Closed source

Closed source is a term invented as an antonym for open source and used to refer to any program whose licensing terms do not qualify as open source. Generally, it means that the customer will only get a binary and text files version of the computer program they licensed and no copy of the program s source code, rendering modifications to the software practically impossible from the technical side. The source code in this development model is regarded as a trade secret of the company, so parties that may get source code access, such as colleges, have to sign non-disclosure agreements in advance.

The term may also refer to programs whose source code is available, but under conditions that conflict with the Open Source Definition. Microsoft s shared source initiative is the most prominent example of this.

=See also=

*Proprietary software *Free software *Non-proprietary software *Open source *Open source vs. closed source *Richard Stallman