Software Quality and the Open Source Process

Abstract

This chapter introduces the open source software development process from a software quality perspective. It uses the attributes of software quality in a formal model and attempts to map them onto the principles of the open source process. Many stages of the open source process appear to have an ad-hoc approach. Although open source is not considered to be a formal methodology for software development, it has resulted in the development of very high quality software, both in the consumer and in the enterprise space. In this chapter, we hope to understand the open source process itself, and apply it to other methodologies in order to achieve better software quality. Additionally, this chapter will help in understanding the “Wild West” nature of open source and what it may hold for us in the future.