A group of prominent JavaScript developers, along with more than 2,500 others, have again called on Oracle to abandon the JavaScript brand name.

Oracle has owned JavaScript since acquiring it from Sun Microsystems in 2009, but does not use it commercially. The group hopes that releasing the name will remove unnecessary legal restrictions on the JavaScript community.

Concerns about the legal implications of Oracle’s brand control are not new. One example was in 2022 when Rust for JavaScript developers received a “cease and desist” from Oracle’s lawyers, but that lawsuit was later dropped. Because of these concerns, JavaScript organizations like JSConf avoid using the term “JavaScript” in their branding for fear of potential lawsuits.

In an open letter obtained by The Register, Ryan Dahl (Node.js), Brendan Eich (JavaScript) and Rich Harris (Svelte), among others, are calling on Oracle to drop the name. The letter follows an earlier call in 2022 in which Oracle declined to respond. The group now proposes filing a petition with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to cancel the trademark for non-use.

Future of JavaScript

According to signatories such as Socket CEO Feross Aboukhadijeh, JavaScript has become an essential part of modern web development, far beyond the control of any single company. By keeping the brand name, Oracle is creating unnecessary confusion and hindering the continued growth of the JavaScript community.

The initiators hope that the new legal steps will put an end to trademark control and ensure that JavaScript can develop completely freely, both technically and legally. Oracle has not yet issued an official response to the letter or the message from The Register.