What is Open Source?
Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute.
Why It Matters
Open source powers most of the modern web and lets you build on the work of millions of developers worldwide.
Real-World Example
Linux, React, and PostgreSQL are all open-source projects that power a significant portion of the internet.
“Understanding terms like Open Source matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”
Related Terms
GitHub
A website where developers store, share, and collaborate on code using Git
Library
A collection of pre-written code that performs specific tasks you can use in your project
Package
A bundle of code that can be easily shared and reused across projects
Open-source AI
AI models whose code and sometimes weights are freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute.
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Related Terms
GitHub
A website where developers store, share, and collaborate on code using Git
Library
A collection of pre-written code that performs specific tasks you can use in your project
Package
A bundle of code that can be easily shared and reused across projects
Open-source AI
AI models whose code and sometimes weights are freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute.
Full-stack
Working on both the frontend (what users see) and backend (the server and database) of an application
TypeScript
JavaScript with added type checking that catches errors before your code runs