The Bitkom publication Practical Recommendations for Open Source Software (version 3.3) provides comprehensive guidance for companies and administrations that want to use and help shape open source in a targeted manner. The complete guide is available here as a PDF (currently only in German available).
Key Contents at a Glance
1. Importance, Opportunities and Risks
The guide starts with a well-founded classification: Open source has long secured a firm place in the IT landscape, driving innovation, transparency, and collaboration. At the same time, it highlights typical challenges—particularly in the areas of security, license compliance, and sustainability.
2. Strategy & Governance
Organizations are encouraged to develop a clear open source strategy, e.g. through an Open Source Program Office (OSPO). Different models are presented—from informal governance to foundation-based solutions. The guide also provides advice on corporate contributions to open source projects and on the use of suitable collaboration tools.
3. License Management & Compliance
A key focus is the systematic documentation and management of open source licenses in use, including in container environments (“container compliance”). The guide presents methods for interpreting license terms and measures for ensuring license compliance.
4. Software Governance and Project Organization
For in-house open source projects, the guide offers recommendations on governance structures, community involvement, and handling intellectual property rights. It also addresses tools for communication, version control, and release processes.
5. Business Models & Ecosystems
The guide explains how open source software can serve as the core of business models—through services, SaaS, or dual licensing. It also includes a well-grounded risk assessment and presents common service offerings around open source.
6. Compliance, Tools & Regulation
Another chapter deals with technical and legal challenges: including SPDX, license types (including copyleft), common pitfalls in the toolchain (CI/CD, package aggregation), as well as regulatory frameworks such as CRA, DORA, and NIS2, which were explicitly added as new topics.
Conclusion
Version 3.3 of the guide provides a well-structured blueprint for the professional use of open source software—from strategy and legal aspects to practical implementation. It serves as a valuable decision-making basis for companies that want to establish open source as a central pillar of their IT.
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