Open source code has a lot of advantages, offering free resources and a community of active developers to support you in your own creations. However, open source code also has some downsides, and you’ll need to protect your business legally if you want to use it.
What are the most important practices for using open source code responsibly as a for-profit organization?
The Utility of Open Source Code
There are many reasons why open source code is useful and beneficial to organizations relying on it.
- Infinite malleability. The obvious benefit is that you’ll have some practical base of code that offers you practically infinite malleability. You can use the code exactly as intended, without any changes. You can make some slight tweaks to give it an upgrade. You can combine it with another piece of software to your liking. You can even incorporate unique trade secrets and mix them with open source code to create something entirely new. It’s basically a free resource you can do whatever you want with, even if you’re a for profit organization.
- Cost effectiveness. Business owners love open source code because of its cost effectiveness. Open source code is typically free, giving you access to resources you don’t have to pay for. Accordingly, there’s no reason not to at least consider open source materials as part of your development process; even if you don’t use the code directly, there’s something you may learn from it.
- Community support and assistance. Open source projects vary widely in size, scope, and enthusiasm, but for many bigger and more successful projects, there’s ample community support and assistance. If you encounter any issues customizing or implementing the open source code, there will often be a full community of dedicated experts willing to help you resolve the problem.
- General transparency and security. Working with open source code means full transparency; you’ll understand exactly why and how this code was created. A natural byproduct of this is higher security, as security vulnerabilities are much easier to spot in a transparent environment.
The Downsides of Open Source Code
There are some downsides of using open source code, however.
- Missing or insufficient support. Some open source projects have been abandoned, or otherwise suffer from a lack of community. With missing or insufficient support, you may find it difficult to implement for your own needs.
- Compatibility issues. Relying on open source projects can introduce you to some compatibility issues. It may not be compatible with other pieces of software you want to integrate, and it may present issues upon future updates.
- Known vulnerabilities. Because the code is open source, it’s public knowledge, and because it’s public knowledge, it’s sometimes easier to exploit. It’s important to be vigilant with patches and security updates, or open source code could become a liability.
- Intellectual property complexities. Open source code does introduce some complications when it comes to intellectual property rights. It’s a good idea to work with a lawyer to make sure you can keep IP rights working in your favor.
How to Use Open Source Code Responsibly
So how do you use open source code responsibly?
- Hire the right team. Make sure you hire the right team of people and train them adequately. Open source code requires careful handling and implementation, so you need competent developers to be able to make the most of it.
- Choose your projects carefully. Not every open source code project is worth using, and not every internal development project requires open source code. It’s important to be discerning and choose your projects carefully.
- Review the terms and licenses. Review terms and licenses associated with open source projects thoroughly. In fact, in some situations, it pays to review this information with a lawyer so you understand the exact legal consequences of tapping into these projects.
- Ensure compliance. Compliance always needs to be one of your top priorities. In order to remain compliant, you may have to implement open source code in a specific way or disclose that you’re using it.
- Prioritize security. Similarly, you need to prioritize security. Security can be both a great strength and a great weakness of open source code, so stay on top of updates, review for vulnerabilities regularly, and remain plugged into the community.
- Maintain thorough documentation. Finally, maintain thorough documentation for your internal team. It’s going to make it much easier to do consistent work, keep track of updates and changes, and avoid potential issues in the future.
Open source code isn’t the right fit for every business or every project. However, if you have a plan to mitigate the weaknesses of open source code, it can be a huge benefit to your next software development project.
