Linus' Law

proper noun

A claim about software development that states that given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.

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Meanings

proper noun

alternative Linus's Law

  1. computingA claim about software development that states that given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow

Origin

Named after Finnish-American software engineer Linus Torvalds (1969–) who is the creator of, and was for a long time principal developer of, the Linux kernel.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish Linuksen laki
  • Linuksen lakigiven enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow
Russian закон Линуса
  • закон Линуса (zakon Linusa)given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow
Cite this entry
APA

Linus' Law. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Linus'%20Law

MLA

“Linus' Law.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Linus'%20Law. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Linus' Law,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Linus'%20Law.

Source: Linus' Law on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.