Why you should NEVER publish your code

With open-source examples like Kubernetes, React, and VS Code, and a realistic open-source business model. Myths and misunderstandings about open source, debunked by our CEO Christoph Ott.

We give our crown jewels away to the competition.

If your only competitive advantage is a Java class, you probably have a bigger problem. Companies rarely win today because of their source code. They win through speed, customer understanding, data quality, established processes, and the people behind their product. Kubernetes, for example, was originally an internal Google project – today it is the industry standard for container orchestration. React and VS Code were developed openly from the start and are still (or precisely because of that) among the most influential software projects ever. Apparently, openness has not particularly harmed these companies.

Open source means loss of control.

Then maybe now is a good time to improve your code. Public code is like a table in an open-plan office: suddenly, it gets tidied up more regularly. Discipline is a gain for the quality of your code and is checked and optimized by the community.

Someone forks your project and takes your business away.

Sure. And someone could also copy your company tomorrow. A fork can be created in seconds. Building a community, trust, recognition, and momentum takes years. The most successful open-source projects do not live off the Git repository, but from the people behind them. And if a fork actually becomes more successful than the original, then the community probably had good reasons for it. That's tough, but also honest. Open source does not reward the one who publishes first, but the one who delivers real added value.

Without a clear open-source business model, it makes no sense.

"Open source" and "free" are far too often confused. One describes the license. The other the price list. Without a business model, any company fails, with or without open code. Open source is not a business model, it is a development model. Money is still made: with support, hosting, managed services, open core, consulting, training, or enterprise features. And sometimes with something that does not appear on any balance sheet: trust, reach, recruiting, and reputation.

Public code is public embarrassment, plus maintenance hell in the issue tracker.

If those are your concerns, then you might really not want to publish your code. Joking aside: sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees, and an outside perspective can suddenly improve software very quickly. Bugs are found, ideas emerge, documentation gets better, and quality increases. An open issue tracker is not a punishment; it is free feedback from people who actually use your product. And those who are afraid that others will see their code should perhaps think less about public perception and more about their own quality standards.

Once open, there is no turning back.

Correctly recognized. That’s exactly why successful open-source projects think very carefully about what they publish. Opening forces them to document cleanly, make traceable decisions, and think long-term. The published version remains free. But you still decide on the roadmap, architecture, and the future of the project. Open does not mean leaderless.

This only works if it fits your target audience.

You don’t always have to publish your entire product right away. Almost every company has components that are also valuable to others: SDKs, libraries, APIs, CLI tools, integrations, or infrastructure components. This is often where open source begins to provide its greatest value. The more interesting question is therefore not: "Is our product suitable for open source?" But: "Which part of our know-how could create an ecosystem from which everyone ultimately benefits – including us?" In the end, opening code is not a matter of faith, but a strategic decision like any other. Not every project is suitable for this – but most companies have more to share than they initially believe. If this strategic step is an option for you, but you don’t yet know how to approach it, or simply need a conversation partner to challenge you, just talk to us about it, come by for a coffee, or call us. The ball is now in your court.