Open Source and Licensing
Open source code can be read, used and improved by anyone.
About this topic
Open source software is software whose source code is publicly available for anyone to read, use, modify and share under a licence. Well-known examples include Linux, Firefox, Python and WordPress. Proprietary software keeps its code secret and restricts copying and changing. A licence is a legal document that sets the rules of use.
Permissive licences, such as MIT and Apache, allow almost any use including in commercial products, as long as credit is given. Copyleft licences, such as the GNU GPL, require that modified versions are shared under the same terms. Creative Commons licences apply similar ideas to images, music and writing. Open source thrives on collaboration: many people find bugs, add features and review security, and platforms like GitHub make contributions easy.
Companies use open source to save effort and share costs. A common misconception is that open source means free of rules or that anyone may do anything with it; licences still apply. Another is that it is always lower quality or less secure, when many open projects are very robust. Free in this context often means freedom, not price. Always check the licence before reusing code, images or music.
Key ideas
- Linux and Python
- Licences like MIT and GPL
- Collaboration
Quick check
Use cases: where Open Source and Licensing helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Open Source and Licensing before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Open Source and Licensing without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Open Source and Licensing changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Open Source and Licensing in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Computing ideas run phones, search engines, games and the wider internet.
Frequently asked questions
What is Open Source and Licensing?
Open source code can be read, used and improved by anyone.
What will I learn in Open Source and Licensing?
Linux and Python. Licences like MIT and GPL. Collaboration.
Is Open Source and Licensing part of Computer Science?
Yes. It is one of 80 Computer Science topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Open Source and Licensing lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Open Source and Licensing?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.