Open source is one of the greatest inventions since sliced bread. We can safely say that it has changed the way we make websites and apps. Thanks to open source code, creating an online presence has become way cheaper than it used to be a while ago when the internet was in its infancy.
Open source is nothing else but code that is free for everybody to access, modify and use as they see fit. WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla! are only three examples of projects that are based on open source code. This is something new. Before the open source project was created, websites and internet applications didn’t offer free access to their code. Everything was encrypted, so website owners had to pay their coder to make changes whenever needed. Besides, even if you had access to the original code, you weren’t allowed to use it for your projects, as it belonged to its creator. Replacing your web developer was a huge problem, as most of them used to write their code, difficult to understand by another coder. Besides, they all encrypted their work before their websites or apps went public so that nobody would steal their code.
Open source code is entirely different.
You can reverse engineer projects based on it, and then take whatever code sequences you want and use them to create something new. There are no limits when it comes to tweaking and adjusting the code to suit your needs. You can find open source projects online on GitHub or various blogs, as well as in discussion forums and Facebook groups on IT and coding topics. Everything is accessible and easy to use, hence making the life of web developers so much easier. Furthermore, many people have specialized in developing add-ons and plugins for the most popular open source apps. All these make it very easy for anyone who wants a professional website to build one without too much coding knowledge. Without open source, all these people would have needed to pay expensive developers to build and update their websites.
Strong communities
The most significant advantage of open source projects is that they are developed and maintained by teams of experienced coders. This means that the code is always up to date with the latest technologies and with the latest security features. At the same time, open source projects are also the most exposed to hackers and other cyber criminals out there, as they also have access to the code, just like everyone else. Keeping open source apps secure at all times is one of the most significant challenges for programmers from all over the world.
This is open source in a nutshell. You can easily see that it has made the web a more user-friendly environment. Even beginners can learn how to use this code to create beautiful apps with advanced functionality and professional appearance. Our modern world is more inclined to sharing knowledge and information than ever before. This is good for all of us, coders and consumers.