This won’t be just another technical explainer. I first came across the Fedora Project while searching for an open-source project to contribute to during my 2025 Outreachy application, and I was struck by its simplicity.
The Fedora Project is a global community of users and developers who collaborate to build Fedora Linux, an open-source operating system. What makes Fedora stand out? For one, it’s completely free and open-source, with new releases every six months and updates for 13 months. The project places strong emphasis on detailed documentation, ensuring users have clear guides on installation and usage. Unlike many Linux distributions, Fedora follows a liberal updates policy—balancing frequent improvements with minimal disruption. Backed by an active and diverse community, it evolves rapidly.
So why is Fedora cool? Beyond building a system tailored to users, it operates on Four Foundations: Freedom, Friends, Features, and First. Fedora champions open-source software and free content as its core values, fosters a welcoming community, and prioritizes transparency and openness in the development of its Fedora Linux features. Today marks just three days since I started contributing, yet I’ve already received help from people across the world in their community, many of whom are also applying for Outreachy. Fedora is often ahead in feature releases, thanks to its rapid cycle. Frequently updating your operating system may sound overwhelming, but users can skip a release and still receive updates for their current Fedora Linux version for 13 months.
One aspect of Fedora that I find particularly interesting is its Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Team. This team works to create a more inclusive open-source community where everyone is respected, supported, and encouraged. I look forward to interning with this team because I understand firsthand how systemic exclusion affects careers and, in turn, other aspects of life, creating a cycle of frustration. Some of Fedora Project's DEI initiatives include:
Fedora Week of Diversity (FWD): An annual event celebrating the diverse individuals within the Fedora Community.
Event Location Policy: Approved in 2025, this policy establishes DEI criteria for selecting locations for large-scale Fedora community events.
Contributor Stories: A recognition initiative that highlights individual contributors who have positively impacted others during their time in Fedora.
This article wouldn’t be balanced if I didn’t discuss what I found confusing about Fedora at first. Before I started contributing, I was curious about how it remained financially sustainable when it wasn’t directly generating revenue from the sales of its operating system. My research revealed that Fedora is primarily sponsored by Red Hat, which provides full-time employee support, hardware and bandwidth, infrastructure, event funding, and legal counsel. The Fedora Project also has other corporate sponsorships and does not accept funding from individuals.
That’s my take on Fedora! If you’re a 2026 Outreachy applicant reading this, hello from the past. The best place to start exploring Fedora is their website, and you can always ask for help from their community whenever you are stuck—after finishing this article, of course. Good luck!
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