network provides the framework for people to collaborate on areas of importance to the JavaScript ecosystem in a neutral space. In some cases, this may align with projects and in other cases be independent of the member projects. Regardless of the alignment with existing member projects, the OpenJS Foundation Collaboration Network provides support for collaboration in a particular area. Support includes but not be limited to:
- a repo in the OpenJS org
- marketing support
- mailing lists
- slack channels
- representation on the CPC
The current Collaboration Networks spaces are listed in the main README.md in the CPC repository.
Collaboration spaces differ from Working Groups in that existing authority is not delegated from the CPC as is the case with a Working Group. Instead of delegation of authority, the goal of a collaboration space is to support collaboration in a more independent manner. The work of the space does not necessarily represent the Foundation (just like the views and direction of an individual project do not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation) but is instead fostered and supported by the Foundation. In this sense the relationship is more like that of projects to the Foundation versus Working Groups.
The Collaboration Space Progression document explains how a proposal for a new Collaboration space may be submitted and how Collaboration spaces move between stages.