25 years of Drupal: what I've learned

Drupal founder Dries Buytaert: "Looking back, the most important things I learned weren't really about software. They were about people, scale, and what it takes to build something that lasts. Twenty-five years, twenty-five lessons."

I won't list them all here, just reflecting on those that resonate with and/or surprise me the most:

• "Growth and generosity can reinforce each other ...
• You cannot force a community to exist, but you can create the conditions for one to grow."
• A few decisions are incredibly important, but you don't know it "when you're making them"
• "code is not the product. It is what we ship, but coordination is what makes it possible."
• "Everyone's carrying something ... someone's behavior in a moment rarely tells the whole story"
• "Volunteerism alone doesn't scale ... Paid contributors brought stability and depth, while volunteers continued to innovate. The best projects make room for both."
• "Your words carry more weight than you realize ...
• Leadership has to outgrow its founder...
• admitting you were wrong builds more trust than claiming you were right"
• "Every large community has bad actors", so don't focus on them or you'll "miss the quiet, steady work of the many people who are here to build something good. Your energy is better spent supporting those people."
• "Vision doesn't have to come from the top... being project lead ... meant creating the conditions for good ideas to come from anywhere"
• "the spark is individual, but the fire is not"
• "Drupal is still here because we resisted the urge to chase every new trend and kept building on things that last"
• "An idea has to land again and again before it takes hold. If it matters, keep saying it "
• "An individual can see a direction, but a community sees the terrain: the cracks, the forks, and the doubts."