In the world of open source, the code is your canvas, and the possibilities are limited only by your willingness to break the rules. So, grab your sledgehammer, because we're tearing down walls and building a digital revolution, one line of code at a time.

Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. Open source is not limited to software but it is an ideology to share improve and learn things through collaboration. The idea of making source code freely available originated in 1983 from an ideological movement informally founded by Richard Stallman, a programmer at MIT. You can contribute whether you're coding in your basement or a coffee shop, open source welcomes your contributions

Open source vs Closed source software

Some software has source code that only the person, team, or organization who created it—and maintains exclusive control over it—can modify. People call this kind of software "proprietary" or "closed source" software. To use proprietary software, computer users must agree to their licenses that they will not do anything with the software that the software's authors have not expressly permitted.

Open-source software licenses promote collaboration and sharing because they permit other people to make modifications to source code and incorporate those changes into their projects.

Open-source Licenses

Open source licenses are licenses that comply with the Open Source Definition – in brief, they allow the software to be freely used, modified and shared. To be approved by the Open Source Initiative (also known as the OSI) a license must go through the Open Source Initiative’s license review process

Mainly following are popular ones

1. Copyleft Licenses

   These are true open-source licenses as they let you share your code modify it and share it with others. It's like you can solve my puzzle, but if you show it to your friends, you must give them all the pieces and tell them how you solved it.

   ex:- General Purpose License (GPL) etc.

2. Permissive Licenses

   These are open-source licenses that let you share your code modify it and share it with others but you can decide not to share code. It's like you can use my cake recipe to bake a delicious cake. And guess what? You can share the cake with your friends, and you don't have to give them the recipe if you don't want to. They can enjoy the cake without any special rules

   ex:- MIT License, Apache License, BSD License

Community Collaborations

Being part of an open-source project is being part of a community. They are there to support and help you within their capacity. Here are some tips to get the most out of the community experience.

• Read the COC (Code of Conduct) file of a project or a community to get introduced to their guidelines.

• Review the code, ask for help give feedback and maintain healthy communication in the community

• Checkout documentation and help to improve it

• Before contributing, review the project's guidelines and standards. Be prepared to update your Pull Request (PR) based on feedback and work collaboratively with other contributors

Popular myths about open-source

Myth 1: Open Source is All About Free Software

While open-source software is often free of charge, it's not just about being cost-free. It's about the freedom to use, modify, and share the software. Many open-source projects are developed and maintained by dedicated communities, and they thrive because of this freedom. They charge for maintaining software and updating and keep them useful.

Myth 2: Only Tech Experts Can Contribute

Not true! Open source welcomes contributions from people with various skills. It's not just about writing complex code; it's also about design, documentation, testing, and more. If you can spot a bug or suggest a usability improvement, you're an open-source contributor.

Myth 3: Open Source is Less Secure

In reality, open-source software often undergoes rigorous scrutiny by a global community of developers and security experts. Any vulnerabilities or issues are quickly identified and fixed, making open-source software more secure than you might think. Research open-source risk management organizations and consulting firms that can provide guidance and tools for identifying and addressing open-source risks in your organization.

Conclusion

This is a brief overview of what open source is and how we can navigate ourselves through this. It's a universe where innovation knows no bounds, and the only limit is your imagination. So, as you journey forth armed with this knowledge, remember: You're not just a spectator; you're a creator, a coder, a disruptor of norms. The open-source universe is yours to explore, shape, and share