The End of an Era: Camunda 7’s Legacy and the Future of Open-Source BPM

As October 2025 approaches, marking the end of life for Camunda 7, it’s essential to reflect on its journey, impact, and what lies ahead for the open-source BPM community. Camunda 7’s end of life signifies not just the conclusion of a software version but the closing of a significant chapter in the history of business process management (BPM).

1. From Humble Beginnings: Camunda 7’s Origins

Camunda 7 has its roots in another open-source project, emerging as a fork of the Activiti BPM engine. This origin story is crucial as it highlights the open-source ethos of building upon and improving existing technologies to better serve the community. The journey from Activiti to Camunda 7 represents a commitment to innovation and community-driven development.

2. A Pillar of BPM and Open-Source Innovation

Since its inception, Camunda 7 has played an instrumental role in the BPM and open-source communities. Its contributions are manifold, but some key innovations stand out:

• Developer-Centric Design: Camunda 7 was designed with developers in mind, providing robust APIs, flexible modeling tools, and a strong focus on seamless integration.
• Scalability and Performance: It offered unparalleled performance, enabling organizations to scale their process automation efforts efficiently.
• Community Engagement: Camunda 7’s open-source nature fostered a vibrant community of contributors and users who continually pushed the boundaries of what was possible.

These innovations were not just technological achievements but also a testament to the collaborative spirit of the open-source community.

3. A Visionary Project: Developer-Friendly BPM

One of the hallmarks of Camunda 7 was its visionary approach to BPM. Jakob Freund, CEO and co-founder of Camunda, emphasized the importance of developer-friendliness in BPM frameworks. In an email exchange with Gartner in 2019, when asked if Camunda was an intelligent Business Process Management Suite (iBPMS), Freund articulated that Camunda’s strength lay in its ability to empower developers. This vision was pivotal in differentiating Camunda 7 from other BPM solutions, focusing on enabling developers to build and automate complex workflows with ease and precision.

4. Shifting Focus: The Evolution of Camunda

Over time, Camunda as a company has evolved, shifting its focus and expanding its horizons. With the introduction of Camunda 8, the company has moved to a source-available model where production environments must be commercially licensed. This shift reflects a new business model demand rather than just adapting to market or technological changes. While this move has been strategic for the company’s growth, it represents a significant departure from its open-source roots.

5. The Future of Open-Source BPM

As Camunda 7 reaches its end of life, the open-source community faces a new challenge: preserving and advancing the legacy of BPM automation technology. It’s likely that several new forks will emerge, driven by developers and consultancy companies aiming to provide continuity and relief for their customers. However, the crucial question remains: who will drive the next wave of open-source innovation? Who will develop the next top-notch, cloud-native open-source BPM framework?

The future is uncertain, but the spirit of innovation and collaboration that gave birth to Camunda 7 will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of BPM solutions. We may see new leaders and projects rise to prominence, continuing the tradition of excellence and community-driven development that Camunda 7 embodied.

Conclusion

The end of Camunda 7 is a moment of reflection and uncertainty. While it is sad to see such a pivotal project reach its end of life, it also serves as a call to action for the open-source community. The legacy of Camunda 7 is one of innovation, collaboration, and resilience. As we look forward, it is crucial to support and contribute to the projects that will drive the next generation of BPM solutions. The open-source community has always been resilient and innovative, and with the legacy of Camunda 7 as a foundation, the future of BPM automation technology holds promise.

Let’s honor the past and embrace the future, continuing to champion the values that made Camunda 7 a cornerstone of the BPM world. The next great BPM innovation is just around the corner, waiting to be discovered and developed by a passionate community.