Hi Divesh,
I wanted to respond way earlier, but life prevented me from doing so.
Thank your for the initiative, very much appreciated. I cannot dive in
to deeply now but I generally agree with the proposed statement. We are
having the same discussions at ecomify and also see the need to better
explain what OFBiz is, what it can be used for and how well it fits in
modern system infrastructures.
We will dive deeper into your proposal and respond in more detail.
Thanks and regards,
Michael Brohl
ecomify GmbH - www.ecomify.de
Am 12.12.25 um 13:24 schrieb Divesh Dutta:
Hi all,
I’ve been thinking about how we talk about Apache OFBiz, not only in the
context of our code , but also in terms of the project’s long-term roadmap,
vision and its role in the modern enterprise software landscape.
Apache OFBiz has more than 20-year legacy and has powered a wide range of
business applications across industries. At the same time, the broader
technology ecosystem has evolved significantly, with trends like API-first
architectures, microservices, cloud-native deployments, modular systems,
and (more recently) AI/LLM-driven automation becoming mainstream.
As contributors, I believe we have a unique opportunity to articulate how
OFBiz fits into this modern landscape, and how community-driven
modernization work can help shape the next chapter of the project.
With that intention, I wanted to share a *proposed positioning statement
and strategic summary* for Apache OFBiz.
This is to start a community conversation about a shared narrative that can
guide documentation, onboarding, future modernization efforts, and
communication with enterprises and developers looking at Apache OFBiz today.
------------------------------
*Proposed Positioning Statement for Apache OFBiz*
*“Apache OFBiz is evolving into a modular, microservice-ready, API-first,
cloud-native enterprise automation framework ready for AI-driven
workflows.”*
------------------------------
*Proposed Strategic Positioning Summary*
Apache OFBiz is evolving.
For more than two decades, Apache OFBiz has been a reliable backbone for
enterprise workflows.
Now, through community-driven modernization, Apache OFBiz is becoming a
modular, microservice-ready, AI-enabled enterprise automation framework.
With REST APIs, cloud-native deployment, modern security (OAuth2, SAML,
JWT), and MCP integration for AI/LLM workflows, Apache OFBiz is being
re-engineered for the future of enterprise software development.
Either organizations can build fully custom solutions on the Apache OFBiz
framework — or accelerate implementation by leveraging enterprise-grade
modules such as Order Management, Manufacturing, Warehouse Management,
Catalog Management, and Accounting.
The modernization work is active and ongoing, with contributions from the
Apache OFBiz community.
------------------------------
*Why I am proposing this*
My goal is to:
-
Help articulate a clear, future-facing vision for Apache OFBiz
-
Reflect modernization themes many contributors have been discussing
(modularity, APIs, cloud, security, AI)
-
Provide enterprises and developers a fresh lens through which they can
understand the potential of Apache OFBiz today
-
Encourage us, as a community, to think about how Apache OFBiz aligns
with modern architectural principles
-
Create shared language that can strengthen our roadmap, documentation,
onboarding, community outreach, and adoption
I want to emphasize that this is *not a directive* — simply a proposal to
start an open discussion on how we collectively describe the project and
its future trajectory.
------------------------------
I would love to hear thoughts, suggestions, or concerns from the community.
-
Does this narrative resonate with how you see the project evolving?
-
What would you adjust, add, or remove?
-
Should we publish an official positioning statement as part of our
documentation?
-
Are there additional modernization themes we should highlight?
I’m sharing this in the spirit of collaboration and to help us build a
shared vision that reflects the strengths, ambitions, and ongoing work of
the Apache OFBiz community.
Looking forward to the discussion.
Thanks
--
Divesh Dutta
