Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project?

Posted by milanspeaks on Tuesday August 05, 2025 @10:43PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I am building something similar to Twilio but only for WhatsApp. For my Product, my target audience is software developer. Now as a developer, I personally hate any kind of marketing targeted to me.

So for my Product, I am thinking of acquiring few open source project in some kind of messaging space and improve it by adding resources to it.

I am not quite sure how acquisition happens for open source software.

( 5 comments | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project? by pabs3 on Tuesday August 05, 2025 @11:58PM (#44807478)

You can send an email to the owner offering payment in exchange for handing over the project. Usually they will laugh at you or think you are trying to scam them though.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project? by gus_massa on Wednesday August 06, 2025 @09:42PM (#44819737)

I agree. A few projects has been sold and the new maintainer used the automatic update to install adware or other spammy stuff, so I also expect that most maintainer will get more suspicious than happy.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project? by pabs3 on Tuesday August 05, 2025 @11:57PM (#44807472)

Just fork it?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project? by jonahbenton on Tuesday August 05, 2025 @11:46PM (#44807395)

Submit PRs

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How to acquire any open source project? by verdverm on Wednesday August 06, 2025 @01:14AM (#44807935)

Open source is typically not for sale.

You may have some success paying developers (a livable amount) to integrate your project

[ Parent | on HN ]