Open Source in Action: Real-World Examples of Impactful Technologies
The open-source movement has been fueling innovation and transforming the way organizations operate and develop software.
From cloud infrastructure to cutting-edge AI tools, open-source technologies are empowering businesses to achieve new levels of agility, efficiency, and collaboration.
In this Techronicler post, we delve into the heart of this transformation, showcasing the experiences of leading tech executives.
We asked these leaders to share with us the open-source technologies that have had the most significant impact on their organizations and to explain the rationale behind their choices and the impact they have experienced.
Their insights offer a glimpse into the future of technology, where open source plays an increasingly central role.
Read on!
MySQL for Scalability and Reliability
One of the most significant open-source technologies we’ve adopted is MySQL, thanks to its scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
Paired with .NET Core, Angular, and Java, it forms the backbone of many of our development projects, offering seamless integration and robust performance.
Additionally, leveraging Linux/Ubuntu as our server environment enhances system efficiency while keeping infrastructure costs low.
These technologies collectively enable us to deliver high-quality, scalable solutions without exceeding budgets.
The choice of these tools reflects our commitment to balancing affordability and innovation, ensuring clients benefit from modern, reliable, and future-ready software solutions.
MySQL provides the scalability and reliability our database needs.
.NET Core and Java offer versatile development frameworks.
Angular empowers dynamic front-end experiences.
Linux/Ubuntu provides a cost-effective and efficient server environment.
This integrated approach enables us to deliver high-quality, scalable solutions while maintaining budget-conscious operations. It reflects our commitment to leveraging open-source innovation to provide clients with modern and reliable software.
Podman for Security and Simplified Management
One open-source technology that has significantly impacted our development process is Podman.
Podman’s rootless container execution capabilities drew us in.
Security is paramount in our business, and the ability to run containers without root privileges immediately addressed a key concern regarding container breakout vulnerabilities. This feature enhances the isolation of containerized applications, reducing the potential attack surface and minimizing the impact of any security breaches.
Moreover, Podman’s daemonless architecture resonated with our desire for a simplified, more reliable container management experience.
Unlike traditional container engines that rely on a central daemon, Podman operates using the fork-exec model. This model eliminates a single point of failure and simplifies troubleshooting, making our container deployments more robust and resilient.
The shift to Podman has also streamlined our CI/CD pipelines. Its compatibility with the Open Container Initiative (OCI) standards means we can seamlessly integrate it with existing tools and workflows.
We build and deploy containers with the same commands and configurations using Podman locally or in our automated build systems. This consistency has reduced the complexity of our pipelines and accelerated our development cycles.
Further enhancing this integration is Podman’s seamless compatibility with Kubernetes. We can quickly generate Kubernetes YAML files directly from our Podman environments, simplifying the deployment of our containerized applications to Kubernetes clusters. This fact streamlines the transition from development to production and facilitates a more consistent container lifecycle management.
Beyond the technical benefits, Podman’s open-source nature perfectly aligns with our company’s philosophy.
The collaborative and transparent development model ensures that the technology constantly evolves and improves, giving us access to a vibrant community and a wealth of resources.
This community support, combined with the extensive documentation available, has been invaluable in helping our team quickly adopt and master the technology.
One of the most noticeable impacts of using Podman has been the increased efficiency in our resource utilization.
The lightweight nature of the tool and its minimal overhead have resulted in significant performance gains. This improved efficiency translates to faster build times, quicker deployments, and cost savings for both us and our clients.
Linux for Customization and Cost Savings
At Parachute, adopting the Linux operating system as a core technology has been a game-changer for our operations.
Linux s open-source, highly adaptable, and supported by a global community of developers. Its flexibility allowed us to customize our servers to fit specific business needs, such as streamlining data security and improving system performance.
The decision to use Linux was driven by its proven reliability in enterprise environments and its ability to work seamlessly with a wide range of tools and applications.
We chose Linux for its transparency and cost-effectiveness.
Being open-source, it eliminated the need for expensive licensing fees, which freed up resources for training and infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, its active developer community ensures regular updates, patches, and new features. This continuous support was critical in maintaining a secure and efficient IT environment, especially given our focus on 24/7 support and managed security.
Linux also empowered us to remain independent of vendor lock-in.
By having control over our operating environment, we could innovate at our own pace and meet client needs without constraints. For example, we successfully integrated Linux-based solutions into our managed IT services, ensuring a more scalable and future-ready approach.
The experience reaffirmed the value of open-source technologies in fostering operational efficiency and delivering excellent service to our clients.
Elmo Taddeo
CEO, Parachute
GraphQL and Apollo Tools for Efficiency
With Apollo Federation, we integrated 20 federated subgraphs, creating a distributed architecture for real-time data synchronization. GraphQL powers our system by fetching only the necessary data, cutting latency, and boosting performance.
We also built Pathfinder, an event-driven relay using Apollo’s GraphOS Router, to streamline GraphQL subscriptions, offload subscription handling from core services, and scale real-time updates across charging sessions, transactions, and stations—while maintaining high speed and flexibility.
By fully embracing GraphQL and Apollo’s tools, we’ve improved latency, efficiency, and the overall user experience, setting a new industry standard and creating a scalable framework for the growing EV market.”
Max Grollmann
Co-Founder & CTO at JUCR
Kestra Platform for Collaboration
At Kestra, we use our own open-source platform every day—not just to build it, but to run our internal workflows too. It’s a natural way for us to test and improve the platform while keeping our operations efficient.
One of the biggest benefits comes from our community.
Developers sharing use cases or contributing features often give us new ideas for how to optimize our own stack. These real-world applications show us what works and what doesn’t, helping us refine Kestra while solving challenges we might not have considered.
Using Kestra internally keeps us grounded and connected to the same challenges our users face. It’s a constant reminder that the best tools come from collaboration and testing.
NextBillion Tech for Innovation and Adaptability
NextBillion’s open-source technologies are vital in fostering innovation and adaptability within the ecosystem.
While we emphasize proprietary advancements and custom integrations tailored to customer needs, we actively leverage tools like OpenStreetMap to create scalable and flexible location-based solutions.
OpenStreetMap’s extensive data and collaborative framework allow us to integrate open and proprietary datasets seamlessly, ensuring precision and adaptability in addressing real-world location challenges.
By combining open-source technologies like OpenStreetMap with proprietary solutions, we enable interoperability, empower businesses to tackle diverse use cases, and contribute to robust, enterprise-grade offerings.
Our collaborations and contributions further enhance the open-source community, reinforcing our commitment to scalable, adaptable, and innovative solutions.
Jess Joyce
Organic Consultant, InboundScope
React for Intuitive and Responsive UIs
React.js transformed how we build intuitive and responsive user interfaces at Toggl.
Its component-based structure enables faster development and easier code maintenance. React’s open-source ecosystem fosters innovation, giving us access to community-driven improvements.
The technology supports seamless cross-platform development, essential for our web and mobile apps. This adaptability ensures Toggl’s interfaces remain engaging and user-friendly across devices.
PostgreSQL for Community Support and Innovation
Our organization relies heavily on PostgreSQL, an open-source relational database, for managing and analyzing large datasets. Its versatility and reliability have been instrumental in scaling our neobank directory project.
We chose PostgreSQL for its advanced features, like support for JSON data and full-text search, which allow us to manage structured and unstructured data efficiently.
What truly sets PostgreSQL apart is its robust community support and continuous innovation, ensuring it remains secure and up-to-date. It also integrates seamlessly with other tools in our stack, enabling rapid development cycles.
By leveraging PostgreSQL, we’ve streamlined data management, reduced costs compared to proprietary solutions, and maintained flexibility to adapt as our platform evolves. It’s a cornerstone of our technical
Diogo Silva
Expert, What Neobank
Apache Kafka for Data Management and Scalability
Apache Kafka has changed everything for us.
It can manage real-time data streams very well, which is important for mortgage approvals, loan comparisons, and property valuations.
We chose Kafka because it can handle a lot of data easily and can grow as our client base increases.
One time it really stood out was when we made a live dashboard that shows interest rate changes and gives insights to our clients in real time. This design helped us tell one customer about a swift drop in rates so he could get a better mortgage deal within hours, saving thousands during the loan.
The open-source nature of Kafka allowed us to modify the system to fit our exact needs without paying large licensing fees.
Apache Nginx for Providing Seamless UX
At iNet Ventures, Apache Nginx has been a game-changer for our operations.
This lightweight yet powerful open-source web server has been instrumental in improving website performance and reliability for our clients. Its ability to handle high traffic volumes while maintaining low resource usage makes it ideal for our SEO and digital PR campaigns, where speed and uptime are critical.
We chose Nginx because of its scalability, robust community support, and features like load balancing and reverse proxying. These capabilities allow us to provide seamless user experiences for our clients’ audiences, even during peak demand.
It’s an indispensable tool that ensures our technical foundation aligns with our mission to deliver results-driven solutions.
On behalf of the Techronicler community of readers, we thank these leaders and experts for taking the time to share valuable insights that stem from years of experience and in-depth expertise in their respective niches.
If you wish to showcase your experience and expertise, participate in industry-leading discussions, and add visibility and impact to your personal brand and business, get in touch with the Techronicler team to feature in our fast-growing publication.
