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# Docker's New Ultimatum Can Affect Open-Source Projects in a Big, Negative Way
- URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/docker-dropping-free-team-orgs/
- Published: 2023-03-16T10:53:50.000Z
- Updated: 2023-03-17T12:30:40.000Z
- Description: Docker can do better to accommodate open-source projects; what do you think?
- Author: Sourav Rudra
- Tags: Open Source, News, #Import 2025-11-08 21:15

Docker is a popular containerization service offering various services to deliver software efficiently.

But, in recent times, the folks behind it have been pulling some moves that may **not be friendly to the open-source ecosystem** as a whole.

📢

**Update:** Docker [apologized](https://www.docker.com/blog/we-apologize-we-did-a-terrible-job-announcing-the-end-of-docker-free-teams/?ref=itsfoss.com) for the lack of clarity in its message and announced the following:   
  
\- Public images will only disappear if the maintainer of the image decides to delete it.  
\- Assigned more staff to review applications for its program to help open-source projects.  
\- You can migrate from a Free Team organization to a Personal user account.  
\- This change does NOT affect subscriptions such as Docker Personal, Docker Pro, Docker Team (paid), or Docker Business.

And the recent move by them is no different. Kudos to a [blog post](https://blog.alexellis.io/docker-is-deleting-open-source-images/?ref=itsfoss.com) by **Alex Ellis** for bringing this to our attention.

Let me guide you through this **potentially disruptive move by Docker.**

**What happened?:** Recently, they sent emails to [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/?ref=itsfoss.com) users with an existing organization saying:

'*Free Team organizations are a legacy subscription tier that no longer exists*,' 😲 

And their **accounts will be deleted after a 30-day retention period** if they don't opt for a paid team plan. Alex also shared a screenshot of the message he received via email:

> Is Docker saying that the OSS openfaas organisation on Docker Hub will get deleted if we don't sign up for a paid plan?  
>  
> What about Prometheus, and all the other numerous OSS orgs on the Docker Hub?  
>  
> cc [@justincormack](https://twitter.com/justincormack?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) [pic.twitter.com/FUCZPxHz1x](https://t.co/FUCZPxHz1x?ref=itsfoss.com)
> 
> — Alex Ellis (@alexellisuk) [March 14, 2023](https://twitter.com/alexellisuk/status/1635679295891812359?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com)

**Well, can you see how this is a bad thing?**

This can potentially affect most open-source projects that use Docker to host their images.

**Open-source projects usually don't have much funding** and are usually either small projects run individually or by a handful of people, mostly self-funded. While Docker has a provision for such projects under their [open-source program](https://www.docker.com/community/open-source/application/?ref=itsfoss.com), it is not much of help.

There are reports by many users that they take a very long time to process such requests, with **waiting periods of more than a year**.

**That does not sound promising at all** 😑

Now, the only other ways for people to **save their open-source projects** are either to **pay up** or to **migrate somewhere else** before the impending purge.

A tweet reply on this matter by [Justin Cormack](https://twitter.com/justincormack?ref=itsfoss.com), the CTO of Docker, doesn't instill much confidence:

![justin cormack's reply to a tweet regarding docker's open source program](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/03/Justin_Cormack_Comment.jpg)

**Are they handling this poorly?:** Yes. The wording in the announcement notice that they sent out is pretty bleak-looking. 

They don't mention whether private repos or public repos will be the ones to be affected or both.

Then there is the **risk of cyber-squatting** that may arise after deletion, where bad actors pose as the deleted projects and push so-called **'poison images'** with malicious code.

Justin does add that; they won't delete any projects that have applied and are handling applications as fast as possible.

![justin cormack's reply to a tweet regarding the deletion of open source projects on docker hub](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/03/Justin_Cormack_Comment_2.jpg)

But I wonder what will happen to the ones who haven't. My best guess currently is complete deletion after the 30-day retention period.

⭐ **Solution for now:** If you want to avoid opting for a paid plan, either migrate to GitHub's [Container Registry](https://docs.github.com/en/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-container-registry?ref=itsfoss.com) (or anything similar) or manually migrate your images.

Furthermore, I suggest you go through Alex's [blog](https://blog.alexellis.io/docker-is-deleting-open-source-images/?ref=itsfoss.com) to learn about the Docker Hub alternatives and how it will impact his project '[OpenFaaS](https://www.openfaas.com/?ref=itsfoss.com)'.

**Docker has been making some weird decisions lately.** 

Take, for instance, the **rate-limiting fiasco of 2020**, Which introduced a rate limit to Docker Hub. It was not well received due to its apparent issues.

And fast forward to 2023, sunsetting the free team plans...

*What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.*