Open source

In brief

Software with open source code: anyone can read it, use it, modify it and share it. You can see what it does, and you’re not tied hand and foot to the person who wrote it.

▶ Precise definition

Software whose source code is published under a licence that permits use, study, modification and redistribution. Openness reduces dependence on a single publisher and enables auditing. However, it is not in itself sufficient to ensure sovereignty: maintenance, project governance and the underlying hardware layers remain to be addressed.