Commerce Guys invests in open-source technology because the methodology behind it delivers better software. Drupal — one of the largest open-source projects ever, with thousands of developers and users and a huge ecosystem — gave rise to Drupal Commerce. The openness of the Drupal code allowed us to create a new solution built on the foundation of a proven, widely supported code base. Drupal Commerce exemplifies open-source innovation, where synergy at the code level speeds up innovation in ways not possible with proprietary code.
Open-source software benefits our customers beyond our own offering. Large ecosystems mean that skills and partners are generally available on a global scale, as is the case with Drupal. Well-managed open-source projects also encourage participation by both developers and users, who can contribute their views and code. One direct result of this kind of open participation is increased software flexibility. In the case of Drupal and Drupal Commerce, this translates into thousands of modules that allow Drupal and Drupal Commerce to adapt to a staggering number of use cases.
Developers and contributors are able to access the code, examine it, modify it, and contribute their modifications. Bugs are corrected, improvements are made, and the software improves. Open source turns software into an ever-evolving medium for innovation. The sheer size and unprecedented scale of the Drupal community only makes things better.
Open-source software allows anybody to join, contribute, and even start businesses based on their knowledge and ability to contribute. That is how the Drupal ecosystem grew exponentially in less than a decade, covering all the major areas of the globe and making sure our customers are able to find partners wherever they are.
Drupal's contribution model allows contributors to innovate in any direction. Drupal's core is managed by a small number of developers, but there is no technical or organizational limit to the number of modules people can contribute. Drupal now has thousands of modules, allowing Drupal Commerce to be much more flexible than other eCommerce platforms.
Drupal and Drupal Commerce developers and contributors set the agenda, but anybody can influence it, as long as it is for the good of the project. There is no hidden corporate agenda. It's an open, secure and participative environment designed to benefit all the contributors. The absence of a hidden agenda has a direct, positive impact on the control users have over the software.
