Introduction to Open Source

What is open source?

Open source is an approach to software development that makes the code publicly available to be modified and redistributed by anyone. It encourages collaboration, transparency, and creativity to create a more efficient and inclusive development process users can use this as a source to collaborate and generate new ideas with other NPOs with similar Global Goals.

Why are open source tools useful to NPOs?

The success of any nonprofit organisation hinges on the cooperation between its team members, donors, and partners. With the help of technology, collaboration between these groups is now more efficient than ever, enabling all parties to strive for growth and mutual support.

Open source tools are an ideal technology solution for the nonprofit sector as most developers understand that collective efforts to make the world a better place saves organisations a lot of time and money and critical thinking that goes into researching best suited tools to run their organisation in the most efficient way. This contribution can be beneficial to anyone around the globe.

What are the advantages of working with open source tools?

• Open source programs are distinguished by giving users access to view, modify and distribute the code. 

• Users can take part in the evolution of the program by identifying and rectifying errors or issues in order to achieve an optimal level of performance.

• Open source software is most cost effective in the long run.

• This approach encourages collaboration and continual improvement.

Myth busters about open source software

Why are the fees relatively cheaper?

Nonprofit organisations can benefit from open source tools due to the lack of licence fees. This greatly reduces costs, allowing organisations to allocate budget to other mission-critical items. Open source tools provide a cost-effective solution for nonprofit entities, freeing up valuable resources. The only thing that is paid for in open source software is essentially storage space.

Your data, your code

As a nonprofit, you have full ownership of your data, your code, and the way in which you modify or extend your system. This means you can freely adapt it to your needs without having to ask for permission from a central source or group of people. This gives you the power to tailor the system to your organisation's needs  and objectives, making it more effective and efficient than using .

No vendor lock-in

Nonprofits benefit from the flexibility provided by open source technology with no vendor lock-in. This means that the nonprofit is not tied to any particular vendor and can modify the source code or add additional modules or extensions to meet their specific needs. As a result, NPOs can collaborate with the vendor of their choice based on the solutions and proposals that best fit their organisation's goals.

Community support

Open source software offers NPOs community support and collaboration from developers without costly licence fees. This provides access to innovative ideas and continuous improvement, as well as advice and assistance with implementation, maintenance and troubleshooting. NPOs can also be part of the development process, suggesting and implementing new features and benefiting from the collective knowledge of the community.

Stability and fast bug fixes

Stability and fast bug fixes are essential for NPOs. Built and maintained by a community of supporters, NPOs can rely on collective review to quickly identify and solve any issues that arise. This ensures that the most used features are put back into the core code base to ensure a safe, secure, and reliable experience for all users.

Security and data protection

Security and data protection is of utmost importance for any nonprofit due to the confidential data they may collect. The open source community as a whole collaborates to identify and address security gaps that are identified and addressed quickly compared to proprietary software, where the solution is dependent on the vendor. Our developers are highly trained in the detection of potential vulnerabilities that could put user data at risk. Furthermore, with full data ownership, your nonprofit can have peace of mind that all data is being used solely for the objectives and mission of the organisation.