{{short description|Non-profit organization promoting open-source software}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox organization | logo = Open Source Initiative.svg | logo_size = 150px | logo_alt = large green "C" rotated 90 degrees clockwise to form a sort of key hole marked with small circled "R" indicating a registered trademark and the words "open source" beneath | caption = Trademarked OSI "keyhole" logo | formation = {{start date and age|paren=yes|1998|02|08}} | type = Standards organization<ref name="b733"/> | leader_title = Interim Executive Director | leader_name = Deborah Bryant (September 2025 – present) | board_of_directors = Anne-Marie Scott, Carlo Piana, Catharina Maracke, Chris Aniszczyk, Gaël Blondelle, Josh Berkus, Ruth Suehle, McCoy Smith<ref name="osi-board">{{cite web| url=https://opensource.org/about/board-of-directors | title=OSI Board of Directors | access-date=September 25, 2025 }}</ref> | name = Open Source Initiative | location = West Hollywood, California, U.S.<ref name="ProPublica-2025" /> | revenue = $811,527<ref name="ProPublica-2025">{{cite web |title=Open Source Initiative - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912037395 |website=ProPublica |access-date=December 17, 2025 |language=en |date=December 5, 2025}}</ref> | revenue_year = 2023 | region_served = Worldwide | website = {{URL|opensource.org}} }} The '''Open Source Initiative''' ('''OSI''') is an American nonprofit organization that maintains ''The Open Source Definition'' (OSD), the predominant standard for open-source software.<ref name="Fortunato-2021">{{Cite Q|Q111919147|osti-access=free|via=OSTI|page=10|access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref><ref name="Wen-2020">{{cite conference |last1=Wen |first1=Shao-Fang |last2=Kianpour |first2=Mazaher |last3=Kowalski |first3=Stewart |title=An empirical study of security culture in open source software communities |book-title=ASONAM '19: Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining |date=January 15, 2020 |pages=863–870 |doi=10.1145/3341161.3343520 |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3341161.3343520 |access-date=December 16, 2025 |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |quote=OSS is released under license in compliance with the Open Source Definition as articulated by the Open Source Initiative (also known as the OSI).|url-access=subscription |hdl=11250/2646705 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Feller-2000">{{cite conference |last1=Feller |first1=Joseph |last2=Fitzgerald |first2=Brian |title=A framework analysis of the open source software development paradigm |book-title=ICIS '00: Proceedings of the twenty first international conference on Information systems |date=December 10, 2000 |publisher=Association for Information Systems |page=58 |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/359640.359723 |access-date=December 16, 2025 |via=Association for Computing Machinery |quote=Open Source Software is software released under a license conforming to the Open Source Definition (OSD), as articulated by the Open Source Initiative.}}</ref> The organization was founded in February 1998 by Bruce Perens and Eric S. Raymond,<ref name=osihistory /> part of a group inspired by the Netscape Communications Corporation publishing the source code for its flagship Netscape Communicator product. Later, in August 1998, the organization added a board of directors.
For most of its existence, the OSI's activities have been focused on the definition and certifying software licenses as compliant with it. OSI originally had a closed organizational model, but began to switch towards a membership organization in the 2010s to raise more money and expand its activities.
==History== As a campaign of sorts, "open source" was launched in 1998 by Christine Peterson, Jon "maddog" Hall, Larry Augustin, Eric S. Raymond, Bruce Perens, and others.<ref name=osihistory>{{cite web| url = http://www.opensource.org/history| title = History of the OSI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2008/02/12/a-look-back-at-10-years-of-osi.html |title=A Look Back at 10 Years of OSI |archive-date=April 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429095902/http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2008/02/12/a-look-back-at-10-years-of-osi.html}}</ref>
The group adopted ''The Open Source Definition'' (OSD) for open-source software, based on the Debian Free Software Guidelines. They also established the Open Source Initiative (OSI) as a steward organization for the movement. However, they were unsuccessful in their attempt to secure a trademark for 'open source' to control the use of the term.<ref>{{cite press release | title=Announcement of "OSI Certified" Open Source Mark | website=Open Source Initiative | date=June 15, 1999 | url=https://opensource.org/pressreleases/certified-open-source.php }}</ref>
In 2012, under the leadership of OSI director and then-president Simon Phipps, the OSI began transitioning towards a membership-based governance structure. The OSI initiated an Affiliate Membership program for "government-recognized non-profit charitable and not-for-profit industry associations and academic institutions anywhere in the world".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opensource.org/affiliates/about|title=Become an OSI Affiliate|date=May 22, 2012 }}</ref> Subsequently, the OSI announced an Individual Membership program<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://opensource.org/members/1207-release|title=OSI Announces Individual Membership|access-date=July 19, 2012|archive-date=May 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527050402/https://opensource.org/members/1207-release|url-status=dead}}</ref> and listed a number of Corporate Sponsors.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://opensource.org/sponsors| title = OSI Corporate Sponsors| date = July 23, 2023}}</ref>
On November 8, 2013, OSI appointed Patrick Masson as its general manager.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://lwn.net/Articles/571460/ | title=OSI Names New General Manager | date=October 23, 2013 | publisher=LWN | access-date=January 27, 2014}}</ref> From August 2020 to September 2021, Deb Nicholson was the interim general manager.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Deb Nicholson to Join Open Source Initiative as Interim General Manager|url=https://sfconservancy.org/news/2020/aug/20/debleaving/|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=Software Freedom Conservancy|language=en}}</ref> During the OSI's March 2021 board election, the OSI discovered that at least one voter had exploited a security vulnerability to submit multiple votes; the election results were discarded and the OSI held the election again.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |title=Open Source Initiative board election results scrapped after security hole found, exploited to rig outcome |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/22/osi_vote_vulnerability/ |website=The Register |access-date=December 16, 2025 |language=en |date=March 22, 2021}}</ref>
Co-founder Perens resigned from the OSI in January 2020 in response to the organization's then-impending approval of the Cryptographic Autonomy License. Prior to his departure, Perens wrote on the OSI mailing list that the license "isn't freedom respecting", and in a later interview with ''The Register'', he expressed concern about license proliferation, stating that the AGPLv3, LGPLv3, and Apache 2.0 licenses were sufficient.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |title=Bruce Perens quits Open Source Initiative amid row over new data-sharing crypto license: 'We've gone the wrong way with licensing' |url=https://www.theregister.com/2020/01/03/osi_cofounder_resigns/ |website=The Register |access-date=January 29, 2026 |language=en |date=January 3, 2020}}</ref>
In November 2020, the board of directors announced a search for an executive director,<ref>{{Cite web |title=OSI Seeks to Hire Executive Director {{!}} Open Source Initiative |url=https://blog.opensource.org/executive_director/ |access-date=September 20, 2021 |website=opensource.org|date=November 19, 2020 }}</ref> which was concluded in September 2021 with the appointment of Stefano Maffulli. At the same time, the role of president of the board was abandoned in favor of chair of the board. Maffulli stepped down in September 2025. Deborah Bryant is serving as interim executive director.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vaughan-Nichols |first1=Steven |title=The Open Source Initiative's executive director departs - what it means for the OSAID debate |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-open-source-initiatives-executive-director-departs-what-it-means-for-the-osaid-debate/ |website=ZDNET |access-date=December 16, 2025 |language=en |date=September 16, 2025}}</ref>
In 2025, elections for the board of directors were criticized for many missteps. These included a mistake in communicating the number of seats, which were corrected only after nominations had closed,<ref>{{cite web|last = Vidal|first = Nick|date = 2025-01-22|title = OSI's board of directors in 2025: details about the elections|url = https://opensource.org/blog/osis-board-of-directors-in-2025-details-about-the-elections|website = Open Source Initiative|access-date = 2026-01-31}}</ref> and the exclusion of three candidates who didn't sign an agreement required after the vote took place and before the votes were counted.<ref name="lwn" /><ref>{{cite web|author = |date = March 2025|title = Board Agreement required *post-vote* for all candidates?|url = https://discuss.opensource.org/t/board-agreement-required-post-vote-for-all-candidates/929|website = Open Source Initiative forum|access-date = 2026-01-31}}</ref> Voters and other members of open source communities raised concerns about the lack of transparency and the fact that two of the excluded candidates had expressed opinion contrasting those of current directors, and asked to publish the complete tallies (which were retained for excluded candidates) and to invalidate and repeat the election.<ref name="lwn">{{cite web|last = Brockmeier|first = Joe|date = 2025-03-21|title = OSI election ends with unsatisfying results|url = https://lwn.net/Articles/1014603/|website = LWN.net|access-date = 2026-01-31}}</ref> OSI declined such requests and hold the elections valid.
In January 2026, it was announced that the board of directors had voted to redesign the board member selection process and to suspend 2026 board elections until then.<ref>{{cite web|last = Bryant|first = Deb|date = 2026-01-28|title = 2026 OSI Elections Update|url = https://opensource.org/blog/2026-osi-elections-update|website = Open Source Initiative|access-date = 2026-01-31}}</ref>
==Governance== The OSI is a California public-benefit nonprofit corporation, with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.<ref name=Boehm>{{cite journal |last1=Boehm |first1=Mirko |last2=Eisape |first2=Davis |title=Standard setting organizations and open source communities: Partners or competitors? |journal=First Monday |date=2021 |doi=10.5210/fm.v26i7.10806 |doi-access=free |url=https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/10806 |language=en |issn=1396-0466|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The organization is professionally overseen by an Executive Director and staff, and supported by its Board of Directors responsible for overseeing duty of care, fiduciary duty, and strategic alignment to mission.<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of directors |url=https://opensource.org/about/board-of-directors |website=Open Source Initiative |access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref>
== ''The Open Source Definition'' == {{Main|The Open Source Definition}} ''The Open Source Definition'' (OSD) is the most widely accepted standard for open-source software.<ref name="Mertic">{{cite book |last1=Mertic |first1=John |title=Open Source Projects - Beyond Code: A blueprint for scalable and sustainable open source projects |date=2023 |publisher=Packt Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-83763-385-2 |page=5 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="j787">{{cite book | last=De Maria | first=Carmelo | last2=Díaz Lantada | first2=Andrés | last3=Di Pietro | first3=Licia | last4=Ravizza | first4=Alice | last5=Ahluwalia | first5=Arti | title=Engineering Open-Source Medical Devices | chapter=Open-Source Medical Devices: Concept, Trends, and Challenges Toward Equitable Healthcare Technology | publisher=Springer International Publishing | publication-place=Cham | date=2022 | isbn=978-3-030-79362-3 | doi=10.1007/978-3-030-79363-0_1 | page=4}}</ref> Providing access to the source code is not enough for software to be considered "open-source": it must also allow modification and redistribution under the same terms and all uses, including commercial use.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greenleaf |first1=Graham |last2=Lindsay |first2=David |title=Public Rights: Copyright's Public Domains |date=2018 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-13406-5 |page=485 |language=en}}</ref> The Open Source Definition requires that ten criteria be met for a license to be approved.<ref name="v459">{{cite book | last=Erlich | first=Zippy | title=Handbook of Research on Open Source Software | chapter=Open Source Software | publisher=IGI Global | year=2007 | pages=187–188|isbn=978-1591409991}}</ref><ref name="b733">{{cite book | last1=Gardler | first1=Ross | last2=Walli | first2=Stephen R | title=Open Source Law, Policy and Practice | chapter=Evolving Perspective on Community and Governance | publisher=Oxford University PressOxford | date=2022 | isbn=978-0-19-886234-5 | doi=10.1093/oso/9780198862345.003.0002 | page=47–48, 52}}</ref> It allows both copyleft—where redistribution and derivative works must be released under a free license—and permissive licenses—where derivative works can be released under any license.<ref name="b733"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Meeker |first1=Heather J. |title=The Open Source Alternative: Understanding Risks and Leveraging Opportunities |date=2008 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-25581-0 |pages=21–22 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Laurent">{{cite book |last1=Laurent |first1=Andrew M. St |title=Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing: Guide to Navigating Licensing Issues in Existing & New Software |date=2004 |publisher=O'Reilly Media, Inc. |isbn=978-0-596-55395-1 |pages=9–11 |language=en}}</ref> Software licenses covered by the Open Source Definition also mostly meet the Free Software Definition and vice versa, except for unreleased software.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Categories of Free and Nonfree Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html.en |access-date=2026-03-18 |website=www.gnu.org}}</ref> Both the Free Software Foundation and the OSI share the goal of supporting free and open-source software.<ref name="b733"/>
===License approval process=== The OSI approves certain licenses as compatible with the definition, and maintains a list of compliant licenses. New licenses have to submit a formal proposal explaining the rationale for the license, comparison with existing approved licenses, and any legal analysis. The proposal is discussed on the OSI mailing list for at least 30 days before being brought to a vote and approved or rejected by the OSI board. Although the OSI has made an effort to have a transparent process, the approval process has been a source of controversy.<ref name="l662"/>
Seven approved licenses are particularly recommended by the OSI as "popular, widely used, or having strong communities":<ref name="l662">{{cite book | last=Smith | first=P McCoy | title=Open Source Law, Policy and Practice | chapter=Copyright, Contract, and Licensing in Open Source | publisher=Oxford University PressOxford | date=2022 | isbn=978-0-19-886234-5 | doi=10.1093/oso/9780198862345.003.0003 | pages=108–111}}</ref> # Apache License 2.0 # BSD 3-Clause and BSD 2-Clause Licenses # All versions of the GPL # All versions of the LGPL # MIT License # Mozilla Public License 2.0 # Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) # Eclipse Public License version 2.0
== ''The Open Source AI Definition'' == In 2022, the OSI began work on ''The Open Source AI Definition'' (OSAID) in conjunction with researchers, developers, and industry representatives; version 1.0 was released in October 2024.<ref>{{Cite press |last=Vidal |first=Nick |date=December 17, 2024 |title=2024 end-of-year review: Open Source AI Definition v1.0 |url=https://opensource.org/blog/2024-end-of-year-review-open-source-ai-definition-v1-0/ |access-date=October 16, 2025 |website=Open Source Initiative |language=en-US}}</ref> The definition was criticized by some AI company employees.<ref name="critics">{{Cite web |last=Gall |first=Richard |date=November 18, 2024 |title=The Open Source AI Definition: What the Critics Say |url=https://thenewstack.io/the-open-source-ai-definition-what-the-critics-say/ |access-date=November 24, 2024 |website=The New Stack |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* Digital rights * Comparison of open-source and closed-source software * Business models for open-source software * Commons-based peer production – an economic model for organizing projects without leaders or financial compensation * Open-source governance – use of open-source principles to transform human social governance * Techno-progressivism – a stance of active support for the convergence of technological change and social progress * Open-source-software movement – the evolution and evidence of the open-source ideology * Open data and Linked data
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://opensource.org/}} *[http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical List of OSI approved licenses]
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Category:Charities based in California Category:Advocacy groups in the United States Category:Free and open-source software organizations Category:Free culture movement Category:American organizations established in 1998 Category:Standards organizations in the United States