Open source started as a rebellion against software becoming a locked-down product, and ended up as the foundation almost everything runs on. This section covers where it came from, the ideas behind it, how it's licensed and run, and how to take part, whether that means sending your first merge request or launching and maintaining a project of your own.
Background¶
- What Is Open Source — the Four Freedoms, the Open Source Definition, and free software vs. open source
- History of Open Source — SHARE and Unix, GNU, Linux, the coining of "open source", and the modern license wars
- The Rebellious Nature of Open Source — copyleft, forks as dissent, and the fight against monopoly and gatekeeping
How it works¶
- Open Source Licensing — license families, compatibility, SPDX, and DCO vs. CLA
- Open Source Governance — BDFLs, meritocracies, steering committees, and foundations
- Open Source Business Models — how open source pays the bills, and why it often doesn't
Getting involved¶
- Contributing to Open Source — finding a project, the workflow, and etiquette
- Starting an Open Source Project — essential files, releases, CI, hosting, and launching
- Maintaining an Open Source Project — protecting your time, growing contributors, and avoiding burnout