Learn Open Source
Building with and contributing to open-source software.
Open source powers the modern web. Learn how to choose, use and contribute back to open-source projects — and why it pays off for your skills and your business.
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Open source — frequently asked
Widely-used open-source projects are often more secure than closed alternatives thanks to transparency and large communities. Choosing well-maintained projects is key.
Begin with documentation fixes or small issues labelled “good first issue” on a project you already use, then work up from there.
The software is free to use, but factor in hosting, maintenance and the time to learn it. The licence, not the price, is what matters.
The licence decides what you are allowed to do with the code, and it matters far more than the price. Permissive licences such as MIT and Apache-2.0 let you use the code inside closed commercial products. Copyleft licences such as the GPL require that derivative works you distribute are also released under the same terms. Check the licence before you build on something.
Look at recent activity rather than stars. Check when the last release shipped, whether issues and pull requests get responses, how many people hold commit rights, and whether there is a stated security policy. A project with a single maintainer and no commits for two years is a liability however good the code is — bus factor is a real risk.