Open Source

Open Source is a development model: its source code is publicly accessible, allowing free use, modification, and redistribution under an OSI-approved license.

Open Source technology operates on a decentralized peer-production model, making the core source code transparent and universally accessible. This approach encourages open collaboration globally, driving rapid, community-led innovation (e.g., Linux, Git, Apache HTTP Server). The Open Source Initiative (OSI) sets the standard via The Open Source Definition (OSD), ensuring licenses permit derivative works and redistribution. Economically, this model is massive: a 2024 Harvard study estimated the ecosystem's demand-side value at $8.8 trillion, confirming its central role in modern global tech infrastructure.

https://opensource.org