Why does Open source matter in open source adoption?

Open source is one of the core concepts in the adoption space. Whether you're a maintainer thinking about handing off a project, a developer looking to adopt one, or a CTO managing your team's OSS dependencies, understanding Open source is the foundation for making good decisions. See the related reading below for the full context.

Where can I learn more about Open source?

The BreakPoint glossary has 25+ terms. Each term links to related concepts, guides, and blog posts. Browse the full glossary at /glossary, or read one of the related terms linked from this page.

Glossary · legal

Open source

A license that allows anyone to read, modify, and redistribute the code for any purpose.

Per the Open Source Initiative (OSI) definition, open source software has a license that allows anyone to read, modify, and redistribute the code for any purpose, including commercial use. The three key freedoms are: (1) the freedom to use the software for any purpose, (2) the freedom to study and modify the software, (3) the freedom to redistribute copies and modified versions.

Open source is distinct from source-available (BSL, SSPL, Elastic License), which lets you read the code but restricts what you can do with it. The Business Source License (BSL) is a popular source-available license — you can read the code, but for the first 4 years you can't compete with the licensor. After 4 years, the source converts to Apache 2.0. SSPL is similar but more restrictive — it requires anyone offering the software as a service to open-source their entire stack.

For BreakPoint, the open-source distinction matters: a project is eligible for adoption only if it's open source under an OSI-approved license. Source-available projects can still be listed (under the "commercial" license type), but the adoption flow is different — the original creator is selling the IP, not handing off maintenance.

Related reading