OSI Adopts SPDX IDs for License URLs
The OSI has standardized license URLs using SPDX identifiers, while carefully preserving compatibility with the many links that already exist across the web and tools.
News
Help Shape the Research Agenda for Open Technology
Open technologies are increasingly central to digital infrastructure and public policy, but research in the field remains fragmented. The Open Technology Research Network is launching a global consultation to help shape a shared research agenda.
OSI Joins Apereo Foundation in Calling on Higher Education to Reclaim Its Digital Future
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) has signed the Open Letter to the Higher Education Community, joining a growing coalition of educators, technologists, nonprofit leaders, and institutions calling for renewed leadership and intentional investment in open solutions across higher education.
Google Summer of Code 2026: Advancing Open Source Through Mentorship
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is proud to highlight Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2026, a global program that continues to strengthen Open Source communities by pairing new contributors with experienced mentors.
Europe’s Open Source Opportunity: our vision for the EU Open Digital Ecosystems strategy
The OSI submitted its feedback to the Open Digital Ecosystems strategy, which comes at a time when both Open Source communities and the European Union face unprecedented challenges. We highlighted the benefits of Open Source for Europe, and how to leverage them in a way that strengthens Open Source communities.
Ensuring the Long-Term Sustainability of ClearlyDefined: OSI and AboutCode Sign MoU
OSI and AboutCode have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes a new collaborative approach to stewarding and sustaining the ClearlyDefined project.
OSI Joins OpenForum Europe and the Open Knowledge Foundation to Officially Launch Open Technology Research Initiative
Together from Brussels, Open Source Initiative (OSI), OpenForum Europe (OFE), and the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) announced the official launch of Open Technology Research (OTR). The launch comes with the unveiling of a new website that details the activities of the initiative and how the community can expect to get involved.
2026 OSI Elections Update
Pausing the 2026 Board Election Cycle to Improve How OSI Selects Directors and Hears the Community
Open Source Software, Public Policy, and the Stakes of Getting It Right
Over the past few years, OSI has built out a dedicated public policy function in both the United States and Europe. A core part of OSI’s policy work is education. This includes meeting directly with lawmakers, responding to public consultations and requests for information, and producing short, targeted resources designed specifically for policy audiences.
Open Policy Alliance Welcomes the Open Source Technology Improvement Fund as New Member
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is pleased to welcome the Open Source Technology Improvement Fund (OSTIF) to the Open Policy Alliance. OSTIF is a nonprofit dedicated to securing Open Source apps.
Top Open Source licenses in 2025
The top 20 OSI-Approved licenses most frequently sought out by our community in 2025 based on number of pageviews.
Patents and Open Source: Understanding the Risks and Available Solutions
The Open Source community has spent two decades building the scaffolding to make patent threats rare and containable. Developers who understand that landscape can focus on what they do best: innovating in the open, confident that the legal ground beneath them is far more stable than any patent myths suggest.