What is Open Source?
Code anyone can inspect, use, and contribute to. Powers much of the internet in the background — often for free.
Open source means the code behind a program is free for anyone to inspect, use, modify, and build upon. Instead of being a secret box that only the company behind it can open, everything sits out on the table. Anyone in the world can review it, improve it, and share improvements back.
Think of a recipe posted openly online: everyone can cook the dish, swap spices, and publish their own improved version. Over time the recipe gets better and better because thousands of cooks contribute. That is how open source works — collectively improving, often entirely free.
Much of what you use daily rests on open source without you noticing. Large parts of the internet, phones, and servers run on open source code built by volunteers and companies together.
Why is open source important for your business?
Open source lets you build on proven code instead of inventing everything yourself — which saves both time and money. You also avoid being locked to a single supplier, because the code is free and can be moved or adapted by anyone.
At the same time, it matters to choose well-maintained projects and keep them updated, so outdated open source does not become a security gap. That is where it helps to have someone who can assess quality.
Open source in practice
When an agency builds a new website for a business, it almost never starts from zero. The foundation — the framework that handles pages, forms, and security — is often open source that millions of developers have already tested and hardened. The agency can then spend its time on what makes your site unique, instead of reinventing the wheel.
In practice that means faster delivery, lower cost, and a solid foundation that is constantly improved by a global community.
Common questions about Open Source
What does open source mean?
Open source means the code behind a program is free for anyone to see, use, and change. It is open rather than secret and closed.
Is open source free?
The code itself is often free to use, but there can be costs for customisation, hosting, and maintenance. The big value is not having to build everything from scratch.
Is open source secure?
Well-maintained open source projects can be very secure because many eyes review the code. What matters is choosing active projects and keeping them updated.
Related terms
Bug
An error in the code. Can be anything from 'the button is 1 pixel off' to 'the whole app crashes'. We fix both kinds.
Backend
The invisible machinery behind the scenes. Nobody sees it, but nothing works without it. Like a good sound engineer at a concert.
Boilerplate
Standard code every project needs. Dull but necessary — like making the bed before you can sleep in it.
Code Review
When a colleague checks your code before it goes live. Catches embarrassing mistakes — and stops your app crashing.
Commit
Saving a change to your code history. Good commit messages save lives. "fixed stuff" does not.
Deploy
Pressing the button that makes your app available to the world. Nerve-wracking every time. Every. Single. Time.