What is open-source software?
Quick Answer
Open-source software has source code that anyone can freely view, use, modify and share.
The Full Story
Instead of keeping code secret, open-source projects publish it under licences that allow others to study and improve it. The term was coined in 1998, building on the earlier free software movement led by Richard Stallman. Famous examples include the Linux operating system, the Firefox browser, the Android Open Source Project and the Python programming language. Much of the internet runs on open-source software, from web servers to databases. Platforms such as GitHub host many millions of open-source projects, developed by volunteers and companies around the world.
Key Facts
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"The free code that runs the internet"
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