Each year, the State of Open Source Report offers a valuable pulse check on the global Open Source ecosystem—and the 2025 edition is no exception. Produced by Perforce OpenLogic, in partnership with the Eclipse Foundation and the Open Source Initiative, this report uncovers the latest trends, tensions, and transformations shaping how Open Source is adopted, managed, and scaled in organizations of all sizes.
This year’s insights reveal a dynamic landscape: Open Source is thriving, but not without growing pains.
Open Source adoption surges despite challenges
The Open Source wave shows no signs of slowing down. A remarkable 96% of organizations reported either increasing or maintaining their use of Open Source software in the past year. Even more telling: 26% significantly increased their adoption.
The number one reason? Cost efficiency. For the second year in a row, “no license cost/overall cost reduction” topped the list of motivators. Organizations continue to see Open Source as a smart financial move, particularly as they invest more in cloud infrastructure, containers, data platforms, and programming languages. Large enterprises are also ramping up focus on analytics and data processing tools to stay competitive.
Confidence in Big Data management remains low
Open Source may power today’s most sophisticated data systems, but managing them effectively is another story. Nearly half (47%) of organizations dealing with Big Data platforms reported low confidence in their ability to manage those tools successfully.
What’s holding them back? The report points to skill gaps and staffing shortages, with over 75% citing lack of personnel and expertise as a top barrier. The rapid evolution and complexity of Open Source data technologies are making it hard for teams to keep up.
The risky reality of end-of-life software
Despite strong Open Source adoption, many organizations are still clinging to outdated tools. A surprising 26% are still using End-of-Life (EOL) CentOS, including 40% of large enterprises. Even more concerning, one in four of these large organizations have not yet decided on a migration plan.
The consequences? Significant. Enterprises relying on EOL software like CentOS are nearly three times more likely to fail compliance audits, highlighting the urgent need for action and governance in Open Source usage.
Security and compliance still top the pain points
Security and compliance remain persistent pain points across the board. From staying current with patches and updates to meeting increasingly stringent security requirements, organizations are feeling the pressure.
Maintaining EOL software is again a culprit here—outdated tools not only pose compliance risks but also leave systems vulnerable to exploits. It’s clear that Open Source strategy today must include a strong focus on lifecycle management and security hygiene.
Download the report and join our webinar
Want to go deeper? Download the full 2025 State of Open Source Report to explore the full data and insights. Even better—join us on April 30 for a live webinar with OSI’s Stefano Maffulli, Perforce’s Matthew Weier O’Phinney, and Eclipse Foundation’s Gaël Blondelle. We’ll break down the report’s findings and look ahead to what’s next for the Open Source ecosystem. Register here.
