Hydra began its life in 2008 as a framework: a shared set of patterns and tools, primarily in the form of Ruby code, for building repository applications atop the Fedora Commons Repository and the Apache Solr index.
With the emergence of Avalon, Sufia, CurationConcerns, and Hydra-in-a-Box, we have seen adopters come to Hydra not just for a framework to develop their own repository applications but for solutions that get them 80% or 90% or 95% of the way towards meeting their repository needs.
Hydra is a growing and vibrant community of people, representing a diverse array of skill sets, backgrounds, and employers. None of us is paid directly by Hydra, and so we're also a community of volunteers; things happen in the Hydra community because individuals step forward to make advancements.