Hi Gareth,

the application is kept non-specific, so we can gather more ideas together.

Suggestions, Jan posted on slack:
- improvement of the build system (here I totally agree: it's a hard job with 
lots of moving parts)
- triage of currently open issues and PRs
- more ES6 migrations
- test suite improvements

My suggestions:
- maintenance work on TS definitions (the "official" is far behind. e.g. the 
whole Task API isn't provided)
- replacing NodeJS API's with ES standards for compatibility improvements,
  e.g. migrate EventEmitter to EventTarget, so we don't need EE-polyfill for 
other environments.
  Best case scenario: test the source (zero-build) in CI.
- investing time to see what's wrong with test case
  "#4627 Test no duplicate changes in live replication" (breaks nearly every 
time in CI)

Greets,
Steven
On 2025/09/17 20:24:33 Gareth Bowen wrote:
> +1
> 
> I haven't logged in to Slack for a while - is there any additional info in
> there on the application, or does this thread cover it?
> 
> The application is non-specific on the work to be done - is it responding
> to issues raised rather than any specific body of work?
> 
> Thanks,
> Gareth
> 
> On Thu, 18 Sept 2025 at 07:20, PJ Fanning <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > +1
> >
> > On Wed, 17 Sept 2025 at 18:03, Jan Lehnardt <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hey all again,
> > >
> > > I think we can assume that you are all generally in favour of this,
> > > but it’d be nice to get actual affirmation from some of you :)
> > >
> > > It can be as easy as replying here with a “+1” message.
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > > Jan
> > > —
> > >
> > > > On 10. Sep 2025, at 13:44, Jan Lehnardt <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi all,
> > > >
> > > > I am, for the record, formally abstaining from this vote. My company
> > > > Neighbourhoodie is the STA’s “Implementation Partner”, meaning: we
> > > > get paid to do this work. On the one hand, that makes us extremely
> > > > qualified to help PouchDB, on the other it means I cannot formally
> > > > apply for this program and I am hereby excusing myself from this
> > > > project decision.
> > > >
> > > > Steven-John, thanks for getting this going!
> > > >
> > > > Best
> > > > Jan
> > > > —
> > > >
> > > >> On 9. Sep 2025, at 21:40, Steven-John Lange <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> Hi devs,
> > > >>
> > > >> We need your input for a financial decision:
> > > >> to improve the stability, security and reliability of PouchDB, Jan
> > > >> proposed that we request funds from (Sovereign Tech Agency)[^1] to
> > > >> invest in some payed work hours.
> > > >> (He also provided the necessary paperwork[^2])
> > > >>
> > > >> Please share a short feedback, if you agree or not.
> > > >>
> > > >> [^1]: https://www.sovereign.tech/programs/fund
> > > >>
> > > >> [^2]: The application
> > > >> (as Jan shared this with us in our slack channel)
> > > >>
> > > >> Tab: Start Here
> > > >> Category: Join the Sovereign Tech Resilience Program
> > > >> Application Name: Apache PouchDB
> > > >>
> > > >> Tab: Project description
> > > >> Project title: Apache PouchDB
> > > >> Link to project website: https://pouchdb.com
> > > >> Link to project repository: https://github.com/pouchdb/pouchdb
> > > >>
> > > >> Where is your open source technology project being used (describe all
> > > >> user bases)? (300 words):
> > > >> PouchDB is an in-browser implementation of the CouchDB API and
> > > >> replication protocol in JavaScript. It is the original offline-first
> > > >> database software (est. 2012) and has been continuously used in
> > mission
> > > >> critical offline-first/local-first scenarios. Use-cases include, but
> > > >> not exhaustively:
> > > >>
> > > >>   Offline data collection and management in agricultural scenarios.
> > > >>   Point-of-sales terminals in retail, hospitality and restaurants.
> > > >>   Mobile applications for transport logistics for vaccines in regions
> > > >> with no or little internet connectivity, especially in sub-saharan
> > > >> Africa.
> > > >>   Recording of long-term health care studies in remote and indigenous
> > > >> regions.
> > > >>   Data science and research in remote regions like Antarctica.
> > > >>   Emergency first-responders like coast guards.
> > > >>   News dissemination from diaspora communities into countries with
> > > >> oppressive governments.
> > > >>   Service software for field technicians in many fields from
> > > >> avalanche protection services in the Alps to washing machine
> > > >> technicians.
> > > >>
> > > >> Why do you consider your open source technology project to be relevant
> > > >> and critical? (300 words):
> > > >> PouchDB is the only open source and open governance project with a
> > > >> reliable track record that support the aforementioned use-cases. It is
> > > >> essential for both humanitarian and commercial use-cases and provides
> > > >> tremendous value in data collection, management and communication
> > > >> safety. Its continued maintenance and develeopment is crucial to those
> > > >> fields.
> > > >>
> > > >> Should PouchDB cease to exist, the projects above would have no viable
> > > >> future path or resources to develop compelling alternative techincal
> > > >> solutions.
> > > >>
> > > >> How does your open source technology benefit the public interest? (300
> > > >> words):
> > > >> With its focus on browser-side development with a simple API, PouchDB
> > > >> allows even people with little technical skill to build robust and
> > > >> reliable data solutions in organisations with little or no technology
> > > >> funding. Many of the cited use-cases come down to it being only
> > > >> possible to set up because PouchDB exists.
> > > >>
> > > >> While already serving in some crucial direct communication scenarios,
> > > >> current advances in mobile peer-to-peer networking are poised to
> > > >> proprel PouchDB to become the prime solution to build peer-to-peer
> > > >> communication and data exchange software, as its replication model has
> > > >> been built with this in mind from the start.
> > > >>
> > > >> Please describe the history and state of development of your open
> > > >> source technology (500 words):
> > > >> PouchDB since 2012 has had three individual lead maintainers and a
> > > >> small number of dedicated supporters. The lead maintainers have since
> > > >> retired from the project and the supporters have brought the project
> > > >> into the Apache Software Foundation in 2025 to ensure successful long-
> > > >> term open governance.
> > > >>
> > > >> The current team consists of seven developers who contribute to the
> > > >> project on a (very) part-time basis. Releases happen about once a year
> > > >> for feature releases, bugfix releases can happen more often.
> > > >>
> > > >> Tab: Sovereign Tech Resilience Services
> > > >> Which Sovereign Tech Resilience services are you interested in?:
> > > >> [x] Direct Contributions
> > > >>
> > > >> Describe why your project needs those services? (optional) (300
> > words):
> > > >> Being an older software codebase, there are multiple areas of work
> > > >> where modernisation would considerably help with easing ongoing
> > > >> maintenance, development and onboarding additional contributors.
> > > >>
> > > >> One extra note: The PouchDB Project Management Committee Chair Jan
> > > >> Lehnardt is also a CEO at Neighbourhoodie Software, the implementation
> > > >> partner for the Bug Resilience Program. To avoid a conflict of
> > > >> interest, Jan Lehnardt is excusing himself from any official CouchDB
> > > >> project decisions with regards to this application. Should additional
> > > >> statements or affidavit be required, we are happy to provide them.
> > > >
> > >
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> Gareth Bowen
> https://gareth.nz
> 027 462 2636
> 

Reply via email to