Open source
Open source is a way of developing and distributing software. The code is often written collaboratively, and it can be downloaded, used and changed by anyone.
There are specific standards for UK government data & technologywww.gov.uk, but otherwise open source is typically enforced by the license that it’s released under.
The Open Source Initiativeopensource.org is widely accepted to be the authority that defines Open Source.
We do our best to keep this list up-to-date, but you should always assess any license against your particular needs.