The ‘open source’ way

Discover the importance of using an open source learning platform like Moodle LMS.

The term “open source” refers to something people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible. As an open source platform, Moodle LMS’ source code is licensed in a way that allows anyone to download the entire software for free and customise how it works.

This enables our broader support for open source learning – a learner-directed model of education where one can create and participate in shared learning experiences online with tools like Moodle.

The freedom to run Moodle LMS as you wish, for any purpose.
Understanding open source

Our Four Freedoms’

To uphold this commitment to current and future users of Moodle, we follow the ‘four freedoms’ that traditionally define the ‘open source’ way:
The freedom to run Moodle LMS as you wish, for any purpose.
The freedom to run Moodle LMS as you wish, for any purpose.
The freedom to run Moodle LMS as you wish, for any purpose.
The freedom to study how Moodle LMS works and change it as you wish.
The freedom to study how Moodle LMS works and change it as you wish.
The freedom to study how Moodle LMS works and change it as you wish.
The freedom to redistribute copies of Moodle so you can help others.
The freedom to redistribute copies of Moodle so you can help others.
The freedom to redistribute copies of Moodle so you can help others.
The freedom to distribute copies of your modified Moodle versions for the benefit of all.
The freedom to distribute copies of your modified Moodle versions for the benefit of all.
The freedom to distribute copies of your modified Moodle versions for the benefit of all.
Benefits of open source learning

Why choose an open source LMS?

Longevity & sustainability

Our open source licence guarantees that Moodle LMS will always be available for use and development by the community, independent of any changes that may impact our company.

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Community support & innovation

Moodle LMS has an ever-growing community of Certified Partners, developers, system administrators, educators, and learners who write new features, fix bugs, update documentation, share resources and ideas to continuously improve Moodle.

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Development expertise

Moodle HQ has teams of developers, designers, and support staff distributed globally that focus on growing and enhancing our core open source software, in partnership with our network of Certified Service Providers.

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Driven by user needs

Our friends at the Moodle Users Association pool their resources to pay Moodle HQ to work on particular priorities that their members identify and vote on.

Reliability & security

At Moodle, thousands of developers and our network of Certified Partners and Service Providers contribute to delivering a learning management system that protects the privacy and security of your data.

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Maintained by 1000+ developers

Moodle has over 1000 developers participating in Moodle’s development, coordinated by the core teams at Moodle HQ. The sheer numbers of developers looking at, supporting and reviewing the code helps to affirm Moodle’s reliability.

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Security by design

We embed a security mindset right from the start in all of our development. Unlike proprietary software where the code is hidden, our source code is constantly monitored by our community for any bugs that are detected and fixed faster.  As an open source platform, you can also select your preferred  Moodle Certified Partner or Service Provider in our network to provide a scalable, reliable and resilient Moodle site with enhanced security and data protection.

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Committed to privacy

Moodle LMS enables your organisation to have complete control over your data, including how and where you store it. We also provide you with the best features, tools, and resources to ensure you keep your learners’ data private and secure.

Flexibility & customisability

As the most customisable learning management system in the world, Moodle gives you the flexibility to design your LMS how you want it.

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Fully customisable

Moodle can be extended or modified into a solution that is perfectly adapted to your needs. This can range from simply changing the look of a site with a new theme, to integrations and plugins.

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Complete ownership of your platform

Moodle gives you full flexibility over how and where you run your learning platform. There are no licence fees or restrictions – you just need to find your own resources for hosting and support, or get expert assistance from our global network of Certified Service Providers.

Start your online learning journey with Moodle

Moodle offers a range of online teaching and training solutions that can be tailored to your educational institution or organisation. Answer a few quick questions to find out which Moodle solution and setup method best suits your needs.