RubyGems GitHub org hit by hostile takeover: maintainers ousted without rules, sparking open source exodus to gem.coop

In September 2025, RubyGems, a GitHub organization, experienced a hostile takeover, resulting in the removal of four maintainers, with only one reason provided. Two other maintainers resigned in protest, citing a failure to follow established policies for adding or removing maintainers and owners. The incident has led to a loss of trust in Ruby Central and certain members of the RubyGems and Ruby core teams, including HSBT and Matz, due to concerns over governance and accountability. In response, disenfranchised former maintainers have launched gem.coop, an alternative platform. The incident has significant implications for the Ruby community, with some developers, like the author, reducing their reliance on projects hosted under the Ruby organization on GitHub and exploring alternatives like JRuby and Truffleruby. The situation is complex, with ongoing developments, and has sparked discussions about repository ownership, governance, and community trust, highlighting the need for clear policies and accountability in open-source projects.