Open source or closed source? That's actually the wrong question.
Ask ten software developers which is better: open source or closed source. Chances are you'll get eleven different answers.
It's a discussion that has been going on for decades. Sometimes it almost feels like the eternal debate between coffee and tea. While most developers secretly enjoy both.
And honestly, that's exactly how we look at it at Exclusive-IT. After nearly twenty years of developing software, I've become a big fan of open source. I work with it almost every day. At the same time, I also develop custom software that isn't publicly available. Not because one is better than the other, but because both have their own strengths.
So the real question shouldn't be open source or closed source? It's much simpler than that: which solution best fits the problem you're trying to solve?
Open source is everywhere
Many business owners don't realize just how much open source software they use every single day.
Websites run on Linux. Applications use PostgreSQL or MariaDB. Developers build software with thousands of open source libraries. Containers run on Docker. The list goes on.
There's a good chance your business already relies on dozens of open source projects without anyone even thinking about it. And that's perfectly normal. Over the past few decades, open source has proven that high-quality software can be developed collaboratively. In fact, it would be a shame to reinvent the wheel every time.
So why do we still build custom software?
Because your business probably doesn't operate exactly like everyone else's.
Accounting may follow roughly the same principles for most businesses, but innovation can still make all the difference, as we've demonstrated with Daxto. The processes that truly set your business apart, however, are often unique.
And that's exactly where custom software comes in.
Not because developers enjoy starting from scratch. Quite the opposite. A good developer uses existing building blocks wherever it makes sense and only writes new software where it genuinely adds value.
The real strength lies in combining both
At Exclusive-IT, we rarely build everything from scratch.
Why would we? We've spent nearly twenty years developing solutions, while thousands of reliable open source projects have already proven themselves over many years. We're happy to build on those foundations. The parts that make your business unique are then developed as custom software, allowing you to benefit from proven technology while getting software that perfectly matches the way your business works.
In most cases, that results in a better solution than insisting everything must be either open source or proprietary. So completely closed source.
So is closed source better?
No. But neither is open source.
The quality of software isn't determined by its license. Great software comes from smart decisions, clear documentation, proper maintenance and developers who understand why they're making certain architectural choices. There is outstanding open source software. There is also open source software you'd rather avoid. The same is true for commercial software.
A software license tells you surprisingly little about its actual quality.
Avoid turning it into a religious debate
Sometimes it feels as if you're expected to pick a side. Fortunately, you don't have to. Open source offers speed, transparency and the combined knowledge of a global community. Custom software offers flexibility, competitive advantage and solutions tailored specifically to your business.
Those two complement each other perfectly.
So what do we choose?
Both.
We use open source whenever it makes sense. Not because it's free, but because it's often the best choice. And we develop custom software where standard solutions fall short or where your business wants to stand out.
That results in software that's reliable, easy to maintain and able to grow alongside your business. In the end, software isn't about being open or closed. It's about solving problems.
And if you can combine the best of both worlds, why wouldn't you?