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 among the most influential software projects ever. Clearly, openness hasn’t harmed these companies.
Open source means losing control.
Then maybe now is a good time to improve your code. Public code is like a table in an open office: suddenly, it gets tidied up more regularly. Discipline is a gain for the quality of your code and is reviewed 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 thrive not on the Git repository, but on the people behind them. And if a fork actually becomes more successful than the original, the community probably had good reasons for it. That’s tough, but also honest. Open source rewards not the one who publishes first, but the one who delivers real value.
Without a clear open-source business model, it doesn’t make 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’s a development model. Money is still made: with support, hosting, managed services, open core, consulting, training, or enterprise features. And sometimes with something that doesn’t show up on any balance sheet: trust, reach, recruiting, and reputation.
Public code is public shame, plus maintenance hell in the issue tracker.
If these are your concerns, then maybe you really shouldn’t publish your code. Joking aside: sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees, and an outside perspective can quickly improve software. Bugs are found, ideas emerge, documentation improves, and quality rises. An open issue tracker is not a punishment; it’s free feedback from people who actually use your product. And those who fear that others will see their code should perhaps worry less about public perception and more about their own quality standards.
Once open, there’s no going back.
Correctly recognized. That’s exactly why successful open-source projects think very carefully about what they publish. Opening forces them to document clearly, 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 doesn’t mean leaderless.
This only works if it fits your target audience.
You don’t always have to publish your entire product. Almost every company has components that are valuable to others: SDKs, libraries, APIs, CLI tools, integrations, or infrastructure components. That’s often where open source begins to provide its greatest value. The more interesting question is not: "Is our product suitable for open source?" But: "Which part of our know-how could create an ecosystem that benefits everyone in the end – us included?" In the end, opening code is not a matter of faith, but a strategic decision like any other. Not every project is suitable for it – but most companies have more worth sharing than they initially believe. If this strategic step is an option for you, but you’re not sure how to approach it, or just need someone to challenge you, just talk to us about it, come by for a coffee, or give us a call. The ball is now in your court.
What do you gain, what do you give up? Get in touch, no sales pitch, just an honest outside perspective.
