9 Open Source Newsletters for Builders and Maintainers

Open source thrives on community momentum. Projects evolve fast. Funding models shift. These newsletters keep contributors close to the work that matters.

Editors highlight maintainers, governance debates, and roadmap updates. You get context that fuels smarter contributions and productive conversations with stakeholders.

Subscribe to a few now. Share standout issues during sprint planning or community calls.

1. GitHub The ReadME Project

GitHub's ReadME newsletter profiles maintainers and open source success stories. It shares lessons on community building, sustainability, and inclusive contribution practices.

Each issue links to deep feature articles and video interviews worth saving.

2. Open Source Weekly by opensource.com

Red Hat's Open Source Weekly covers news across Linux, tooling, and community trends. You get tutorials, opinion pieces, and event coverage.

The newsletter helps both new and veteran contributors stay engaged.

3. The Changelog

The Changelog’s email pairs with its podcasts. It surfaces new repos, maintainer interviews, and releases from the broader OSS ecosystem.

Teams use it to discover libraries and frameworks before they hit the mainstream.

4. Tidelift Upstream

Tidelift Upstream focuses on maintainer health and enterprise adoption. Expect funding news, licensing updates, and security guidance.

Product and legal leaders appreciate the balanced view across business and community.

5. FOSS Weekly

FOSS Weekly spotlights fresh releases across desktop, mobile, and server software. It also promotes calls for contributors, bug bounties, and virtual meetups.

The short format keeps your inbox light while still useful.

6. LWN.net Weekly Edition

LWN.net provides deep reporting on the Linux kernel, toolchains, and governance drama. The weekly digest summarizes paid articles with plenty of detail.

Kernel developers and distro maintainers treat it as mandatory reading.

7. GitLab This Week in GitLab

GitLab's newsletter covers release highlights, community contributions, and DevSecOps features. It showcases user stories and upgrade tips.

Platform engineers monitor it before planning migrations or integrations.

8. Linux Foundation Newsletter

The Linux Foundation newsletter spans dozens of hosted projects. You learn about training programs, funding initiatives, and conferences.

Leadership teams read it to spot strategic partnerships across the foundation's portfolio.

9. FOSSlife

FOSSlife shares tips for running open source in business settings. Expect articles on policy, community management, and deployment case studies.

It bridges the gap between maintainers and enterprise adopters.

Support Maintainers with Real Actions

Keep a shared list of critical dependencies. Pair every newsletter takeaway with one supportive act like donating, triaging issues, or improving docs.

Small, consistent contributions compound and keep your favorite projects healthy.