What Is Open Source Software

Short answer

Open source software has source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and distribute. It is typically developed collaboratively and licensed permissively.

How it works

Projects are hosted on platforms like GitHub. Contributors submit issues and pull requests. A license such as MIT or GPL defines what others can do with the code.

Example

Linux, React, and VS Code are all open source. Thousands of contributors improve them, and companies build businesses around supporting or hosting them.

Why it matters

Open source drives innovation through transparency and community. It reduces vendor lock-in and allows organizations to customize software to their needs.