GitHub will store all its files in a cache in the Arctic

Open source software is the cornerstone of modern culture and the legacy of all united humanity. The ever-increasing political tensions, climate change, and even an asteroid can threaten this task. So GitHub decided to implement the GitHub Archive Program to maintain open source software for future generations.

With Code Vault , GitHub will store all of its open source software (and on a continuous basis) in a cache 250 meters below ground in the Arctic. In particular they will be stored in Svalbard, Norway, which has been declared a demilitarized zone under an international treaty. The data will be stored in a kind of film that will be coated with iron oxide and will last for 1,000 years. They can be read by a computer, or in the absence of electricity, they can be read by a person with a magnifying glass.

The first data to be stored will be the Android and Linux source code, as well as programming languages, web platforms, cryptocurrencies and AI tools. The data transfer is expected to be completed in February 2020.