programsnew

programsnew is a proposed open-source framework and ecosystem designed to standardize how software programs are authored, packaged, discovered, and executed. It envisions a central registry of programs, a modular plugin architecture, and a portable runtime that can execute programs across languages and on different platforms.

The architecture centers on a universal program interface, metadata for provenance and licensing, and strict versioning to support reproducible environments. Programs are packaged as modular components that declare dependencies and capabilities, allowing independent development and ecosystem composition. A runtime layer aims to abstract away platform specifics, enabling cross-language execution and sandboxing where appropriate.

Origin and development of programsnew trace to discussions in the software-engineering community in the early 2020s, prompted by concerns about fragmentation in package managers and execution environments. Proposals describe a living registry with trust signals, automated build and test pipelines, and optional governance by community councils to guide priorities and security standards.

Usage scenarios include educational laboratories that ship preconfigured program collections, researchers sharing reproducible workflows, and enterprises deploying curated program catalogs for internal tooling and plugins for developers’ tools. The model emphasizes interoperability, reproducibility, and a clear licensing framework.

Governance and licensing are envisioned as open and collaborative, with permissive licenses and a governance structure intended to balance broad contributor representation and robust security guidelines. Reception is mixed: supporters highlight potential interoperability gains, while critics point to risks of fragmentation, adoption hurdles, and the overhead of maintaining a central registry and trust infrastructure.