Co-op Cloud aims to make hosting free software applications simple for small providers. It uses the latest container technologies and innovations and configurations are shared into [the commons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commons) for the benefit of all.
The project is intended for small service providers such as tech co-operatives who are looking to standardise around an open, transparent and scalable infrastructure.
The project was started by workers at [Autonomic](https://autonomic.zone/) which is a [workers co-operative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_cooperative) providing technologies and infrastructure to empower users to make a positive impact on the world.
One of our core principles is to not re-invent the wheel. However, fitting needs into existing projects doesn't always work out. Some of the developers on this project were also once developers on the other existing projects.
We have various technical critiques of other similar projects which are already
up-and-running in the ecosystem as they don't necessarily meet our needs as a small tech co-op. However, the Cooperative Cloud isn't meant to be a replacement for these others projects. Here is a short overview of the pros/cons we see and how that relates to our goals here.
One of your main aims is to re-use existing good work that free software projects
have already done.
## Why do you use containers?
We use containers because so many free software communities choose to use them.
The upstream projects are already writing and using Docker files and Docker-compose definitions
for their development and production environments. We can directly re-use their packaging and contribute back upstream by helping maintain their in-repository files. We meet them where the ecosystem is at and we do not create yet another new packaging format or duplicate effort.
Co-op cloud re-uses upstream free software project container based workflows through well known CI/CD automation tools and issue trackers. Coop cloud proposes the idea of more direct coordination between
distribution methods (app packagers) and production methods (developers and system administrators).