Open-Source Infrastructure: Knowledge Futures Introduces an New Iteration of PubPub, PubPub Platform

From a Knowledge Futures Announcement:

At Knowledge Futures our mission is to make information useful. Today, Knowledge Futures announces a new iteration of PubPub, “PubPub Platform,” to improve our ability to serve that mission. With PubPub Platform, we are responding with excitement to the lessons we’ve learned over our many years of community-led development by providing new, full-stack knowledge infrastructure that will allow communities to decide for themselves what it means to make their information useful. We are excited to communicate our vision for PubPub Platform and its purpose, as well as outline the next steps for those using the current version of PubPub (what we are now calling, “PubPub Legacy”). More information can also be found on our new website.

This significant investment in open-source infrastructure marks the beginning of a new chapter at Knowledge Futures. One in which we’re actualizing what we have always believed is PubPub’s potential to provide open-source infrastructure that undergirds trustworthy and accessible knowledge. One based on hard-won learnings, hardships, partnerships, and opportunities. One that is best aligned with achieving our organization’s long-term financial sustainability. We believe PubPub Platform is what our partners and the broader ecosystem need to improve how knowledge is produced and shared.

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PubPub Platform will allow us to partner with mission-aligned organizations to build full-stack knowledge infrastructure to improve how knowledge is produced and shared for all types of communities.

1. PubPub Platform is a core set of features that allows us to work with partners to build semi-custom, full-stack knowledge infrastructure more efficiently. It is a move away from the one-size-fits-all approach PubPub has been known for. You can see demos of some of the projects we’ve already started on our new R&D page.
2. PubPub Platform will replace PubPub Legacy at the end of May 2025. We will provide avenues for existing PubPub Legacy users to move over to PubPub Platform, archive their existing PubPub Community on Platform in perpetuity, self-host PubPub Platform, or move their content to another platform. We provide more details below, and ask existing users to fill out this form with any thoughts or questions so we can address everyone’s needs during this transition.
3. We will not provide a free, centrally-hosted version of PubPub Platform at this time. Groups that wish to use it for free will be able to self-host it. Groups that wish to transition to other platforms will be able to use export tools that we will provide. We will reach out to existing Members to help them navigate their options. Although we hope to offer a free, hosted version in the future, at this point we are not able to do so in a way that ensures our organization’s long-term sustainability.

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In the months to come we will be announcing our new partnerships for PubPub Platform and transparently sharing the demos we make in collaboration with these groups. We will be working with our existing Members and Legacy users to ensure that those who want to continue working with us on Platform can do so. We will be building out Platform’s core set of features and sharing demos of those in action to help groups brainstorm how we can work together. We will be doggedly pursuing our organizational revenue goals to realize this model. We will continue to lay the foundation upon which Knowledge Futures can become an institution that groups seek out to make their information useful and to achieve real progress. We believe PubPub Platform will make this possible.

About Knowledge Futures

Knowledge Futures is an independent nonprofit organization that partners directly with knowledge creators to make information useful. Founded in 2018 as a partnership between the MIT Press and the MIT Media Lab, Knowledge Futures has since developed technology, a process of collaboration, and an exceptional team that work to change existing knowledge-sharing paradigms for the better.

Learn More, Read the Complete Announcement

Direct to PubPub Platform Website (about 1730 words)

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