Editor’s note (15 October 2026): This article was written in May 2025. Scotland’s Digital Strategy was refreshed in November 2025, with a delivery plan to 2028, so references to the earlier strategy should be read in that light.
In short: Open source civic code, software built for public purposes and designed for reuse, can make Scottish public services more transparent, adaptable and cost-effective. Scotland has foundations such as its open Design System and CivTech, but needs shared governance, funded communities and skills to scale it across councils and agencies.
Key takeaways
- Civic code is open source software developed for public purposes, usually with public institutions, and designed to be reused, adapted and improved by others.
- The article lists five practical reasons for public sector open source: transparency, security through peer review, adaptability, cost-effectiveness through reuse, and sovereignty over digital infrastructure.
- Scottish foundations include the open Design System for public services, the CivTech programme and the Digital Telecare Playbook, though coordination across Scotland remains patchy.
- Five steps would build a civic code movement: political commitment, shared infrastructure and governance, investment in community, training and capability building, and supplier participation.
- Open source is not a silver bullet: maintenance needs resources, not every service suits reuse, and open does not automatically mean accessible, inclusive or ethical.
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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Frequently asked questions
What is civic code?
Civic code is 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 ranges from council back-end systems for waste collection to public engagement tools and open algorithms for transport planning, and is open to scrutiny and local adaptation.
Why does open source matter for Scottish public services?
It supports transparency, because anyone can inspect how a system works, and security, because peer review can surface bugs early. It also allows adaptation to local needs, saves public money through reuse across councils and departments, and gives public bodies more control over digital infrastructure, avoiding long-term lock-in with proprietary vendors.
What open source foundations already exist in Scotland?
The article points to the open Design System for Scottish public services, the CivTech programme, which has helped build publicly owned and openly licensed tools, and the Digital Telecare Playbook, which shows co-developed tools shared across local authorities. Some Scottish councils have also begun releasing code, but coordination is described as patchy.
What would it take to build a civic code movement in Scotland?
The article sets out five requirements: political and strategic commitment, including open source in procurement guidance; shared infrastructure and governance, such as a national civic code repository; investment in community contributors; training and capability building for public sector teams; and encouragement and recognition for digital SMEs and social enterprises that contribute.
What are the risks of open source in government?
Maintaining code takes resources, not every service is a good candidate for reuse, and open code is not automatically accessible, inclusive or ethical. Data protection, cybersecurity and integration with legacy systems also need careful handling. The article argues these are reasons to do openness well, not reasons to avoid it.