Today there are plenty of web development platforms available as open source technologies. For example, consider major web development platforms like Magento, WordPress, Joomla, Symfony etc., all these are open source. So what does it mean?
Open source development is a process of making code accessible to others through a shared platform. Here you allow others to suggest or make improvements in your code in a public space. You can allow your community and users to know what would be the changes to come up in the near time in the software and what not. Here the developers of the software can ask community for help, get suggestions and accept or may be not accept the suggestions for implementation and can even discuss the long term roadmaps with them. Code is released with license so that the contributors or the developers can know what they are allowed to do in the software and what not before they use it.
However, talking about the open source development, there are certain myths existing through a longer period of time. However the reality behind these is completely different or unknown. Let us have a look at some of them.
Myth and Reality 1
Many of them think that keeping their software open source is like giving it away freely for use to others. But this is not true as you still own it and are not giving away its complete control to others. You are not enabling other person or a firm to own your data or services that you are providing to your users.
Myth and Reality 2
For many open source code means security threat to their data. But the reality is that your code is open, it does not mean that your data is insecure. When you are making your software code open source, you are not releasing your data to the public. Yes, there is difference between the two. Do not mix them with each other. Data is responsible for driving your platform but your software code is totally independent of the data.
Myth and Reality 3
For many open source means to give complete freedom to an unknown person to make any change to the software or platform. Reality is that there are a few contributors who have access to and can make changes to the code base as per client requests like fixing of bugs, implementing any changes in the lay out or tasks related to performance boosting. However, even these changes which contributors give are reviewed for quality and maintainability and will undergo several tests before they are actually implemented in the original software code. So, with open source software you need not be worried about its mishandling by an unknown person.
Open source development offers transparency in the development and progress of the software and helps the software to sustain in changing situations like budget change, projects getting dropped out or collapse of the software company.
There are firms that can offer expert services for open source development. Make sure you select an appropriate one to match your needs for developing your software based on the open source platform.
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