Open source describes a collaborative development model which makes use of unrestricted access to publicly available source code for software development. This approach enables an open source project to grow, constantly improving through distributed peer-review and transparency of process, resulting in a robust, high quality software development. Instead of proprietary software or closed source projects, open source projects are characterized by a shared software code base, unrestricted use, and often collaborative development. In this way, open source projects allow organizations to share their 1 innovative solutions, increase efficiency, and reduce overall costs in their developmental work.

See also: decentralized organizing, collective intelligence, direct democracy, social justice, systemic transformation