This document discusses the Government Digital Service's approach to open source software. It notes that in 2012, GOV.UK was first launched and by 2016, much of the government's code was openly accessible. The key aspects of the GDS's open source approach are using existing open source software, contributing to open source projects, and openly publishing their own code. The document outlines several benefits of this approach, including improved code quality, increased collaboration, and greater transparency around government technology work. It also acknowledges some challenges of open source like security risks but argues that open source overall helps make government more digital by default.

1. The year is 2012…

2. @annashipman GDS
ARCHIVED

3. @annashipman GDS
ARCHIVED

4. GOV.UK
was first
@annashipman GDS

5. The year is 2016…

6. @annashipman GDS

7. @annashipman GDS

8. @annashipman GDS

9. @annashipman GDS

10. GOV.UK is
coded in the open

11. Coding in the open
in government

12. Anna Shipman
Open Source Lead
Government Digital Service
@annashipman

13. @annashipman GDS

14. Open source
in government

15. @annashipman
1. Using Open Source Software
2. Contributing to Open Source Software
3. Open sourcing our own software
GDS

16. @annashipman
1. Using Open Source Software
2. Contributing to Open Source Software
3. Open sourcing our own software
GDS

17. A huge amount of government
code is now in the open
@annashipman GDS

18. How we got here

19. Revolution,
not evolution
@annashipman GDS

20. The Government
Digital Service (GDS)
@annashipman GDS

21. @annashipman GDS

22. GDS is helping government
be digital by default
@annashipman GDS

23. @annashipman GDS

24. @annashipman GDS

25. @annashipman GDS

26. @annashipman GDS

27. Coding in the open

28. Coding in the open is
technically Open Source
@annashipman GDS

29. @annashipman
1. Software with its source code made available
2. With a licence that allows software to be freely
used, modified, and shared
GDS

30. @annashipman GDS

31. The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Crown Copyright
(Government Digital Service)
Permission is hereby granted, free
of charge, to any person obtaining
a copy of this software and
@annashipman GDS

32. It might not work in
your environment
@annashipman GDS

33. We make no guarantees
about continuing support
@annashipman GDS

34. We haven’t worked to
build a community
@annashipman GDS

35. @annashipman GDS

36. @annashipman GDS

37. @annashipman GDS

38. Make things open:
it makes things better

39. It makes the code better

40. Coding in the open
encourages good practice
@annashipman GDS

41. @annashipman GDS

42. @annashipman
Giving constructive code reviews
GDS

43. @annashipman
Being aware of security
GDS

44. @annashipman
Making sure you are following
good architectural principles
GDS

45. @annashipman
Coding in the open makes
it easier to work with others
GDS

46. @annashipman GDS

47. @annashipman GDS

48. @annashipman GDS

49. @annashipman GDS

50. @annashipman GDS

51. @annashipman GDS

52. @annashipman
Other people can help
make your project better
GDS

53. @annashipman GDS

54. @annashipman GDS

55. @annashipman GDS

56. @annashipman GDS

57. @annashipman GDS

58. Open code makes it possible
for others to contribute
@annashipman GDS

59. It makes the
organisation better

60. Coding in the open makes it
easy to share learning
@annashipman GDS

61. @annashipman GDS

62. @annashipman GDS

63. You can show off the
organisation’s code
@annashipman GDS

64. @annashipman GDS

65. @annashipman GDS

66. Open code advertises your
interesting work
@annashipman GDS

67. Code review can act as a
positive advert for your culture
@annashipman GDS

68. Good for recruitment
and retention
@annashipman GDS

69. It makes government better

70. You can see what work is
being done with public money
@annashipman GDS

71. @annashipman GDS

72. @annashipman GDS

73. @annashipman GDS

74. Coding in the open supports a
culture of openness
@annashipman GDS

75. Forces clarity on
ownership of the code
@annashipman GDS

76. The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Crown Copyright
(Government Digital Service)
Permission is hereby granted, free
of charge, to any person obtaining
a copy of this software and
@annashipman GDS

77. The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Crown Copyright
(Government Digital Service)
Permission is hereby granted, free
of charge, to any person obtaining
a copy of this software and
@annashipman GDS

78. Government owns the
intellectual property
for the work
@annashipman GDS

79. Can switch suppliers
@annashipman GDS

80. Can build a team from
multiple suppliers
@annashipman GDS

81. Reducing supplier lock-in
@annashipman GDS

82. It’s cheaper
@annashipman GDS

83. Access control is
complex and expensive
@annashipman GDS

84. Public code repos
are usually free
@annashipman GDS

85. Two benefits I
haven’t mentioned

86. Reuse
@annashipman GDS

87. “Given enough eyeballs,
all bugs are shallow”
@annashipman GDS

88. @annashipman GDS

89. Open doesn’t mean
enough eyeballs
@annashipman GDS

90. Coding in the open is
valuable even without these
@annashipman GDS

91. The challenges of
coding in the open

92. It can be difficult to get started
@annashipman GDS

93. @annashipman GDS

94. @annashipman GDS

95. Making sure you don’t
publish the wrong thing
@annashipman GDS

96. Have processes that
make mistakes harder
@annashipman GDS

97. Store secrets separately
@annashipman GDS

98. Coding in the open forces
you to do things properly
@annashipman GDS

99. Problems will surface
in closed code
@annashipman GDS

100. Be able to recover quickly
@annashipman GDS

101. @annashipman GDS

102. Differences between
government and industry

103. Government doesn’t
rely on profits from the
software it builds
@annashipman GDS

104. There is value for
commercial companies too
@annashipman GDS

105. @annashipman GDS

106. @annashipman GDS

107. @annashipman GDS

108. @annashipman GDS

109. @annashipman GDS

110. @annashipman GDS

111. @annashipman GDS

112. @annashipman GDS

113. @annashipman GDS

114. @annashipman GDS

115. @annashipman GDS

116. @annashipman GDS

117. How can you get involved?

118. Have a look at our code
@annashipman GDS

119. @annashipman GDS

120. @annashipman GDS

121. @annashipman GDS

122. Make code from
your company open
@annashipman GDS

123. Come and work
for government!
@annashipman GDS

124. Make things open:
it makes things better

125. Anna Shipman
Open Source Lead
Government Digital Service
@annashipman