Open source, and what that means for our community, refers to a publicly accessible software or hardware tool design that can be modified and shared by all of its users. This allows the tool to be designed, inspected and enhanced by multiple contributors. It ensures technology is accessible and collaborative, but not always free. Nor does open source mean open data.

Building open source tools allows for more control, increased security and stability, additional training opportunities, and the foundation of communities centered around collaborative design.