What We’re Seeing: 6 Open Source Trends You Shouldn’t Ignore

Open source is having a moment. Projects that used to fly under the radar are now running mission-critical systems. Licenses are changing, vendors are making moves, and open source tech is landing in places nobody expected just a few short years ago. 

Maybe you’ve noticed it too. Teams are moving to Valkey after the Redis shakeup. Kubernetes operators are quietly powering real databases in production. PostgreSQL is showing up in more enterprise environments than ever. 

In this edition of The Open Source, we’re zeroing in on eight open source trends we think are worth paying attention to right now.

Open source becomes business critical 

Open source isn’t just part of the stack anymore; it is the stack. According to recent research, 90% of enterprises use open source software somewhere in their stack, and 78% rely on it for mission-critical workloads. 

So what’s driving that level of adoption? 

Cost is a major factor, as open source cuts out expensive licensing fees and gives teams the freedom to spend on what matters: support, customization, and infrastructure. 

 But it’s not only about saving money. Transparency plays a big role, too. 

With open code, vulnerabilities are easier to spot and fix, and patching happens faster across active communities. That’s one reason 70% of IT leaders now say open source is more secure than proprietary software.

Open source also removes a lot of legal friction. With licenses like GPL, MIT, and Apache clearly defined, engineering teams can move fast without waiting on legal reviews every time they want to ship something.

It’s no longer a question of whether open source belongs in the enterprise. Odds are, it’s running under the hood at your company, too.

Kubernetes operators are more practical than ever

Remember when Kubernetes operators were mostly conference demos? Those days are long over. Organizations are running real databases on Kubernetes with operators handling deployment, scaling, and failover automatically.

Analysts predict that by the end of 2025, over 95% of new digital workloads will run on cloud-native platforms like Kubernetes. If you're managing databases manually, your approach might be falling behind. The good news? You can add reliability and automation to your existing stack without starting over.

And if you can pardon the plug, Percona Operators make it  easy to run MySQL, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL on Kubernetes, with no manual workarounds or hidden restrictions.  You can deploy production-ready clusters in a single step and handle everything from backups to scaling and upgrades with simple automation. 

Increased demand for hybrid/multi‑cloud database visibility

According to the latest Hybrid Cloud Analysis Report 2025, the market is jumping from $130.9 billion in 2024 to nearly $330 billion by 2030, and it’s not slowing down. But what’s driving all that growth? It’s a mix of remote work, a wave of new connected devices, and the rise of 5G and AI. Basically, if your business relies on real-time data, you’re probably running something in a hybrid setup by now.

North America is leading the way (thanks to big investments in finance, healthcare, and retail), but Asia-Pacific is catching up fast with smart city projects and rapid digital transformation. Most organizations are investing first in platforms to manage, secure, and connect their cloud environments, but services like consulting and managed support are picking up steam, since nobody wants to manage this alone.

Managing data across all these different environments can be messy, and it’s not getting any easier. As these setups become the standard, everyone’s trying to stay on top of costs, performance, and security all at once.

Open source skills give you an edge

If you're looking to advance your career, open source experience matters more than it used to. A recent survey found that 65% of developers say contributing to open source projects improves their job opportunities. Two-thirds believe open source skills are more valuable than proprietary ones.

This isn't just about having GitHub contributions. It's about understanding how to work with community-driven software, contribute to projects, and think in terms of shared solutions rather than proprietary silos.

Another (shameless) plug: Our MySQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL training programs are built on years of hands-on experience solving real-world database problems for our customers. When you enroll, you get practical insights and best practices you can put to work right away, for yourself or your whole team.

Redis licensing changes create new opportunities

When Redis first changed its licensing in early 2024, it created a problem for many teams. But it also created an opportunity for alternatives like Valkey, which is governed by the Linux Foundation and backed by AWS, Google Cloud, and Oracle.

The adoption numbers tell the story: 75% of Redis users are now testing, considering, or already using Valkey. Among large enterprises, that jumps to 83%. If you're using Redis in production, you've probably already had this conversation with your team.

The (continuing?) rise of PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL now holds 16.85% of the relational database market, making it the second most popular open source database after MySQL. It powers companies like NASA, Spotify, Reddit, and Instagram, and nearly 12% of organizations with over $200 million in revenue use it in production.

But while PostgreSQL itself remains open source, the ecosystem around it is shifting. More vendors are building closed, proprietary layers that reduce user control and create long-term dependencies. This report looks at how PostgreSQL’s open foundation is being leveraged for proprietary gain, and what that means for organizations in 2025 and beyond.

Thanks for reading the eleventh edition of The Open Source! From new government regulations shaping open source security to the continued growth of PostgreSQL and cloud-native tech, we’re keeping an eye on what’s trending and what it means for you. Got thoughts, questions, or a trend you’re seeing in the wild? Drop a comment below. We’d love to hear what’s on your radar.