Expo highlight ZenDiS: Evaluating open source software easily: the openCode badge system
The range of open source software for public administration is increasing. The badge system on opencode.de ensures that source code can be evaluated automatically.
The badges make it easy to recognise the criteria "open source", "maintenance", "use" and "security". Graphic: ZenDiS
Digital sovereignty has become a key issue in the public eye. As a result, the range of open source solutions that pave the way for sovereignty is also increasing. However, open source alone is not a qualitative characteristic. The software must be secure, correctly licenced and actively maintained. Up to now, this has mainly been ensured on a case-by-case basis - a challenging and time-consuming process. Simple procedures are needed so that the administration does not run into a scaling problem.
The badge programme on openCode paves the way for this by making activity and integrity measurable and thus paving the way for reuse. The Centre for Digital Sovereignty in Public Administration (ZenDiS) has been responsible for the openCode platform since January 2024, which has been available since 2022. There are now over 8,000 registered users working on 3,000 projects. Around 200 new projects are added every month.
The badge programme was introduced at the beginning of 2025 to make it easier for these projects to be reused. The badge programme automatically checks software projects according to certain criteria and awards a detailed report and badges on this basis. In addition to checking for activity within the project, software licences and subsequent use, the focus is on security aspects and software quality.
openCode is striving for a paradigm shift in the evaluation of software, focussing on the reliability of the test procedure itself. This means that not only the code quality is assessed. Instead, the badge system evaluates the certified use, the activity in the project and clear security features.
Compared to individual case tests, this procedure is less time-consuming and largely applicable to software products, as the assessment is based on standardised criteria. This makes the test procedure efficient, consistent, automatable and also enables comparable results.
Centre for Digital Sovereignty in Public Administration (ZenDiS)
Bochum, Germany
Hub27, Stand 103
Contact: Lutz Niemeyer, Kommunikationsmanager ZenDiS
E-Mail: lutz.niemeyer@zendis.de
Phone: +49 151 64677514
Website: www.zendis.de