EclipseSource Ends Maintenance of the Eclipse Modeling Tools Package - Here's Why

For almost a decade, EclipseSource has proudly maintained and contributed to the Eclipse Modeling Tools package - a curated edition of the Eclipse IDE tailored for modeling technologies. This Eclipse Packaging Project (EPP) distribution bundled essential tools for model-driven engineering and served as an accessible entry point for new users in the modeling ecosystem.

Today, we are announcing the end of our active maintenance efforts for this package.

This change reflects the evolution of the software landscape - and where our efforts can best support the needs of modern tool builders and organizations.

Why EclipseSource Is (finally) moving on

As detailed in our recent article, "The Future of the Eclipse Platform and Eclipse RCP", the shift toward web-based architectures is not a trend - it’s an accelerating and lasting transformation.

Virtually all customer projects we support today are either already based on web technologies or actively migrating away from legacy desktop stacks. The classic Eclipse Platform and RCP stacks, being inherently desktop-first, are no longer viable choices for most new projects due to their foreseeable end of life.

We believe the question is no longer if these legacy technologies will be phased out, but when - as their ecosystem has been steadily contracting for years. With a continuously shrinking base of active projects and contributing developers, it is becoming increasingly difficult not only to align with modern delivery models, UX expectations, and AI/cloud integrations, but also to sustain even basic maintenance.

What This Means (and What It Doesn’t)

Ending our maintenance of the Eclipse Modeling Tools package does not mean:

• The package will be deprecated immediately.
• EMF or modeling runtimes are no longer supported.
• Maintaining Eclipse-based modeling tools is no longer viable.

The Modeling Tools package itself can remain part of the Eclipse IDE release train, and there is ample time before the next release for any interested party to take over maintenance - whether individual contributors, working groups, or organizations. We will gladly support any handover process.

Meanwhile, core modeling technologies like EMF, Xtext, GMF, and others remain a part of many widely used legacy applications - and many of them are in the process of evolving for the web through projects like EMF Cloud, GLSP, Theia and Theia AI.

We believe the time has come to proactively consider these migration projects. As outlined in our previous article (“The Future of the Eclipse Platform and Eclipse RCP”), we see significant risks for projects that do not develop a migration strategy now, but instead continue to wait.

From Desktop to Web and AI - Our Focus

EclipseSource has long been recognized for its role in building and maintaining Eclipse-based tools. But over the past ten years, the landscape for new projects - in general but especially for our customers - has shifted dramatically:

We now work almost exclusively with teams adopting or migrating to web-based (modeling) tools and AI-native workflows.

We build modern web-based solutions based on technologies such as Eclipse Theia, VS Code, GLSP, LSP, Theia AI, JSON Forms, Theia Cloud, CDT Cloud and EMF Cloud. We build tools on those technologies that run in the browser, the cloud and the desktop.

We support projects integrating AI-driven workflows, cloud-native deployments, and collaborative features - and increasingly, we help organizations define and implement AI-native tools, where AI capabilities are not added as an afterthought but built into the architecture from the start.

Rather than maintaining a legacy desktop IDE distribution that no longer reflects the technology choices of the majority of our partners, we’re investing our energy in enabling the current generation of tools - web-first, cloud-ready, AI-native and still openly governed.

A Trusted, Sustainable Open Source Partner

At EclipseSource, we pride ourselves on being a reliable and sustainable contributor to the Eclipse ecosystem - not just in name, but through action. For almost a decade, we maintained this package entirely free of charge - as part of our long-standing commitment to open source and our belief in giving back to the community that supports us.

We support long-lived desktop tools, enable modern architectures, and build bridges between legacy and future-proof solutions.

If you’re maintaining an Eclipse-based tool and planning your next steps, we’re here to help. Whether it’s through migration assessments, architectural planning, implementation support, or training, we bring deep experience in both RCP and modern web stacks - and increasingly, in building tools that harness the full potential of AI.

What’s Next?

We know the Eclipse Modeling Tools package has been a helpful resource for many. Its role as an accessible, bundled IDE for modeling was - and still is - valuable. But its continued maintenance requires active engagement.

📌 If you or your organization is interested in continuing its maintenance, now is the time to step forward. Please reach out - we’re happy to support the transition.

🔗 Read more: The Future of the Eclipse Platform and Eclipse RCP

📩 Contact us to discuss modernization strategies or to get support for your modeling tool development.

👉 Explore our Tool Development Services, Web and Cloud-Based Solutions, AI-Powered Tooling, and Eclipse RCP Expertise.