Open-source software is software whose source code is openly available, allowing anyone to access, use, modify, and share it under the terms of an open-source license.

Open-source software plays an important role in Open Science by making research tools and methods more accessible and transparent. It can help researchers:

• Access and reuse tools without being dependent on proprietary software
• Adapt software to meet specific research needs
• Collaborate with other researchers and developers
• Improve reproducibility by making computational methods and code available
• Share and build on existing work, avoiding unnecessary duplication

Open-source licenses define how software can be used, modified, and redistributed. Common licenses include MIT, Apache 2.0, and BSD licenses. Each license has different conditions, so researchers should check the license before using or sharing software.

Good Practices

When sharing research software:

• Choose an appropriate open-source licence.
• Make the source code accessible through a suitable repository.
• Include clear documentation and installation instructions.
• Record software versions and dependencies.
• Provide information on how the software was used in the research.
• Cite software and acknowledge contributors appropriately.