Hey everyone,
More than ten years have passed since I first stumbled across Flarum in January 2015. I had no idea then how much this project would come to mean to me. What began as curiosity quickly grew into daily involvement, from moderating and building extensions to helping shape the direction of the project and the Foundation. Flarum has been part of my routine, my passion and, honestly, part of my identity for a long time.
Looking back, I am proud of what we achieved together. Reaching stable 1.0 after so many years and seeing the ecosystem grow around it was a moment I will never forget. One of my long-time hopes was to build a sustainable project that could support its core developers, so the people carrying the technical weight would not have to do so alone or unpaid. It was not always easy to move the project in that direction, but the intention behind it came from a place of care for both the people and the longevity of Flarum.
The past two years have been different for me. Burnout changes your perspective. Even when the passion is still there, the energy simply is not. I have had to accept that I cannot continue carrying responsibilities the way I used to, and stepping back is the healthiest decision I can make for myself and for the project.
Flarum is in good hands, and 2.x is nearing completion. The team is stable, the direction is clear and the project has everything it needs to move forward. That gives me a lot of peace. Open source is never about one person, and I am glad to leave knowing the work continues with people who care.
I will remain available for a smooth handover where needed. Thank you, sincerely, to everyone who shared this journey with me: the contributors, extension developers, community members and friends I met along the way. And a special thanks to the chiefs who pulled the heaviest cart in the world, without you we would have gone astray. Being part of Flarum has shaped me in ways I never expected, and I will always be grateful for that.
Daniël
