--- /dev/null
+title: The Next Phase of Node.js
+date: Wed Jan 15 09:00:00 PST 2014
+author: Isaac Z. Schlueter
+slug: the-next-phase-of-node-js
+
+Node's growth has continued and accelerated immensely over the last
+few years. More people are developing and sharing more code with Node
+and npm than I would have ever imagined. Countless companies are
+using Node, and npm along with it.
+
+Over the last year, [TJ Fontaine](https://twitter.com/tjfontaine) has become absolutely essential to the
+Node.js project. He's been building releases, managing the test bots,
+[fixing nasty
+bugs](http://www.joyent.com/blog/walmart-node-js-memory-leak) and
+making decisions for the project with constant focus on the needs of
+our users. He was responsible for an update to MDB to [support
+running ::findjsobjects on Linux core
+dumps](http://www.slideshare.net/bcantrill/node-summit2013), and is
+working on a shim layer that will provide a stable C interface for
+Node binary addons. In partnership with Joyent and The Node Firm,
+he's helped to create a path forward for scalable issue triaging.
+He's become the primary point of contact keeping us all driving the
+project forward together.
+
+Anyone who's been close to the core project knows that he's been
+effectively leading the project for a while now, so we're making it
+official. Effective immediately, TJ Fontaine is the Node.js project
+lead. I will remain a Node core committer, and expect to continue to
+contribute to the project in that role. My primary focus, however,
+will be npm.
+
+At this point, npm needs work, and I am eager to deliver what the Node
+community needs from its package manager. I am starting a company,
+npm, Inc., to deliver new products and services related to npm. I'll
+be sharing many more details soon about exactly how this is going to
+work, and what we'll be offering. For now, suffice it to say that
+everything currently free will remain free, and everything currently
+flaky will get less flaky. Pursuing new revenue is how we can keep
+providing the npm registry service in a long-term sustainable way, and
+it has to be done very carefully so that we don't damage what we've
+all built together.
+
+npm is what I'm most passionate about, and I am now in a position to
+give it my full attention. I've done more than I could have hoped to
+accomplish in running Node core, and it's well past time to hand the
+control of the project off to its next gatekeeper.
+
+TJ is exactly the leader who can help us take Node.js to 1.0 and
+beyond. He brings professionalism, rigor, and a continued focus on
+inclusive community values and culture. In the coming days, TJ will
+spell out his plans in greater detail. I look forward to the places
+that Node will go with his guidance.
+
+Please join me in welcoming him to this new role :)