Make source code open by default

Effective:

–

Make all new source code open by default.

Minimum you need to do

Assess if and how you can make new source code open and create and implement a plan to do so.

Why it's in the standard

Its important to share your source code so others with a similar need can reuse it.

Open source helps to:

• reduce costs for your project and others
• avoid lock-in
• stop duplication
• increase transparency
• add benefits, from improvements by other developers.

How you can meet the standard

Final code will not be produced in Alpha stage, however you should still be thinking about how you can share what you create. During the Alpha stage, you'll need to:

• show that you have considered a plan to release it under a licence that is suitable for your service
• consider publishing the source code on a platform with wide adoption in the open source community, such as GitHub (Opens in new window) .

During Beta stage you'll have developed further working code and should be ready to share your code in a repository. By the time you go live you should be able to show:

• how you are making new source code open and reusable, for example, storing in repositories, releasing code under licence, using APIs
• you have provided a plan or guidance for contributors
• how you're handling updates and bug fixes to the code.

Guidance related to this criteria

Open source software guideline

Further reading

• GOV.UK Service Manual Testing your service (Opens in new window) (external)
• 18F Testing Cookbook (Opens in new window) (external)
• GitHub and Government (Opens in new window) (external)
• Government GitHub Community (Opens in new window) (external)
• Wikipedia Comparison of free and open-source software licences (Opens in new window) (external)
• Digital Transformation Agency Blog Making source code open (Opens in new window) (external)