SKILL.md
Strategies: Open Source
Guides open source as a commercialization path: build community and trust first, monetize later. Many products use open source for early growth (Cursor from VSCode, Llama, Qwen, Dify) and later commercialize via managed services or open core. For GitHub (SEO, GEO, README, Awesome lists), see github. For directory submission (DevHunt, Awesome lists), see directory-submission.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Definition & Why
Open source strategy = Use open source for distribution, trust, and community; monetize through enterprise features, managed services, or support. 95% of enterprises use open source; 33% increasing usage. Community becomes your marketing force—users self-host, contribute, and recommend.
| Path | Example |
|---|---|
| Open source → Commercial product | Cursor (VSCode fork); Llama, Qwen (enterprise/cloud) |
| Open core → Managed service | Dify (self-host free + cloud paid); MongoDB Atlas; Confluent |
Core insight: Brand is the moat when code is commoditized. Developers won't pay directly; they become your marketing army through word-of-mouth, content, and recommendations.