Reflecting on Open Source in 2024: Progress, Challenges, and What’s Ahead

As 2024 draws to a close, the open source ecosystem continues to stand as a shining example of what global collaboration and shared knowledge can achieve. Open source refers to software whose code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute, fostering transparency and innovation. This year, we witnessed transformative advancements in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), where open-source tools bridged the gap between accessibility and cutting-edge technology. Efforts in sustainability and inclusion also gained traction, ensuring that the ecosystem supports diverse contributors and maintains its long-term viability.

Yet, significant challenges remain. Issues such as maintainer burnout—where individuals responsible for overseeing key projects face overwhelming workloads—underscore the need for better support. Security vulnerabilities in the supply chain and the fragmented nature of the open-source landscape pose ongoing risks to its stability and effectiveness. This article delves into the year’s highlights, the challenges that demand attention, and a forward-looking perspective on what 2025 holds,? and actionable opportunities for newcomers and seasoned contributors alike.

Key Highlights from 2024

In 2024, the open-source community achieved significant progress across various fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, education, Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs), sustainability and funding, AI-open source collaborations, and community health metrics. These initiatives highlighted the transformative power of open-source innovation in addressing diverse challenges and democratizing access to technology.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

• GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot has transformed software development with AI-driven code suggestions that streamline programming tasks and enhance efficiency. Its integration with open-source projects enables developers to focus on innovation and solve complex problems more effectively.
• PyTorch: The PyTorch framework continued to empower researchers and developers by offering robust tools for creating and deploying AI models. It has remained a cornerstone for innovation in the machine learning space.
• Mistral: Founded in 2023, Mistral quickly emerged as a major player in open-source AI. Its AI models have demonstrated competitive performance against proprietary systems, emphasizing cost-effectiveness and transparency.
• Falcon: Falcon stood out for delivering high-performance, open-source AI models that rival proprietary alternatives, fostering broader access to cutting-edge machine learning tools.
• OpenBB: This AI-powered financial analytics platform transformed the way data is visualized, integrated, and analyzed. By providing an accessible, user-friendly workspace, OpenBB has bridged gaps in financial research and analytics.

Education

• Linux Foundation (LF): LF released several influential research studies this year, offering data-driven insights into the open-source ecosystem. These reports addressed critical issues such as open-source sustainability, diversity metrics, and emerging trends in technology adoption. Access Linux Foundation Research here.
• CURIOSS: In 2024, the CURIOSS project emerged as a key leader in advancing open-source tools for academic institutions. The initiative focuses on supporting Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) within universities and research organizations, fostering collaboration and innovation in the academic use of open-source technologies. With backing from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, it aims to strengthen open-source ecosystems in education and research globally, ensuring sustainable growth and increased access to critical resources for the academic community.

Blockchain and Decentralized Trust Initiatives

• A major initiative from the Linux Foundation this year was the Decentralized Trust project. This initiative explores how blockchain and distributed ledger technologies can provide transparent and verifiable trust mechanisms. By enhancing security and accountability, the project aims to address critical trust issues across multiple sectors. Learn more about Decentralized Trust.

Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs)

• The TODO project, an open community of practitioners, continues to lead the way by providing vital resources, best practices, and collaboration opportunities for OSPOs globally. Their initiatives have been instrumental in shaping the strategic growth and impact of OSPOs.
• OSPOs have witnessed remarkable growth in 2024, expanding into critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, and public policy. The Linux Foundation's 2024 OSPO Report reveals how these offices are becoming essential in managing open-source software adoption, ensuring compliance, and enhancing organizational transparency. The report also highlights the challenges OSPOs face, including the need for skilled resources and greater industry-wide adoption. Despite these obstacles, OSPOs are now seen as key to optimizing open-source usage and governance, helping organizations navigate the complexities of software dependencies and licenses. The expansion of OSPOs is expected to continue, with growing recognition of their strategic value in fostering innovation and community collaboration.

Sustainability and Funding Models

• Sustainability remained a pressing challenge for open-source projects in 2024. Platforms like GitHub Sponsors and Open Collective played key roles by enabling direct, community-driven funding for maintainers. These models allow users and organizations to contribute to the financial stability of projects through recurring donations. However, while these platforms help alleviate some of the financial burden, many projects still face challenges in securing consistent funding.
• In addition, the Sovereign Tech Fund Fellowship introduced its program to provide financial support for individuals working on critical open-source projects. This initiative aims to offer more stable funding through freelance contracts and full-time employment, focusing on alleviating burnout and supporting the long-term sustainability of open-source infrastructure. By complementing donation-based funding models, such efforts ensure the ongoing success of vital open-source ecosystems.

AI and Open Source Collaboration

• In 2024, the intersection of AI and open-source technology continued to evolve in transformative ways. Platforms like Hugging Face advanced the accessibility of large language models (LLMs), enabling developers to utilize cutting-edge models in a more inclusive and transparent manner. Hugging Face's commitment to making AI more open and accessible helps to democratize AI development and usage, aligning with ethical principles of inclusivity.
• Initiatives such as LAION and EleutherAI have pushed for ethical and open AI research, emphasizing transparency and inclusivity in model development. These projects aim to ensure that AI technologies are developed in a way that is open to public scrutiny, reducing biases and promoting fairness in AI systems. By offering open models and research, these efforts strive to make AI more accessible while promoting responsible development practices.
• These initiatives highlight a broader movement within the AI community to prioritize ethical considerations alongside technical progress. As AI continues to play a larger role in various industries, such efforts are critical in ensuring that AI development benefits all of society.

Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

• In 2024, programs like Outreachy and events like the Grace Hopper Celebration Open Source Day played a critical role in fostering diversity within the open-source community. These initiatives provided opportunities for underrepresented groups to contribute to open-source projects, empowering diverse voices and perspectives.
• The GitHub Octoverse 2024 report highlights several important trends in the open-source community. Key insights include the rapid growth of AI-related repositories and the surge in global developer activity, with contributions from new regions and demographics. The report also emphasizes a shift toward more diverse participation, with increased contributions from women, underrepresented groups, and developers from countries with emerging tech ecosystems. GitHub's metrics underline the importance of community-driven contributions and the growing role of AI in open-source projects. Additionally, the launch of LF India further expanded the reach of global open-source initiatives, promoting inclusion across different regions and helping bridge gaps in global participation.

?Innersource Commons Foundation and the Launch of Innersource Africa

• The Innersource Commons Foundation is dedicated to promoting inner source practices, where open-source methodologies are applied within organizations to improve collaboration, innovation, and transparency. In 2024, they launched Innersource Africa, a transformative initiative designed to foster the adoption of inner sourcing across the African continent. This initiative aims to equip African organizations with the tools and resources necessary to incorporate open-source practices internally, driving innovation and community collaboration across the region. For more details, check out the full article on LinkedIn

Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

• In 2024, Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) became central to the open-source ecosystem. DPGs are open-source resources like software, data sets, and knowledge that are freely available and beneficial for public use, enabling sustainable development and digital sovereignty. These resources empower governments and organizations to develop and innovate independently, reducing reliance on proprietary technologies.
• On the other hand, DPI refers to the foundational digital systems supporting society, such as internet connectivity and digital identity. These infrastructures are essential for advancing inclusive services in sectors like healthcare, education, and governance.
• At the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) Annual Members Meeting 2024, discussions highlighted the importance of open-source-first principles, the adoption of interoperable DPI, and the critical role of DPGs in addressing global challenges like climate change and enhancing digital privacy standards. The DPGA emphasized promoting transparency and accessibility in AI technologies as part of their commitment to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Global programs like the Global Digital Compact also stressed the role of DPGs and DPI in fostering collaboration for digital inclusion. These frameworks support open, scalable technologies that ensure accessibility and promote sustainable digital futures. As we move into 2025, DPGs and DPI will continue shaping global digital policies and providing inclusive solutions across industries. For a deeper dive into the role of DPGs and DPI, check out this guide to Digital Pubic Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure.

Open Source Map Initiative

• The Open Source Map project, led by SustainOSS, aims to gather comprehensive data on academic involvement in open-source work, providing insights into the contributions, challenges, and opportunities in the field. This effort highlights the growing academic engagement in the open-source ecosystem and provides valuable information for researchers and practitioners. The project encourages the community to help expand this map by completing the survey to contribute data on their institutions' involvement in open source.

Community Health and Metrics

• The health of open-source communities gained attention in 2024, with the CHAOSS Project (Community Health Analytics for Open Source Software) playing a pivotal role. CHAOSS provided open-source tools and metrics to measure the well-being of communities, addressing challenges such as contributor retention, diversity, and engagement. Its focus on data-driven insights empowers maintainers and organizations to build thriving, inclusive ecosystems.

Challenges in 2024

1. Supply Chain Security: Security vulnerabilities, including dependency hijacking, remain significant concerns in 2024. Tools like Sigstore and the adoption of SBOM frameworks are advancing transparency and security in software supply chains. However, implementing these solutions on a wide scale remains a challenge, particularly for smaller projects and organizations. The State of Software Supply Chain Security 2024 report highlights the increasing threats to open-source software and the need for robust security measures.
2. Maintainer Fatigue: Burnout continues to be a significant issue for open-source maintainers, exacerbated by underfunding and overwhelming workloads. Reports such as the 2024 Tidelift State of the Open Source Maintainer Report highlight the imbalance between the demand for open-source contributions and the support available for maintainers, stressing the need for sustainable funding models and systemic support. Additionally, the Maintainer Month 2024 initiative aims to address these challenges by celebrating and supporting open-source maintainers.
3. Ecosystem Fragmentation: While the diversity of tools and platforms drives innovation, it also presents challenges in interoperability and user adoption. Projects like Backstage, which focus on platform integrations, aim to address these issues. However, broader standardization efforts across the ecosystem are essential for improving compatibility and streamlining adoption. The Backstage Software Catalog and Developer Platform provides a framework for building developer portals, helping organizations manage their software infrastructure more effectively.

Looking Ahead to 2025

1. Open-Source AI at the Forefront: Open-source AI is poised to be a driving force for greater transparency, accessibility, and ethical development in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. In 2025, projects like LAION and EleutherAI will continue to challenge the dominance of proprietary systems, pushing for more inclusive AI development. These initiatives emphasize open, collaborative research, ensuring that AI development is transparent, ethical, and accessible to all. With the growing global demand for AI applications, such projects will be crucial in fostering innovation, ensuring that AI technologies are developed responsibly, and offering broader access to cutting-edge models and tools.
2. Evolving OSPO Strategies: Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) are expected to mature further in 2025, refining their strategies to focus more heavily on community engagement, policy advocacy, and long-term sustainability. OSPOs will also continue to play a vital role in aligning open-source practices with organizational goals. The TODO Group, an industry group focused on helping organizations adopt open-source practices, will provide continued guidance on best practices for managing OSPOs. Meanwhile, initiatives like InnerSource Commons, which promote inner-source practices within organizations, will be instrumental in helping businesses integrate open-source principles internally for greater efficiency, collaboration, and innovation.
3. Funding Innovation: In 2025, we will see a continued expansion of decentralized funding models aimed at sustaining open-source projects and their maintainers. Cryptocurrency-backed sponsorships and collective contribution platforms will offer new avenues for financial support. These models will allow projects to diversify their funding streams, potentially providing more sustainable income options for maintainers. Platforms such as GitHub Sponsors and Open Collective, along with emerging models based on decentralized finance (DeFi), will continue to evolve and grow, allowing contributors and organizations to directly support projects that align with their values and needs.
4. Enhanced Tooling for Contributors:The future of open-source contributions will be further simplified with new tools designed to make the onboarding process smoother for newcomers. GitHub Codespaces and Gitpod will lead the charge in providing cloud-based development environments that allow contributors to start working on open-source projects immediately, without complex setup processes. These tools will remove technical barriers, enabling new contributors to more easily engage with open-source communities, fostering greater collaboration and accelerating innovation across projects.
5. LFX Account: For open-source contributors, an LFX Account will become an indispensable resource in 2025. It offers essential tools for tracking contributions, enhancing collaboration, and accessing training opportunities. LFX accounts provide a unified platform for managing your involvement across multiple open-source projects, improving visibility within the community, and offering opportunities for mentorship and skill development. With the rise of open-source participation, an LFX account will serve as a vital tool for anyone looking to build a deeper engagement in open-source ecosystems.

Call to Action: Shape the Future

As we enter 2025, your active participation will be essential in sustaining and expanding the open-source ecosystem. By contributing to the community, you can help shape the future of open-source technology and foster inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration. Here’s how you can get involved:

1. Support Maintainers Open-source maintainers are the backbone of the ecosystem, often working tirelessly without financial compensation. It's crucial to support these individuals who keep projects running and evolving. You can contribute directly through platforms like Open Collective, which enables users to fund maintainers and ensure that projects can continue to thrive sustainably. By offering financial or technical support, you can help reduce the burden on maintainers and provide them with the resources they need to continue their important work.
2. Engage with OSPOs Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) are pivotal in guiding organizations towards more structured open-source practices. If your organization does not yet have an OSPO, consider establishing one to better align open-source contributions with strategic goals. For existing OSPOs, refining their focus on community engagement, policy advocacy, and long-term sustainability is essential. The TODO Group offers valuable resources and best practices for creating and managing OSPOs, helping organizations integrate open-source practices across all departments.
3. Promote Diversity Diversity is a cornerstone of innovation in open source, and it’s critical that we continue to create spaces where underrepresented groups can thrive. Participate in programs like Outreachy, which provides internships for people from marginalized groups to work on open-source projects. Additionally, consider hosting or attending inclusive events, such as Grace Hopper Celebration Open Source Day, to create opportunities for diverse voices in the open-source community. Promoting diversity in open source helps ensure that technology reflects the needs of a broad and varied user base.
4. Plan Your Participation: Open-source conferences and events are excellent opportunities to share knowledge, collaborate, and build connections. You can explore open-source speaking opportunities through the Open Source Events Repository, which lists upcoming conferences, hackathons, and meetups where you can present your ideas, share your experiences, and learn from others. Planning your participation in these events can elevate your involvement in the open-source ecosystem and help drive future innovation.

Conclusion

Open source is not just about writing code—it’s a powerful movement rooted in collaboration, transparency, and shared progress. In 2025, we have the opportunity to build upon the lessons learned in 2024 to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and impactful open-source ecosystem. As contributors, maintainers, and organizations, we all play a crucial role in ensuring that open source continues to be a driving force for innovation, community engagement, and accessibility.

The work done over the past year—from advancing AI transparency with open-source projects like EleutherAI and LAION, to fostering diverse and inclusive participation through initiatives like Outreachy and Grace Hopper Celebration Open Source Day—has paved the way for even greater advancements. However, the road ahead is not without its challenges. Issues like maintainer burnout and ecosystem fragmentation will require sustained efforts from all parts of the open-source community to address.

In 2025, we can rise to meet these challenges by supporting initiatives such as Open Collective and GitHub Sponsors to ensure that maintainers receive the resources they need to continue their vital work. We can also engage with Open Source Program Offices to help organizations align their open source efforts with broader strategic goals and foster even stronger collaboration.

Let’s make 2025 a year of growth, collaboration, and progress. Together, we can ensure that open source remains a cornerstone of innovation, opportunity, and shared success. Happy New Year from me! ?????????????????????????????

This article is part of the Regina Nkenchor Open Source and OSPO newsletter series, now with a growing community of subscribers. If you enjoyed this article, feel free to subscribe for updates on new releases. If you're new to open source and OSPO topics, I recommend starting with my first article on the intersection of Open Source, OSPOs, and Inner Source. My writing is progressive, catering to both beginners and experts. Articles from this series have been featured by the TODO Group, the InnerSource Commons Foundation, and This Week in GNOME. You can also check out my work on Github. Happy reading!