whatis open-source
Open Source
Also known as: FOSS, free software
Software whose source code is published under a license that lets anyone read, modify, and redistribute it.
What Is Open Source in Linux?
Open source software ships its source code under a license such as the GPL, MIT, or Apache 2.0. The Linux kernel is GPLv2, which means anyone distributing a modified kernel must also publish their changes.
Licenses fall into two broad camps. Copyleft licenses (GPL, AGPL) require derivative works to stay open, while permissive licenses (MIT, BSD, Apache) allow code to be folded into closed products. "Free software" emphasizes the user freedoms; "open source" emphasizes the development model.
Learn more about Open Source
- What Is Open Source Software? Open source software makes its source code publicly available for anyone to read, modify, and distribute. Here is what that means in practice, why it matters, and how it underpins most of the modern internet.
- Open Source Licences Explained: GPL, MIT, and the Source-Available Problem Copyleft versus permissive is the classic split, and the live argument is now about licences like BSL and SSPL that look open and are not. What each actually requires, why AGPL exists, and what changes when a project relicenses.