In an era where trust in public institutions is fragile, and citizens increasingly demand openness and accountability, the tools we use to run government matter more than ever. But while policy and leadership set the tone, the real architecture of public trust is often built from the ground up in the systems, platforms, and services we create.
This is where open source technology comes in. Quietly, and often behind the scenes, open source software is starting to reshape how public services in Scotland are delivered. It’s not just a cost-saving tool or a way to avoid vendor lock-in. Done properly, it becomes a civic asset, a shared infrastructure for openness, adaptability, and public value.
At the heart of this is a simple idea: that the code underpinning our public systems should, wherever possible, belong to the public. That we should not only consume technology but build it in ways that reflect the values of a democratic society. In other words, that there is such a thing as civic code and it’s time we took it seriously.
What Is Civic Code?
Civic code refers to open source software developed for public purposes, usually by or in partnership with public institutions, and designed to be reused, adapted, and improved by others. It’s code written in the public interest, not for private profit, but for the common good.
This includes everything from back-end systems used by local councils to manage waste collection, to digital tools for public engagement, to open algorithms used in transport planning. The idea isn’t just that these tools are free to use, but that they’re open to scrutiny, adaptable to local needs, and improved through collaboration.
Scotland already has strong foundations in this space. The Scottish Government’s Digital Strategy for a Fairer Scotland emphasises the importance of reusable components and collaborative platforms. The Design System for Scottish public services is open by design. And projects such as the Digital Telecare Playbook demonstrate how co-developed tools can be shared across local authorities.
But there’s still room to grow in how we coordinate, fund, govern, and scale the civic code movement.
Why Open Source Matters in Government
There are several practical reasons why open source technology makes sense in the public sector:
- Transparency: Anyone can inspect the code to understand how a system works, especially important when algorithms are used in areas like benefits, health, or justice.
- Security: Open source doesn’t mean insecure, quite the opposite. Publicly available code is subject to peer review, which can surface bugs and vulnerabilities early.
- Adaptability: Open code can be tailored to local needs, whether that’s language, geography, or specific service features.
- Cost-effectiveness: Reuse means public money isn’t spent reinventing the wheel across different departments or councils.
- Sovereignty: Owning the code means having more control over your digital infrastructure and avoiding long-term lock-in with proprietary vendors.
But beyond the technical and financial logic, open source in the public sector has a civic dimension. It makes government more understandable. It invites participation. It says: we have nothing to hide.
Case Studies from Scotland and Beyond
Internationally, countries like France, Germany, and Estonia have made major strides in developing and promoting civic codebases. Platforms like Code for France and the German Sovereign Tech Fund are now seen as models for how national governments can coordinate open source ecosystems.
In the UK, organisations like the Open Digital Cooperative, LocalGov Drupal, and mySociety have played key roles in building shared, open platforms for local councils and civic tech projects.
Scotland, too, has examples worth highlighting. The CivTech programme has helped build several digital tools that are publicly owned and openly licensed. Some Scottish local authorities have begun to release the code behind their digital services for others to adopt. There are early signs of momentum but coordination remains patchy.
One example with promise is LocalGov Drupal, an open publishing platform built by councils, for councils, and now used by dozens of local authorities across the UK. If this collaborative model can be extended beyond publishing, to case management, booking systems, or even decision support tools, the impact could be transformative.
Building the Foundations of a Civic Code Movement
So, what would it take to make open source a core part of Scotland’s digital public infrastructure?
1. Political and Strategic Commitment
Public leaders need to see open source not as a technical issue, but as a policy choice. That means including it in procurement guidance, digital strategies, and funding priorities. If senior decision-makers are aligned, delivery teams have the confidence to take a more open approach.
2. Shared Infrastructure and Governance
One-off projects aren’t enough. We need shared governance models, version control, and hosting infrastructure that make it easy for public bodies to contribute to and maintain shared tools. The creation of a national ‘civic code repository’, modelled on France’s platform, could provide the foundation.
3. Investment in Community
Open source only works when it’s supported by active communities. That means funding not just code, but contributors, developers, testers, documenters, and community managers. This is about more than technology; it’s about fostering a culture of collaboration.
4. Training and Capability Building
Many public sector teams want to use open source, but lack the skills or confidence. Training, guidance, and practical examples can help bridge that gap, particularly when tailored to local authority, health, or justice contexts.
5. Encouraging Supplier Participation
Scotland has a rich ecosystem of digital SMEs and social enterprises. They should be supported and incentivised to contribute to civic codebases, not just through funding, but through recognition and partnership opportunities.
Challenges and Cautions
Of course, open source is not a silver bullet. Maintaining code requires resources. Not every service is a good candidate for reuse. And being open doesn’t automatically make a tool inclusive, ethical, or user-friendly.
We must also be careful not to assume that open equals accessible. Good documentation, community support, and standards for accessibility are just as important as the code itself.
There are also questions of data protection, cybersecurity, and integration with legacy systems, which must be handled carefully. But none of these are arguments against openness. They’re arguments for doing it well.
Conclusion: A More Transparent Scotland
As Scotland moves forward with its ambition to be a digital nation, open source must be seen as part of the infrastructure of transparency. Not every system can or should be open, but the ones that can be, should be.
Civic code is not about novelty or ideology. It’s about creating a public digital commons, code that reflects our collective values, that can be trusted, reused, and improved, and that helps rebuild faith in how government works.
The tools we build today will shape how the public experiences government tomorrow. If we want that experience to be open, fair, and responsive, we need to start with the code. And make sure that it’s not just working, but working in public.
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