innersource

I1N1N1E1R1S1O1U1R1C3E1

noun

The use of open source software development best practices and the establishment of an open source-like culture within organizations, for the development of software that is proprietary or not open source.

Scrabble 13

Meanings

innersource1

nouninnersource (uncountable)
  1. uncountableAlternative letter-case form of InnerSource.

InnerSource2

nounInnerSource (uncountable)

alternative innersource · alternative inner-source · alternative Innersource · alternative inner source

  1. uncountablecomputingThe use of open source software development best practices and the establishment of an open source-like culture within organizations, for the development of software that is proprietary or not open source.

Innersource3

nounInnersource (uncountable)
  1. uncountableAlternative letter-case form of InnerSource.

Origin

From inner + source; coined by Irish-American author and publisher Tim O'Reilly in 2000.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

innersource. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/innersource

MLA

“innersource.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/innersource. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “innersource,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/innersource.

Source: innersource on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.