Open Source: Code for Everyone
Open Source code is code that is accessible to everyone, and (almost always) is created and maintained at least in part by members of the public.
Its opposite is Private code, where you need specific permission to view or edit it.
There are millions of Contributors, Maintainers, and Users of Open Source around the globe.
Open Source powers 96% of all software, and the communities around Open Source projects are filled with some of the most curious, intentional and collaborative people you’ve ever met.
The OSWC was created in April 2022 to make it easier for people to find their way to the right Open Source project to contribute to: to help contributors learn and advance their skills and careers, and help projects get more done.
Learn More
One way to find a good Open Source project to contribute to is to review collections of software projects that have been pre-vetted as good for newcomers.
Another way is to search the OSWC database for projects that meet your requirements.
If you are with an Open Source community, you can submit your project to the database.
Finally, you can learn about Open Source, how to be a good Contributor, and other topics in our Resources section
About the Welcome Committee
The Open Source Welcome Committee is created as a volunteer project by staff from:
The founding team is committed to meeting the standards and ethos of inclusive, equitable Open Source communities.
In our actions we will strive to live up to the Open Source project metrics created by CHAOSS, a Linux Foundation project focused on creating analytics and metrics to help define community health.
Contact us
We’d love to hear from you– with ideas, suggestions, offers to help.
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