Which stage comes after Sandbox in the CNCF maturity model?

Which stage comes after Sandbox in the CNCF maturity model?

• A. Archived
• B. Graduated
• C. Incubated
• D. Sandbox

Answer: (C)

In CNCF, projects move through stages as they mature. Sandbox is for early experiments with light governance, while the next stage signals stronger momentum and formalized processes. The stage after Sandbox is Incubating (often referred to as incubating or incubated). Here, a project shows sustained activity, a clear governance model, and a committed set of maintainers and users. It adopts open, documented processes for releases, testing, and security, and it has a plan for long-term maintenance. This progression provides the structure needed for broader collaboration and reliability, paving the way toward Graduation when the project is widely adopted and sustainably maintained. Archived represents projects that are no longer active.

In CNCF, projects move through stages as they mature. Sandbox is for early experiments with light governance, while the next stage signals stronger momentum and formalized processes. The stage after Sandbox is Incubating (often referred to as incubating or incubated). Here, a project shows sustained activity, a clear governance model, and a committed set of maintainers and users. It adopts open, documented processes for releases, testing, and security, and it has a plan for long-term maintenance. This progression provides the structure needed for broader collaboration and reliability, paving the way toward Graduation when the project is widely adopted and sustainably maintained. Archived represents projects that are no longer active.