Jellyfin faces major leadership changes as founder and core members step down

Jellyfin is undergoing a major leadership transition as founder Joshua Boniface steps down as Project Leader, citing burnout and concerns about his mental health. He said he can no longer dedicate the time and energy the role requires without putting his well-being at risk.

The change follows cofounder Andrew Rabert’s voluntary departure, which was also linked to burnout and declining motivation. Rabert said disagreements with some members of the organization over his separate rewrite of Jellyfin’s desktop client contributed to his decision. He is now developing the client independently and may rename the project.

Core team member Anthony Lavado is also stepping down because of reduced availability and changes in his personal life. He plans to remain involved in the transition for up to a year. Boniface and Lavado described their departures as amicable, with little risk of a hostile fork. Daily operations will be transferred to the remaining Jellyfin contributors, many of whom have already managed specific parts of the project for several years, and despite the leadership changes, the departing members have not suggested that Jellyfin development or maintenance will stop.