You might have heard this term many times!
Today, let's try to understand it using a simple analogy in a recipe book! yum!
Open source software is like a recipe book. Anyone can read the recipe book and make the food, even if they don't know how to cook.
This is because the recipe book is open source, which means that it is freely available to anyone who wants to use it.
Just like a recipe book, open-source software can be used to create new things. For example, someone could use the open-source software Linux to create a new operating system. (amazing 🤯 )
Open-source software is often more secure and reliable than proprietary software. (Fun Fact: you don't require any anti-virus software on Linux)
This is because the source code for open-source software is freely available to anyone who wants to inspect it. This means that if there is a security vulnerability in the software, it can be fixed quickly by anyone who finds it.
Open-source software is also often more customizable than proprietary software. This is because the source code is freely available, so users can make changes to the software to fit their specific needs.
Here are some examples of popular open-source software:
Linux: An operating system that is used by millions of people around the world.
Apache: A web server that is used by millions of websites.
MySQL: A database that is used by millions of businesses.
WordPress: A content management system that is used by millions of websites.
GIMP: A photo editing software that is used by millions of people.
VLC: A media player that is used by millions of people. (Childhood memories 🥰)
These are just a few examples of the many open-source software projects that are available. If you are looking for a free, secure, and customizable software solution, then open-source software is a great option.
I hope this helps you understand open source software.
In the coming blogs, we will understand how you can contribute to this software!
I hope you gained some knowledge,
If you have any questions, please let me know.