20 years of open source: Nine reasons for free source code
Decision-makers should be aware of the following nine reasons for free source code:
- Motivation and productivity: With open source, direct contact with the community is particularly motivating. Developers receive direct feedback from other developers. This in turn increases the motivation to design and develop an optimal product in the end.
- Quality: Since the lines of code are visible to everyone, open source developers must meet high quality standards. Before the community gets to see the code, it must go through extensive review processes, especially for updates or bug fixes. This way, the code is cleaner and easier to understand.
- Safety: Once the source code is released, external developers are given the opportunity to commit to the code. Often, IT professionals focus on data privacy and security, so if source code backdoors and other potential vulnerabilities are identified, for example, they can be noted and fixed.
- Transparency: One point that the community should be aware of at all times is data processing. In open source projects, it is informed about what happens to its own transferred data - whether interfaces for third parties have been deliberately implemented, for example.
- Flexibility: Based on the latest developments in the technology scene and feedback from the community, software vendors can react accordingly and make changes to the code. The advantage of this is that continuous updates improve the software and take user interests into account.
- Democratization: Open source code is deliberately intended to provide a basis for discussion, so that existing functionalities are questioned or product updates are encouraged.The democratization of source code means on the one hand passing on knowledge and on the other hand debating technologies. In this respect, experiences and feedback have far more influence on the digital scene than just for a single software project.
- Cost Efficiency: Open source software is more powerful and scalable than its proprietary counterpart. Another advantage is that there are no licensing fees when implementing additional open source software, such as the Apache HTTP server.
- Durability: Since the code is available online on platforms such as GitHub, GitLab or Launchpad, it can be viewed over a long period of time. This way, even deleted lines of code are preserved and fully documented.
- Independence: A big advantage is that companies employ their own team of developers and are not dependent on software vendors.
Conclusion
Free source code as a competitive advantage: Before one's own software project is made available to the public, many internal reviews are necessary and the code should be checked for security.
In addition, the community should be given the opportunity to provide feedback - whether positive or negative. But besides transparency, there are of course other reasons to rely on open source.
Many companies share the success of other software developers in this way, because other companies face the same challenges.
Collaboration always enables source code optimization, customization based on user interests, bug reporting, or even completely new product features.
Community interaction and professional exchange are therefore the greatest advantages of open source projects. In a world in which services with similar feature portfolios vie for user favor, transparency, trust, and the ability to innovate are crucial above all in order to survive the competition.
DE
EN
ES
