Discourse Is Not Going Closed Source
blog.discourse.org
April 17, 2026
10 min read
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59/100
Summary
Discourse will remain an open-source platform despite Cal.com closing its codebase, citing concerns that AI has made open source too dangerous for SaaS companies. Cal.com argues that AI can easily scan and exploit open-source code, leading to increased exposure and risks.
Key Takeaways
- Discourse will remain an open-source platform, continuing its commitment to transparency after 13 years of development.
- Cal.com has closed its source code, citing concerns that AI makes open source too dangerous for SaaS companies.
- The article argues that closing source code does not effectively protect against vulnerabilities, as AI can find issues in compiled binaries and APIs without needing access to the source code.
- Open-source software benefits from broader scrutiny and collaboration, which enhances security despite the risks posed by AI-powered vulnerability discovery tools.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The open-source mentality encourages proactive security measures, as public scrutiny drives companies to address vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
- The article highlights the importance of transparency in AI models, suggesting that keeping powerful models closed can lead to greater security risks.
Concerns
- AI corporations are criticized for hoarding powerful models behind special whitelists, which could potentially create security vulnerabilities instead of mitigating them.
- Framing business decisions as security imperatives undermines the open-source ecosystem that has supported companies like Cal.com, raising ethical concerns.
