Open-Source software is computer software released under a licence that allows users to use, study, change and distribute the software and source code.
Source code is the code programmers use to change how a program or application works. When programmers have access to a computer program’s source code, they can improve it by adding features and fix parts that may not work properly.
The Difference Between Open-Source and Closed Source
Proprietary or closed-source software uses source code that only the person or team that created it have access to. To use proprietary software you must usually sign a licence agreement and agree to not do anything with the software that the authors have not permitted.
What is Open-Source?
The authors of open-source software make the software available to others to view, copy, learn from, alter and share. Users of open-source software have to also accept the terms of a licence, but the terms of open-source licences are very different from proprietary licences.
