| layout | default |
|---|---|
| title | Fundamentals |
| nav_order | 2 |
| has_children | true |
| permalink | /fundamentals |
Software projects depend on other software projects to achieve their goals. Open-source software projects can be likened to building blocks: they play a crucial role in both open- and closed-source, or commercial, software systems. For example, a commercial software application may rely on the features provided by open-source PDF manipulation libraries to generate invoices. Most database solutions powering commercial software systems are open-source. Open-source tools may also be used for real-time monitoring of commercial software systems in production. The open-source software supply chain powers billions of dollars in financial transactions (see reference 4). Learning about open-source software projects, and how they can be used, is therefore very relevant for all industrial domains and enterprises.