Meanings
- computingGiven a large enough beta tester and codeveloper base, almost every problem will be characterized quickly and the fix will be obvious to someone.
Synonyms: Linus' Law
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbGiven a large enough beta tester and codeveloper base, almost every problem will be characterized quickly and the fix will be obvious to someone.
Origin
Coined by American programmer & open source advocate Eric S. Raymond in his essay and book The Cathedral and the Bazaar (1999).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish kun on tarpeeksi silmiä, kaikki bugit häviävät
- kun on tarpeeksi silmiä, kaikki bugit häviävätmore beta testers means bug fixing becomes easier
Cite this entry
given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/given%20enough%20eyeballs%2C%20all%20bugs%20are%20shallow
“given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/given%20enough%20eyeballs%2C%20all%20bugs%20are%20shallow. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/given%20enough%20eyeballs%2C%20all%20bugs%20are%20shallow.
Source: given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.