.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0

Linux kernel project continuity
===============================

The Linux kernel development project is widely distributed, with over
100 maintainers each working to keep changes moving through their own
repositories. The final step, though, is a centralized one where changes
are pulled into the mainline repository. That is normally done by Linus
Torvalds but, as was demonstrated by the 4.19 release in 2018, there are
others who can do that work when the need arises.

Should the maintainers of that repository become unwilling or unable to
do that work going forward (including facilitating a transition), the
project will need to find one or more replacements without delay. The
process by which that will be done is listed below. $ORGANIZER is the
last Maintainer Summit organizer or the current Linux Foundation (LF)
Technical Advisory Board (TAB) Chair as a backup.

- Within 72 hours, $ORGANIZER will open a discussion with the invitees
  of the most recently concluded Maintainers Summit. A meeting of those
  invitees and the TAB, either online or in-person, will be set as soon
  as possible in a way that maximizes the number of people who can
  participate.

- If there has been no Maintainers Summit in the last 15 months, the set of
  invitees for this meeting will be determined by the TAB.

- The invitees to this meeting may bring in other maintainers as needed.

- This meeting, chaired by $ORGANIZER, will consider options for the
  ongoing management of the top-level kernel repository consistent with
  the expectation that it maximizes the long term health of the project
  and its community.

- Within two weeks, a representative of this group will communicate to the
  broader community, using the ksummit@lists.linux.dev mailing list, what
  the next steps will be.

The Linux Foundation, as guided by the TAB, will take the steps
necessary to support and implement this plan.