Open Source in Business: From Enthusiast Rebellion to the Foundation of Corporations
Open source is no longer just the philosophy of idealists, but the foundation for the development of modern companies and organizations. Discover how openness, collaboration, transparency, and the lack of licensing restrictions revolutionized the software world and built a real market advantage.
At the dawn of IT, sharing code was the norm—this is how the first systems on academic mainframes were created. Only the commercialization of software in the 1970s and 1980s brought licenses, closed standards, and a division between users and creators. But just when it looked as though the situation was set in stone, a revolution arrived. Thanks to which open-source software is now the standard in business.
The Software World Turned Upside Down
Then, in 1983, Richard Stallman from MIT did something that completely went against the market approach of the time. He claimed that closing code hinders progress and limits user freedom. He decided to create a free operating system and make the source code available to anyone who wanted to see, modify, or develop it. Thus was born the GNU project, the concept of free software, and later the FSF Foundation. And this was in times when IBM was selling mainframes for millions of dollars and Microsoft was building an empire on licenses!
Thanks to the GPL license and the creation of Linux (1991), the idea of shared code spread around the world. The open source movement, at the end of the 1990s (OSI, Netscape, Mozilla), dramatically accelerated software development, not only for hobbyists but also for corporations, governments, and startups.
Forty years later, the value of the global open source market is counted in tens of billions of dollars and is growing dynamically. Today, banks process millions of daily transactions on Linux platforms, major global stock exchanges operate on PostgreSQL databases, and even Microsoft—once the staunchest opponent of open source—is now among its strongest supporters.
And so, the idealistic movement of programmers became the greatest revolution in the history of business technology. Equally important, open source also redefined the economic perspective. In the traditional model, value lies in owning code—the more closely guarded, the higher its market value. Open source showed that the ability to use code is equally crucial, if not more so. A whole area of the market has emerged that now deals with the implementation, support, training, and customization of open software for business needs.
From Cathedral to Bazaar. A Revolution in the Way Software is Created
Why Does it Work?
- Thousands of eyes catch bugs faster (given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow).
- The community provides resilience—if the creator abandons the project, others fork it and continue development.
- Development is fast and iterative— no need to wait years for a new system version.
Open Source in Business—Benefits and Advantages that no Closed Solution Offers
- Faster innovation
Today, almost every new technology (AI, big data, cloud) starts as an open-source project. Amazon, Google, Netflix, Facebook—all rely on Linux, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, or Python. - Flexibility and scalability
Companies that build their systems on open-source software can scale, develop, and adapt them as they wish. The code is accessible, auditable, and can be integrated with other tools. - No vendor lock-in
With open source, one is not tied to the provider, their rules, and update timeline. If your vendor ends support—as is the case with Camunda 7 CE—you can implement a compatible fork (e.g., Flowee BPMS) or maintain and develop the project yourself. - Costs
No license fees at scale bring huge savings, but most importantly, the ability to invest in what sets your business apart: your own functionalities, quality, and security. - Attracting talent
Top developers are drawn to projects where the code is open, transparent, trusted around the world, and that offer them the opportunity to build their reputation within the community.
But… Open Source Also Brings Challenges
- Responsibility for security
The code is open to everyone, including attackers. Therefore, you need to actively manage updates, monitor changes, and invest in security audits. - Risk of project abandonment
If the number of active developers drops, development may slow down. This is why companies increasingly track the health of the community for a given project and have migration or support strategies. - Complexity of license management
Not every open source license is the same. Companies must ensure compliance—some licenses (e.g., GPL) require sharing modifications. Need for in-house expertise. - Need for in-house expertise.
Implementing open source requires strong IT teams or commercial support—it does not mean everything is free.
The Camunda 7 CE Case—a Lesson From the Life of Large Organizations
The open workflow engine Camunda 7 CE has been the foundation of processes in banks, insurance, and e-commerce for over a decade. Its strengths were openness, no license fees, the ability to modify it independently, and broad community support.
When the official end-of-support date for Camunda 7 was announced, the open source community and the market reacted dynamically, offering organizations several possible development paths. These included migration to other BPMS solutions, migration to commercial Camunda 8, or choosing open forks—like Flowee BPMS—created to maintain compatibility, flexibility, provide regular security updates, and, above all, to meet the needs of organizations from the Polish and European markets. This proves that the strength of open source lies not only in the code but in the community and ecosystem, which are ready to take over development if needed.
New Challenges and New Opportunities—Open Source as the Engine of Continuous Transformation
The open-source world has evolved well beyond Linux and Apache. There are cloud infrastructure, automation, and machine learning tools now (TensorFlow and PyTorch); cutting-edge front-end environments like React and Vue; and collaboration solutions – GitHub, GitLab, and Stack Overflow, and many more. New projects are created every day, and the global community establishes new standards—which become the foundation of business—faster than ever.
Thanks to this, there are:
- new opportunities: instant access to the latest technologies (AI, machine learning, IoT, blockchain), lowering the entry barrier for startups and innovators, and the ability to scale business globally without licensing restrictions,
- nowe wyzwania– new challenges: managing the security of open code, monitoring the health of open source project ecosystems, more difficult management of dependencies and licenses, and greater responsibility for updates and development.
Companies that can not only use open code but also actively participate in the community and manage these challenges—including skills and security—and build flexible teams working at the intersection of the bazaar and the cathedral, gain a lasting market advantage. Openness today is not a trend, but a strategic condition for digital maturity. The question is not whether we should use open source; the question is—how can we build an advantage through openness?
Recommendations for Leaders:
- Think strategically: open source is not only a cost, but a way to build flexibility and resilience for the company.
- Invest in skills: build teams capable of managing and developing open code.
- Monitor the ecosystem: track the strength and activity of the community, consider commercial support options.
- Ensure security and compliance. Regularly audit licenses and invest in automating vulnerability management.
From Rebellion to Advantage—Open Source as the Foundation of Modern Business
Open source has evolved from the movement of a few idealists to the undisputed backbone of the digital world. It is not just a way to save money—it is a new model of development, collaboration, and innovation. For companies that can manage the open source ecosystem, it’s also a chance for:
- faster innovation adoption,
- greater operational flexibility,
- stronger security through transparency,
- building advanced in-house expertise.
This is no longer just a technological advantage, but also a cultural and organizational one that determines market position. And the revolution is not over—it has simply won.
Check how to build an advantage with open source—ask about Flowee BPMS.
Do you want to discover how your company can fully leverage the potential of open software, avoid risks, and ensure business continuity after Camunda 7 CE support ends?
Contact us, learn about Flowee BPMS, and see:
- How to smoothly transition to an open business process standard,
- How to build a next-generation automation ecosystem,
- How to manage security and compliance without licensing restrictions.
Build your advantage on solutions that truly drive your business growth.
The administrator of the data entered in the form is Finture Ltd. Personal data will be processed to establish contact and answer questions. More information about your rights and data processing rules is available in the privacy policy.
