No matter how much the technology market evolves, there will always be people willing to collaborate with open source projects with the most diverse goals.

Programming languages, operating systems, tools for developers and the most diverse projects are part of the open source culture, which increasingly attracts those passionate about programming.

Data recently published by Github shows some of this evolution. According to the open source hosting platform, in 2022 alone there were more than 20 million new developers on the site, as well as 85 million new projects.

So, if you want to know more about open source culture, its benefits and how important it is in the career of an expert or generalist dev, keep reading this article. Enjoy! 

What is the importance of open source culture?

If you’re a software developer, you may have heard of open source culture in different ways. In this sense, there are several products that have been created collaboratively and are available to the public.

One example is Ruby on Rails, which cultivates — to this day — a vibrant community of developers who are passionate about the web development framework. Although it has lost momentum over the years, the RoR still cultivates a loyal following and collaborators.

Another well-known case is the Firefox browser, one of the competitors of Google Chrome and which also has a vibrant and loyal community. The existence of this project helps to increase the competitiveness of the market and the final quality of browsers.

“Big Techs” also take advantage of the power of open source in order to invest in very successful projects. Thus, your projects can be created by minds from all over the planet and, in turn, may cost you fewer resources in order to evolve.

Below, we list some cases for you to know:

• Google’s Material Design Icons pack;
• Apple’s Swift programming language;
• Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code Editor;
• Docker virtualization platform.

All these projects are possible thanks to the passionate contributors who dedicate their efforts to the evolution of each product and helping mature the market as a whole.

But at this point, you might be wondering why anyone would donate their time without making some money in return, right? Well, if contributing towards a technology development simply for the passion it arouses in you might not sound reasonable enough, there are other factors that move the open source culture. Let’s get to know 5 of these reasons, just below:

1. Learning and Growth

With open source culture, you really learn. By visualizing the codes, you build understanding of new logic, concepts, and practices. Through modification, you develop practical skills by applying what you have learned.

And the interaction with other devs certainly creates unique experiences that you may not experience, even in large companies.

2. Collaboration and Community

Open source is synonymous with collaboration. Developers from around the world share ideas and solutions, as well as working together on various challenges. This global community allows for a rich exchange of knowledge and experiences.

Therefore, the sense of belonging is a powerful fuel for those who engage in this practice.

3. Innovation and Evolution

The collaborative nature of open source accelerates innovation. In many cases, issues are resolved faster and new features are added more frequently. Thus, software evolves rapidly with the participation of multiple minds.

And from that particular kind of interaction, for sure, we have managed to see a lot of innovations in the market at quite a swift pace.

4. Career Improvements

Contributing to open source projects will boost your career, you can be sure of that. By working on a project, you gain practical experience, and learn to work in a team.

Moreover, your contributions become visible to potential employers, who are looking for people who are able to work as a team with efficiency and discipline.

Read also: How a career plan works: the advantages and importance of implementing it in companies

5. Increased Security

Open source is generally more secure, both for businesses and end users, as it relies on a large community of developers who revise code quickly.

And even if they exist, vulnerabilities can be identified and patched quickly. That is, in open source culture, errors are usually eliminated quickly.

Open source culture is key to the evolution of technology

As we have seen throughout this article, open source culture is a valuable asset for software developers. It enables constant learning, collaboration, innovation, career enhancement and safety.

But we must also not forget that the companies involved also benefit from this strategy. From open source, companies achieve a greater diffusion in the market, which leads to a reduction in the cost of the final product.

So at the end of the day, open source is beneficial to all stakeholders, whether it’s the dedicated programmers, or the project owners who foster this important strategy for the tech world.

Finally, we recommend a really cool video about the open source culture at Red Hat. Be sure to watch it on the link below:

Do you like the content? So take the opportunity to also check: 6 practical applications of ChatGPT in software development