The Open Infrastructure (OpenInfra) Foundation today announced two new members of its Associate Member category: the Python Software Foundation and the Rust Foundation.

Python and Rust programming languages are each used heavily in OpenInfra software projects. For example, OpenStack, the world’s most widely deployed open source cloud infrastructure software, is built on Python. The Kata Containers community, which supports a container runtime that offers the speed of containers and the security of virtual machines, is continuing its wholesale “Rustification” of the software for better performance and security. Both Python and Rust are ideal for OpenInfra use cases, Python for higher level integration and Rust for low level, secure infrastructure.

Both software languages were recently endorsed by the U.S. government in its appeal for memory safe coding to reduce the odds of creating vulnerabilities in software.

“The Python Software Foundation and the Rust Foundation nurture communities around open source programming languages that play critical roles in the open infrastructure that powers the world,” said Thierry Carrez, general manager of the OpenInfra Foundation. “We are grateful for the support of these new Associate Members and look forward to working even more closely with the Python and Rust communities to accomplish each of our specific missions and to together further open source usage in the world."

With their Associate-level OpenInfra Foundation memberships, the Python Software Foundation and the Rust Foundation are signaling their active support of OpenInfra’s ongoing work of helping developers and communities build open source infrastructure software collaboratively. The Associate category of Foundation members was added by the OpenInfra Foundation board in 2021 to recognize and collaborate more closely with academic and public research institutions and non-profit organizations that use, build or sustain open infrastructure. Check out the full list of participating organizations and learn how your organization can join to support the global OpenInfra community.

The Python Software Foundation
The Python Software Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting, protecting, and advancing the Python programming language, and to supporting and facilitating the growth of a diverse and international community of Python programmers. Originally released in 1991, Python is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world. Relatively easy to learn, Python is commonly used for developing websites and software, data analysis and visualization, task automation and much more.

“In today’s dynamic landscape, smart open source projects seek to create good working relationships with their upstream and downstream partners.” said Deb Nicholson, executive director of the Python Software Foundation. “The Python Software Foundation always welcomes dialogue with projects that depend on Python, and we’re grateful to have been invited to formalize our collaboration with the Open Infrastructure Foundation by serving as an Associate Member.”

The Rust Foundation
The Rust Foundation is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to stewarding the Rust programming language, nurturing the Rust ecosystem, and supporting the set of maintainers governing and developing the project. The Rust Foundation offers virtual and in-person collaboration, training and education, open governance and technical infrastructure for a community that includes more than 2 million developers. Created in 2006, Rust is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that emphasizes performance, safety and concurrency. It has been rated the most loved programming language for seven years running in Stack Overflow’s annual poll of developers.

“Open source foundations have a stronger and more meaningful impact when ideas and resources are shared,” said Rebecca Rumbul, executive director and CEO, Rust Foundation. “The Rust Foundation is committed to helping advance the open source ecosystem, not only through ongoing collaboration with the Rust community and our members but also through strategic partnerships like the one we have entered into with OpenInfra Foundation. The Rust Foundation looks forward to actively supporting OpenInfra’s worthwhile mission as an Associate Member.”

Open Infrastructure Summit and Project Teams Gathering (PTG) is Live in Vancouver, June 2023

The OpenInfra Summit will be held June 13-15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Attendees will collaborate directly with the people building and running open source infrastructure using Linux, OpenStack, Kubernetes and 30+ other technologies.The PTG, which will run concurrently, is an event organized by the OpenInfra Foundation to allow various technical community groups working on open infrastructure projects to meet, exchange ideas and get work done in a productive setting. The full agenda is available here.