What does it mean that Drupal is open source?

We've written many times on the Direktpoint blog that Drupal is an open-source solution. But do you know what that really means? By reading this article you'll learn why “open-source code” is the best choice to aid your business.

Let's start with a simple definition. “Open source” software, as the name suggests, has open-source code. Its author allows other users to look freely "inside" his or her creation.

What's more, you can modify it, add your own extensions and even sell it. It is a fully–fledged IT solution that is simply not commercial and licensed to specific companies.

The open-source movement emerged in the late 1990s with the growing popularity of open–source Linux distributions. The Open Source Initiative was launched back then and still, today brings together thousands of advocates of this approach to IT. It has always been primarily about opposing corporate greed and supporting the development of technology.

Advantages of open source

Many people may associate “open code” with a threat to the operation of applications. Nothing could be further from the truth. These types of solutions tend to gather huge online communities around them. Their members fish out potential bugs very quickly and fix them. This is often quicker than in “closed” applications, just because patches and changes to improve security do not require the author's consent.

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The community is also a guarantee of support over many years. Thousands of developers from all over the world will continuously develop an open-source project, ensure its stability and add further extensions and features, for which you would have to pay extra in a commercial application. When creating your project, think ahead.

By choosing open source, you have full insight into the code. Before launching your platform, you can test it and change it if there are any issues. Adapting the solution to very specific needs is much easier here.

The benefit that comes with open-source software is that it doesn't force you to work with one company. Are you unhappy with the relationship with your current development team? At Direktpoint, we welcome you with open arms and invite you to consider our services for your software development needs.

"Open" like Drupal

Drupal is one of the most popular content management systems around the globe. Of course, it is open-source software! It has been on the market for over 20 years and has an established reputation among customers as a stable and secure CMS. It is trusted by NASA, the BBC, Tesla, and a number of government agencies and public institutions, including the White House. There are millions of its users.

Drupal's main advantages:

• Ready to go – make use of the core features required to create a digital platform in a standard package.
• Flexibility– you can freely change its code and customize its elements to suit your needs.
• Modules – extend Drupal's pallet of features by adding modules to it. There are thousands of modules and new ones are constantly being created. Each module is strictly controlled and tested before it is delivered to users, so you can be sure that it will be compatible with the rest of your platform.
• Security – a dedicated group of experts (Security Team) and members of the community are constantly engaged in troubleshooting. All this makes Drupal the most secure CMS on the market. Want to learn more about the security aspect of Drupal? We have a separate blog post on this matter, feel free to check it out!
• No licensing costs – open-source solutions can be used commercially. The benefits are obvious. You can use Drupal for free under the GNU (General Public License). Otherwise, by creating a large digital platform and deciding to use commercial solutions, you will be faced with considerable costs.
• Full control – if you choose a commercial solution, you will be reliant on the owner of the solution and will never have full power over your application or platform. If it stops being operational or you want to change something there, you have to ask your service provider to do so, which again necessitates extra charges. And what if the company stops supporting your tool or decides to pull the plug on it, giving you a few months to redesign the whole infrastructure from scratch? The consequences can be very costly. No fixed costs as in the SASS model.