Open source
We stand on open source. So we help hold it up.
Almost everything we build and run for clients stands on software that thousands of people wrote and gave away. We use it every day, and we give back: we report the bugs we find, send fixes, fund the projects we rely on, and take part in deciding what comes next.
- Open source at every layer
- Bugs reported upstream
- Fixes sent back
- Money for the projects we use
- No lock-in for you
Why we bet on open source
Not because it costs nothing. Because it's better for the people we work for.
You're never locked in
Open formats and standard tools mean your site, your data and your servers can move to another host or another team whenever you like.
Anyone can check the locks
The code is public, so security researchers all over the world read it, test it and fix it. Problems get found by many eyes, not hidden by one vendor.
It outlives companies
A project with a community behind it doesn't disappear when one firm changes its prices or its plans.
Your budget goes into work
Most of what you pay us goes into setup, care and support, not into software licences.
What we run on, layer by layer
A website is a stack of software, and each layer stands on the one below. These are the projects we work with most.
Websites and apps
- WordPress
- WooCommerce
- Drupal
- Joomla
- Moodle
- Ghost
- PrestaShop
- Strapi
- React
- Next.js
- Astro
Team workspace
- Nextcloud
Languages
- PHP
- Python
- Node.js
Databases
- MariaDB
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
Web servers
- Apache HTTP Server
- nginx
Operating systems
- Ubuntu
- Debian
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- AlmaLinux
- Rocky Linux
Everyday tools
- Git
- OpenSSH
The names belong to their projects. We list them to say thank you, not to claim a partnership.
How a bug we find gets fixed for everyone
One report from one server can spare thousands of others the same trouble.
We run it
On real servers, with real visitors
We find a problem
A bug, a gap or a rough edge
We report it
To the project, with what it takes to reproduce it
A fix lands
Ours, or the maintainers'
Everyone gets it
In the next release, for every user
Four ways we give back
Reporting issues
When something breaks or behaves oddly, we write it up for the project properly: what happened, how to reproduce it and what we expected. A good report is half the fix.
Contributing code
When we can fix it ourselves, we send the fix to the project instead of keeping a private patch, so it stays fixed in every later version.
Funding the work
Volunteers and small teams keep much of this software alive. We put money into the projects we depend on, through their donation and sponsorship programmes, so the people who maintain them can keep going.
Shaping what comes next
We take part in discussions about future features, and bring the needs of the businesses we look after to the people who maintain the software.
What this means when you work with us
- We recommend open-source platforms first, and say so when a paid product really is the better choice.
- Whatever we build for you, you own, and you can take it to any host.
- When a problem in your setup turns out to be a bug in the software itself, we report it upstream and follow it until it is fixed.
- Found a weakness in something we run? There is a reward for that. Bug bounty
Questions people ask about open source
Is open-source software safe for a business?
Yes, when it is kept up to date. Its code is public, so many independent people review it, and fixes are published openly. The real risk is running old versions, and keeping them current is a large part of what we do.
Does open source mean free?
The software has no licence fee. Setting it up well, securing it, updating it and supporting it still takes skilled work, and that is what we charge for.
Do you only use open-source software?
It's our first choice, and most of what we run is open source. Where a commercial product serves you better, we use it and tell you why.
What if a project stops being developed?
Open formats make a move possible. If a project slows down, we plan the move to a maintained alternative with you, well before it becomes a risk.
Open source
Want a setup you own, top to bottom?
Tell us what you run today. We'll show you where open-source software can replace what you rent, and what the move would take.