Technology
What is Open-source software?
Open-source software is software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, use, modify, and share. Built by communities of volunteers and companies, it powers much of the internet — from web servers to operating systems.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains open-source software.
Key things to understand
- 1Its source code is public and free to use or modify.
- 2Anyone can inspect, improve, or share it.
- 3It's often built by global communities of contributors.
- 4Examples include Linux, Firefox, and countless tools.
Frequently asked questions
- What is open-source software?
- Software with publicly available source code that anyone can use, study, modify, and distribute.
- Is open-source software free?
- Usually free to use, though 'open source' is really about freedom to access and change the code.
- Why is open-source software important?
- It drives innovation, transparency, and much of the internet's core infrastructure.