CrOSSD at CHAOSScon EU 2026 in Brussels

In February 2026, Sebastian and I had the opportunity to present our work on CrOSSD – Towards a Critical Open-Source Software Database at CHAOSScon EU 2026 in Brussels. The conference, organized by the CHAOSS Project, brought together researchers, practitioners, and open-source community members to discuss the health, sustainability, and impact of open-source ecosystems.

You can learn more about the event here: https://chaoss.community/chaosscon-2026-eu/

Our Talk: CrOSSD – Towards a Critical Open-Source Software Database

Our presentation focused on the goals and progress of the CrOSSD project, which aims to build a platform for analyzing and understanding the health of open-source software.

Sebastian presented the metrics and research foundation of our work. Some of these metrics are derived from established CHAOSS Project metrics, while others were developed specifically within our project. He also discussed the challenges of measuring open-source software health, as well as insights from stakeholder interviews we conducted. These interviews explored perspectives on open-source sustainability, community health, and how different stakeholders view the potential value of a platform like CrOSSD.

In the second part of the talk, I introduced the technical side of the project. I presented the web interface of the CrOSSD platform, available at: https://health.crossd.tech/

I also explained the system architecture behind the platform and demonstrated how the data and metrics can be explored through the interface. To make the concepts more tangible, I showcased a live demo of the system, which is available online: https://fh-crossd.github.io/demo/lab/index.html?path=CrOSSD.ipynb

If you missed the presentation, you can watch the recording here (part of the main track livestream): https://youtu.be/X-kKgoN87Ds?list=PL60k37cxI-HT4eJrJd1LJcLfhjeQ8zT-o&t=9486

Highlights from the Conference

CHAOSScon EU 2026 featured a wide range of interesting talks and discussions about the present and future of open-source software.

One highlight was the keynote by David Lippert, who spoke about Digital Public Goods and their importance for building sustainable digital infrastructure.

Other sessions focused on timely topics such as digital sovereignty, particularly within the European context. These discussions addressed how governments, institutions, and organizations can reduce dependencies and strengthen open digital ecosystems.

Another engaging format was the guided unconference sessions, which facilitated open discussions on pressing issues in the open-source world. Topics included:

• The dependency of open-source projects on single or proprietary communication channels

• Strategies for securing sustainable funding for open-source software

These conversations highlighted the complex challenges facing open-source communities today.

Exploring Brussels

After the conference, I also took some time to explore Brussels.

Among the classic attractions I visited were the famous statues Manneken Pis and Jeanneke Pis, as well as several examples of the city’s well-known comic-style street art murals scattered throughout the city.

A particularly memorable experience was attending LUMINISCENCE, an immersive light show in the stunning Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The show combined spectacular lighting effects with live music performed by a choir and orchestra, creating an impressive and atmospheric experience inside the historic cathedral.

A Great Conference Experience

Overall, CHAOSScon EU 2026 was a fantastic conference and a great opportunity to exchange ideas with people working on open-source sustainability, community health, and digital infrastructure.

We returned from Brussels with many new ideas and perspectives, which will help shape the next steps and potential follow-up projects around the CrOSSD platform.

Thanks to the organizers and the community for creating such an inspiring event!