The 2025 State of Open Source Report by Perforce Software offers a comprehensive look at how organizations worldwide are leveraging open source software (OSS) to drive innovation, reduce costs, and modernize IT operations. This year’s findings reveal both the accelerating adoption of OSS and the persistent challenges that come with it, particularly around security, compliance, and talent.
Open Source Adoption Soars in 2025
Open source software usage is at an all-time high:
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96% of organizations either increased or maintained their OSS usage in the past year.
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26% reported a significant increase, with large enterprises leading the way (34% of companies with 5,000+ employees).
Cost reduction is the #1 driver:
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For the second consecutive year, cost savings (no license/overall cost reduction) was the top reason for OSS adoption, cited by 53% of respondents.
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Other key motivations include reducing vendor lock-in (33%), open standards and interoperability (28%), and community support.
Industry and regional insights:
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The technology sector is the largest adopter, followed by education/research and banking/finance.
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Cost savings are especially critical in government, retail, banking, and manufacturing.
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In Asia, improving development velocity is the top reason for OSS adoption, while cost and access to the latest tech are also important.
Investment Focus: Cloud, Data, and Programming Languages
Organizations are strategically investing in:
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Cloud and container technologies (40%)
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Databases and data technologies (33%)
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Programming languages and frameworks (33%)
Smaller companies (1–20 employees) are especially focused on developing in-house OSS solutions, while large enterprises are prioritizing analytics and infrastructure modernization.
Persistent Use of End-of-Life (EOL) Software
A significant compliance and security risk remains:
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26% of organizations still use EOL CentOS, including 40% of large enterprises.
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25% of these enterprises have not yet decided on a migration plan.
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Enterprises using EOL software are nearly three times more likely to fail compliance audits.
Security, Compliance, and Skills Gaps: Ongoing Challenges
Top barriers to OSS adoption include:
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Security and compliance management: Keeping up with patches, meeting security requirements, and maintaining EOL software are major pain points.
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Big Data confidence: Nearly half (47%) of organizations managing Big Data lack confidence in their platforms, with 75% citing skills shortages as a key barrier.
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Talent shortages: Finding and retaining skilled OSS professionals remains a critical concern, especially for organizations scaling up their open source initiatives.
Organizational and Demographic Trends
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Company size: More than half of respondents work for either very small companies (1–20 employees) or very large enterprises (5,000+), providing a unique perspective on OSS priorities across the spectrum.
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Job roles: Nearly half of survey participants are hands-on practitioners (developers, sysadmins, architects), while a fifth are in management.
Key Takeaways and Strategic Recommendations
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Open source is essential: Organizations of all sizes and industries are deepening their OSS investments to control costs, avoid vendor lock-in, and accelerate modernization.
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Security and compliance must be prioritized: With persistent use of EOL software and skills shortages, organizations should invest in upskilling, migration planning, and robust open source governance.
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Talent is a differentiator: Addressing the open source skills gap is critical for organizations looking to maximize the value of their OSS investments in the years ahead.
For more detailed statistics, analysis, and actionable recommendations, see the full report:
2025 State of Open Source Report by Perforce Software
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