What is Open Source
Today, dear reader, we will be talking about open source and why it matters to you as a developer. Open Source is defined as a software source code that can be accessed, inspected, and modified by the public. It contains "source code," which is the part of the software we can't see. The source code is the programming language used by computer programmers to change how a piece of software works. A lot of major companies use open source, including Alibaba, NVIDIA, Amazon, and even Microsoft.
Benefits of Open Source
Open Source has a lot of benefits to a developer in the long run, let's discuss some of them.
SECURITY: A large number of people frequently contribute to open-source software projects. With that many eyes reviewing the code, serious issues are typically identified and fixed right away. Every minor issue is resolved quickly because there is a large number of people that are willing to spend time fixing it and making sure the software works properly.
GENERAL INCLUSION: You can add features and updates you feel would go great with the software. The program can be altered to include the capabilities you require for the success of your company. Because the code is open source, you have the option to hire someone to add it for you even if you are unable to develop it yourself.
LICENSING IS MORE FLEXIBLE: Everyone is aware of the danger a typical commercial software license can be, and some have suffered a great deal after unwittingly violating one from a major publisher. In Open Source Software, the Approval process is typically far more liberal and permissive. In actuality, there are more than two million open-source projects in existence today, and they use at least 2,000 different types of licenses. Some are stricter than others, and recent development has made dual licensing possible, which enables the licensor to employ both proprietary and open-source licenses.
BOOST OF CONFIDENCE: When engineers are working on proprietary projects and are unable to get feedback from colleagues at other organizations, it could be challenging for them. The constant burden of worrying about maintaining confidentiality might be detrimental to employee morale. Projects that are open-source enable engineers to share what they're working on and maybe gain insights they wouldn't have otherwise received, which lowers stress and boosts morale. They can also create a community for open-source software, which might pique the curiosity of other engineers and encourage them to contribute and provide feedback.
THE DEVELOPER KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT: People who create a private application might only sometimes use it for testing purposes; as a result, they might make assumptions about what end customers desire. Because individuals use the software themselves and want to make it better, engineers who work on open-source projects bring their expertise to the table.
Conclusion
You can learn a lot about community and the benefits of cooperation from open-source software. As developers, we ought to make every effort to participate as much as we can in open source. The entire planet gains from it in addition to us. I recommend Eddie Jaoude's YouTube channel for further information about open source. Here is a video to get you started. 👇🏾
Ad Meliora!!!