When proposing a new project at the Eclipse Foundation, one of the first questions proposal authors encounter is:
Which parent project should we choose?
The Eclipse Foundation hosts hundreds of projects spanning a wide range of technologies and industries. To help organize these initiatives, projects are grouped under Top-Level Projects (TLPs), each with its own Project Management Committee (PMC) responsible for oversight, governance, and strategic direction.
Selecting the right parent project helps connect a new initiative with an existing community, establish appropriate governance, and increase visibility within the Eclipse ecosystem. While some projects naturally fit within an established technology domain, others may be more cross-cutting or represent an entirely new area of innovation.
The following overview highlights some of the major Top-Level Projects available within the Eclipse Foundation ecosystem.
| Top-Level Project | Focus Area | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Eclipse Technology | A space for open source projects to explore ideas and technology areas that are new to the Eclipse Foundation or do not otherwise fit within mission, scope, culture, or roadmap of other Top-Level projects. | projects.eclipse.org/projects/technology https://projects.eclipse.org/content/eclipse-technology-project-top-level-project-charter |
| Eclipse IDE (The Eclipse Project) | Dedicated to providing a robust, full-featured, commercial-quality, and freely available industry platform for the development of highly integrated tools. | |
| Eclipse Modeling | Focused on the evolution and promotion of model-based development technologies within the Eclipse community. It will unite projects falling into this classification to bring holistic model-based development capabilities to Eclipse. | |
| Eclipse Runtime (RT) | Designed to foster, promote and house runtime efforts in the Eclipse community. Provides a uniform component model across a wide variety of computing environments. The Equinox framework and OSGi form the basis of this infrastructure. | |
| Eclipse Tools | Fosters the creation of a wide variety of exemplary, extensible tools for the Eclipse Platform. | projects.eclipse.org/projects/tools |
| Eclipse IoT | Provides open source technology that will be used to build IoT solutions for industry and consumers. | https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/iot https://projects.eclipse.org/content/iot-top-level-project-charter |
| Eclipse EE4J | Creates standard APIs, implementations of those APIs, and technology compatibility kits for Java runtimes that enable development, deployment, and management of server-side and cloud-native applications. | |
| Eclipse Science | Provides a central clearinghouse for collaborative development efforts to create software for scientific research and development. | https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/science https://projects.eclipse.org/content/eclipse-science-top-level-project-charter |
| AsciiDoc | Produces open source technology (specifications, recommendations, and software) for the AsciiDoc ecosystem, hosted at the Eclipse Foundation, that can be used to build AsciiDoc-based solutions for the technology industry and beyond. | projects.eclipse.org/projects/asciidoc https://projects.eclipse.org/content/asciidocr-top-level-project-charter |
For many projects, selecting a parent project is straightforward. A modeling framework will likely fit within Eclipse Modeling, while a developer tool, based on the Eclipse Platform, may naturally belong within Eclipse Tools. Similarly, projects focused on enterprise Java technologies may align with Jakarta EE, and IoT-focused initiatives often find a home within Eclipse IoT.
However, not every project fits neatly into an existing category. New technologies frequently span multiple domains, serve emerging markets, or introduce capabilities that do not yet align with an established community.
In these situations, Eclipse Technology is often the most appropriate choice. The Eclipse Technology Top-Level Project is specifically designed to host innovative projects that are building their communities and defining their place within the broader ecosystem. It provides a neutral and flexible environment while allowing projects to benefit from Eclipse Foundation governance, processes, and visibility.
Many successful Eclipse projects began under Eclipse Technology before eventually developing stronger ties to a specific technology domain or ecosystem.
Need Help?
Choosing a parent project does not have to be a difficult process. The Eclipse Management Organization (EMO) is always available to provide guidance and answer questions throughout the proposal process.
If you are unsure which Top-Level Project is the best fit for your initiative, or if you would like feedback on your proposal before submission, we encourage you to reach out. The EMO team can help assess potential alignments, explain governance considerations, and guide you through the Eclipse Development Process.
For assistance, contact the Eclipse Management Organization at emo@eclipse.org.
Ultimately, the goal is not simply to find a place in the project hierarchy, but to connect your project with the community that can best support its long-term growth and success within the Eclipse ecosystem.ç
