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MXNet entered incubation in January 2017 and graduated in September 2022.
It began at the University of Washington and later gained strong AWS sponsorship.
It delivered multiple ASF-compliant releases and graduated in 2022.
However, most development remained within one company, and contributor diversity did not expand.
As interest community activity waned, the ASF Board and community agreed to retire it in 2023.
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Blur entered incubation on July 2012 and retired in June 2017.
It was a promising search engine built on Lucene.
However, community growth and releases remained limited.
After repeated IPMC discussions, it was retired.
Key Point: Prolonged inactivity signals the need for is often a sign that it may be time to discuss respectful closure.
What Mentors and PPMCs Can Do: Encourage early reflection when participation remains low.
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Common Patterns Seen in Podlings
| Pattern | What It Looks Like | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent transition discussions | Public proposals for graduation, withdrawal, or retirement | Builds trust and closure |
| Declining activity recognised early | Mentors or PPMC initiate honest reflection | Prevents confusion or blame |
| Respectful retirement | Community acknowledges achievements and lessons | Preserves dignity and institutional memory |
| Continued value outside ASF | Code or ideas live on elsewhere | Shows ASF’s support for open ecosystems |
| Post-graduation follow-up | Mentors or former IPMC members stay engaged | Strengthens continuity and support |
These patterns show that the ASF model values how transitions are handled as much as the technical results.
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This table helps mentors and PPMCs discuss project direction and sustainability.
It is a self-review tool, not an ASF checklist.
| Area | What to Ask | Signs of Healthy Progress | Signs That Need Attention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainability | Is development continuing at a healthy pace? | Regular releases and new contributors | Long periods without visible progress |
| Engagement | Are mentors and PPMC active on lists? | Discussion and decisions are visible | Only occasional or one-person posts |
| Relevance | Does the community still meet user needs? | New users or adopters appear in discussions | Decline in adoption or industry focus |
| Decision Making | Are transition options discussed openly? | Clear proposals for graduation or closure | Avoidance or private conversations |
| Documentation and Handoff | Are lessons being recorded? | Public closure summary or retrospective | Unclear or undocumented ending |
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Quick Reference: ASF Transition Paths
| Transition | Description | Typical Approval | Key ASF Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation | Project has met community and governance maturity expectations and becomes a Top-Level Project | Vote by the IPMC and Board | Podling Graduation Guide |
| Withdrawal | Podling decides Apache is not the right home and ends incubation voluntarily | Vote by the podling and IPMC | Podling Retirement Guide |
| Retirement | IPMC and Board conclude that the podling or TLP is inactive or unsustainable | IPMC and Board approval | Project Maturity Model |
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Using These Examples
For Mentors
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