I'm forking Ladybird and stepping down as SerenityOS BDFL

In 2018, I created the SerenityOS project after completing a drug rehab program. I needed something to soak up my free time while learning to live a normal life, and it turned out that building a new operating system was a task of just the right proportions.

After six months of working on it by myself, I posted it online, and invited others to participate.

Since then, SerenityOS has grown into a large OSS community with over one thousand contributors all over the world. We've built a friendly culture of setting differences aside and focusing on our shared love for programming. Countless people have poured their heart and soul into it, and I like to think it's inspired some to attempt more challenging things in life.

Personally, for the past two years, I've been almost entirely focused on Ladybird, a new web browser that started as a simple HTML viewer for SerenityOS. When Ladybird became a cross-platform project in 2022, I switched all my attention to the Linux version, as testing on Linux was much easier and didn't require booting into SerenityOS.

Time flew by, and now I can't remember the last time I worked on something in SerenityOS that wasn't related to Ladybird.

Two projects in one space

Until now, the project and its community have existed in a state with two groups sharing all resources and infrastructure:

• One group who mostly cares about building a desktop OS.

• Another group who mostly cares about building a cross-platform web browser.

In the past, there was enough overlap between interests that it made sense to share everything, but these interests have slowly grown apart.

I've decided it's time to make a big change. To streamline development of Ladybird, I'm forking it off from SerenityOS into a new, separate top-level project.

I love SerenityOS, and I love the community that has formed around it. I don't want to hold it back anymore by being a distracted BDFL. This is why I've also decided to step down. Effective immediately, SerenityOS is now in the hands of its maintainer group. They're a lovely bunch of people, and I trust they'll take good care of it.

This is a difficult and emotional decision for me, but I believe this will lead to a better future for both projects.

What does this mean for Ladybird?

• Ladybird development now happens in a new repository on GitHub.

• Day-to-day communication moves to a new Ladybird Discord server.

• Ladybird now targets Linux and macOS. The SerenityOS target is dropped.

• Unlike SerenityOS, Ladybird will have a relaxed NIH policy (instead of "no 3rd party code!"), and will leverage the greater OSS ecosystem.

What does this mean for SerenityOS?

• The extreme focus on building a web browser will disappear from the project.

• "Hacking on fun software with friends" is once again the main focus.

• What happens next is up to the community!

Before anyone asks, there is no drama behind this change. It's simply recognizing that there have been two big projects packed uncomfortably into a single space for too long, and I'm doing what I believe will make life better for everyone involved.

I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has worked together with me on these projects. You've all helped me get and stay sober, and these have been the best years of my life! Now, I'm handing SerenityOS to you, so that you can make it your own.

I'm excited about the future of both projects, now that we can all focus better on our main interests! :^)