Governance
Canopy is governed as a community-led open-source project. We aim to ensure transparency, fairness, and long-term sustainability. The project is steered by a Council that sets direction, resolves disputes, and guides the evolution of the Canopy ecosystem.
The Canopy Council
The Canopy Council is the primary decision-making body for the project. It consists of trusted contributors with diverse backgrounds in firmware development, security, and community building.
Roles and Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Council Members | Shape project direction, approve governance changes, resolve conflicts |
| Chairperson | Facilitate meetings, manage voting processes, set agendas |
| Technical Liaison | Guide architecture, review release plans, assist board enablement strategies |
| Community Rep(s) | Represent contributor voices, onboarding experience, and inclusiveness |
| Security Lead | Coordinate CRA compliance, CVE handling, and security best practices |
The Council typically has 5 to 7 members, with an odd number preferred to avoid voting ties.
Membership & Election Process
- Council members serve a 12-month term.
- The initial Council is appointed by the founding maintainers.
- Starting in Year 2, new members are elected annually by active contributors.
- Eligibility to vote or be elected requires at least one accepted contribution (code, docs, design, etc.) in the past 12 months.
Decision-Making Process
- Council meets every 4 to 6 weeks (virtually).
- Decisions are made by majority vote.
- Council meetings and decisions are documented and published publicly.
- Project stakeholders can raise proposals via GitHub Discussions for Council review.
Technical Roadmap Oversight
The Council approves the biannual release roadmap. Maintainers propose roadmap items which are then evaluated based on:
- Technical feasibility
- Ecosystem impact
- Contributor availability
- Security and compliance needs
Charter & Code of Conduct
Contact & Transparency
All governance-related communications happen in public:
We believe that good governance creates great software. Join us in shaping the future of open BMC firmware.