Open-source and modifiable software, including Linux, has become ubiquitous. Whether you operate in industries such as manufacturing, data, retail, or services, it is either currently vital to your business or will be soon enough.
Without even realizing it, companies are increasingly using open-source software as an integral part of their operations. This software is often crucial for launching businesses and maintaining a competitive advantage in today’s market. The importance of Linux as a component of open-source software cannot be overstated, and many businesses find it challenging to operate efficiently without it.
Curious about the importance of Linux and open-source software for your business? Let’s explore.
Please Excuse the Punctuation, But I Must
Open-source software, including Linux, has played a significant role in the development of the cloud. Surprisingly, Microsoft’s Azure platform, which originated from open-source technology, uses the open-source Linux operating system to power 60% of its images. This is an impressive feat for Microsoft.
The use of Linux and open-source software to fuel the cloud is on the rise, reflecting their significance. Google is a prime example of a company that depends heavily on open-source software to deliver its many services, including the release of TensorFlow, a free software library for data processing and machine learning. Several of Google’s open-source initiatives are available for viewing.
Multiple Software Layers
Open-source software is used in almost all software stacks, making stacks composed entirely of proprietary programs a rare find. Due to the abundance of software stacks available, it is highly likely that your organization will rely on open-source software at some point. Virtually every software stack, ranging from the traditional LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) to a frontend stack comprised of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or a backend stack consisting of Python, Django, NGINX, and MySQL, is built on open-source software.
Languages in Software Development
It may come as a surprise to many to learn about the diverse array of open-source programming languages available. Popular programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, PHP, Swift, R, C++, Go and Kotlin are all freely available to use. Therefore, open-source development can be used by your business for creating web applications, mobile apps, front-end applications, and back-end services.
Containers
Containers are becoming increasingly popular as a technology. While large businesses are the primary beneficiaries of this technology, medium-sized businesses can also take advantage of its highly accessible, scalable and portable services and applications, thanks to its deployment in a clustered environment. Both macOS and Windows support container development, but Linux is the most popular platform for deploying containers at scale. The technology for designing, deploying, and managing containers is open-source. Therefore, if a company desires to use Docker or Kubernetes, they must adopt an open-source operating system.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have had a significant impact on the corporate sector. With numerous applications available, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to avoid incorporating AI and ML into their operations. When it comes to data, companies frequently rely on AI and ML to mine and analyze large datasets, detect trends, and more. Furthermore, agile development processes, which frequently make use of AI, are typically used in software development lifecycles. Finally, incorporating AI into the development process at some point is likely to be necessary if a company wishes to transition to a CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) environment.
It is not surprising to discover that many of the tools utilized in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), such as TensorFlow, are available to the public for free. Furthermore, the most popular programming languages for AI/ML, such as Python, are open for everyone to use.
Massive Databases
The field of Big Data presents an abundance of possibilities, but this can only be accomplished by embracing open-source software. Essential to managing and manipulating large datasets are technologies such as Hadoop, Apache Spark, Cassandra, MongoDB, HPCC, Apache Storm, Apache SAMOA, and Elastic Search, all of which are open-source. Open-source software is essential for efficiently handling data lakes and warehouses.
To put it simply, Big Data is a phenomenon that is here to stay. Large data warehouses are heavily relied upon by major organizations worldwide, and numerous open-source software solutions are available to the public for processing and visualizing this data. Some examples of such solutions include Grafana, Redash, D3, and Google Charts.
Conclusion
The open-source model enables many of the technologies that people use on a daily basis. Popular platforms like Google Drive and social media services such as Facebook and Twitter rely heavily on open-source software and Linux in order to function.
The question that arises today is what role, if any, Linux and open source will have in the future of your business.
