State of the Edge
State of the Edge is a vendor-neutral research initiative and open community project under LF Edge that develops shared terminology, taxonomies, and market analysis for edge computing.
- Publishes an open edge computing glossary and taxonomy (reference architecture / terminology).
- Produces annual and periodic research reports on edge computing infrastructure, workloads, and market trends (market research).
- Defines conceptual frameworks for edge computing layers, locations, and roles to support interoperability discussions (architecture framework).
- Provides open, collaboratively developed market sizing and data models for edge infrastructure planning (market modeling).
- Operates as a neutral forum for vendors, operators, and users to align on edge computing definitions within the LF Edge ecosystem (industry collaboration).
More About State of the Edge
State of the Edge is a research and community project hosted by LF Edge that focuses on defining, categorizing, and documenting edge computing in a vendor-neutral way. It addresses the problem of inconsistent terminology, fragmented taxonomies, and unclear market definitions that can complicate enterprise planning for distributed and edge architectures. By providing shared language and open research, it supports enterprises, service providers, and technology vendors that need a common reference point for edge computing strategy.
The project develops and maintains an open edge computing taxonomy and glossary (reference architecture / terminology), describing how edge resources are organized across different layers and locations. This includes conceptual distinctions between device edge, access edge, and regional or centralized infrastructure, as presented in its published materials. These models provide a way to categorize where compute, storage, and networking functions can reside relative to end users, devices, and core cloud or data center resources.
State of the Edge also publishes research reports and market studies (market research) that describe edge computing use cases, infrastructure requirements, and deployment patterns. These reports typically cover topics such as operator and cloud-provider deployments, content and application delivery at the edge, and the infrastructure required to support latency-sensitive or bandwidth-constrained workloads. The material is released under open terms, enabling reuse by enterprises, analysts, and other LF Edge projects.
Another focus area is open market modeling (market modeling), where State of the Edge develops structured approaches for estimating the size and distribution of edge infrastructure. This includes methodologies and data models that enterprises can use as reference points when evaluating potential capacity, locations, and investment priorities for edge deployments. The project positions these models as community resources instead of proprietary forecasts.
Within the broader LF Edge ecosystem (industry collaboration), State of the Edge serves as a neutral hub for aligning definitions and conceptual frameworks used by adjacent open-source edge projects and collaborating industry participants. Its taxonomies and terminology can inform how other LF Edge initiatives describe components such as edge platforms, orchestration layers, and device-to-cloud integration.
For enterprise and institutional users, State of the Edge functions primarily as a reference and planning resource rather than as deployable software. Architects, strategists, and product teams use its glossary, taxonomies, and research outputs to standardize internal language around edge computing, support business cases for distributed infrastructure, and Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) project requirements to commonly recognized categories of edge deployments. In a technical directory, State of the Edge fits within the categories of reference architecture, industry taxonomy, and market research for edge computing.