Node.js project lead steps aside

With Node.js, the popular server-side JavaScript platform, being moved to a new governance model and new platforms, the current project lead will be stepping down.

Project lead TJ Fontaine, who took over for npm founder Isaac Schlueter in January 2014, will be moving on from Joyent, which has been the steward over Node.js. From now on, the Node.js Foundation and the community will govern the project in a more collaborative fashion, a representative of Joyent said.

"The formation of the Node.js Foundation couldn't have happened at a better time in the life of Node.js," Fontaine said in a blog post on Friday. "I believe this will be the tipping point that cements Node's place in technology. Soon, the foundation will be announcing its first meeting, initial membership, and future plans for Node.js. The project is on the right path, has the right contributors, and is not tied to one person. It has a vibrant and loyal community supporting it."

Work is underway to add Node.js support for iBM PowerPC and zSeries systems, he said, and improved support for internationalization and localization also is planned. Fontaine describes Node.js as a small set of stable core modules doing one thing well. "We've focused on eliminating bugs and critical performance issues as well as improving our workflows. Ultimately, our goal was to ensure Node.js was on the right path."

Node.js Foundation was formed earlier this year. There had been frustration with Joyent's leadership, so much that a fork, io.js, even resulted, with the 2.0 version of that project released this week. But Joyent CEO Scott Hammond in February said formation of that foundation was not about placating the divided community. Many of the same people involved with development of Node.js also are involved with io.js.