The global open source forum software market size was USD XX Bn in 2022 and is likely to reach USD XX Bn by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 5.2% during 2023–2031. The market is driven by the cost-effectiveness and scalability benefits facilitated by open source forum software.
Adoption of open source forum software is rapidly expanding, owing to its compatibility and stability with various web platforms. It provides the advantages of customization and scalability while facilitating users with the ability to upgrade it through collaborative efforts. Globally, businesses are increasingly using this software for everything from sharing the latest software updates to technical guidance and customer service. The number of people engaging in online communities/discussions is increasing at a substantial level, which is anticipated to create lucrative growth opportunities for the open source forum software market.
- According to one of the recent surveys regarding the usage distribution among the top one million sites, Discourse came at the top in terms of its popularity with usage distribution in around 3,078 websites. vBulletin took second place with 1,815 websites.
Open source forum software enables the user to create threads of text-based messages and use them as discussion forums. This allows people to discuss their issues, post their questions, seek answers, and offer solutions to others’ problems. The software organizes these discussions into a hierarchal structure of categories, sub-categories, and threads. This helps the user navigate and find the relevant topic of the conversation thread.
Developed and distributed under an open source license, it allows users to access and modify the software without any restraint. It provides the administrator with several customization options including themes, templates, and plug-ins to increase functionality. Furthermore, the open source forum software provides a highly cost-effective solution for managing and running discussion forums. Its community-driven nature ensures that the software can be developed further over time and can be tailored to fit the specific set of requirements. All of these factors are projected to propel the adoption of open source software by the organization in various sectors to grow their online engagements.
The market report finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive impact on the market due to the increased usage of online forums. As people were confined to their houses for safety concerns, the use of open-source online forums increased at a significant pace. People were using it to connect to each other to post questions, discuss their issues, and offer solutions to various concerns.
Open Source Forum Software Market Dynamics
Major Drivers
Secure and transparent infrastructure of open source forums is expected to drive the market. The transparency of open source software enables the user to check the source code for security vulnerabilities and implement the required security measures.
The active involvement of the respective community helps identify potential security issues and correct them speedily. Moreover, the open source forum software allows the user to have full control over the functions and operations of the forum.
Cost-effective and flexible nature of the open source forum software is anticipated to substantially contribute to the growth of the market. The cost-effectiveness makes it a prime choice for individuals and organizations with budget constraints.
It eliminates the need to own expensive proprietary software licenses, reducing the overall cost of ownership by a considerable amount. The flexibility it has because of its open source nature allows it to be tailored to address the needs of an individual or the organization.
Existing Restraints
Lack of skilled technicians to handle complexities in operating the open-source forum software can hinder the market. The use of open source software requires a considerable amount of technical knowledge about programming languages and database management systems.
Due to this, individuals and organizations that lack the technical expertise and IT knowledge are not able to use it effectively.
Emerging Opportunities
Growth of online communities for collaboration and innovation is expected to provide substantial growth opportunities for the market. With the expanding extent of online engagement of people, the demand for forum software has increased.
The forum discussions help individuals and organizations collaborate and share knowledge with others. The continuous updates and improvements in the software by the users lead to the development of innovative features, extensions, and new plug-ins.
Scope of Open Source Forum Software Market Report
The market report includes an assessment of the market, trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.
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Attributes
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Details
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Report Title
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Open Source Forum Software Market - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends, and Forecast
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Base Year
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2022
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Historic Data
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2016–2021
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Forecast Period
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2023–2031
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Segmentation
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Type (Web-Based and Cloud-Based), and Application (Commercial and Personal)
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Regional Scope
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Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa
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Report Coverage
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Company Share, Market Analysis and Size, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, Market Trends, and Revenue Forecast
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Key Players Covered in the Report
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Vanilla Forums; Simple Machines; PunBB; phpBB Limited; Phorum; MyBB; miniBB; GitHub, Inc.; Discourse Forum; and bbPress.org
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Open Source Forum Software Market Segment Insights
Type Segment Analysis
Based on type, the open source forum software market is divided into web-based and cloud-based. The cloud-based segment is expected to expand at a major growth rate during the projection period as it offers numerous advantages such as ease of accessibility, scalability, and reduced maintenance cost.
This allows the users to access open-source forums from any device with an internet connection, making the cloud-based system highly convenient. Furthermore, cloud computing-based systems can easily integrate with other cloud services, thereby, providing a seamlessly integrated user experience.
The web-based open source forum software is projected to exhibit considerable growth during the forecast period due to its ease of access and use. The program and its data are hosted on the internet, eliminating the need to install any software on the computer or smartphone for its use. The forum software can easily be accessed using any popular web browser including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
Application Segment Analysis
On the basis of application, the global market is segregated into commercial and personal. The commercial segment is projected to register a high CAGR during the forecast period owing to the several advantages this software offers to business organizations. It is highly cost-effective to businesses as it is free to use.
The software offers additional features and support that are very useful to improve the functionality of the platform for businesses. Furthermore, these solutions also offer numerous customization options that let businesses tailor the open source forum software to fit their specific requirements.
Regional Analysis
In terms of region, the global open source forum software market is classified as Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa.
North America is expected to dominate the market during the projection period due to the increase in the number of internet users and the availability of affordable smartphones across countries such as the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Furthermore, the rise in demand for social media platforms due to several factors, such as the facility of getting real-time news updates on everything from entertainment to technology is likely to advance the market in the region.
Latin America’s open source forum software market is expected to have significant growth during the forecast period owing to the increased implementation of several open source forum software by small- and medium-sized businesses for the purpose of cost reduction.
Moreover, the rise in demand for such software in cloud-based environments contributes to the growth of the market in this region.
Segments
The open source forum software market has been segmented on the basis of
Type
Application
Region
- Asia Pacific
- North America
- Latin America
- Europe
- Middle East & Africa
Key Players
Competitive Landscape
Key players competing in the global open source forum software market are Vanilla Forums; Simple Machines; PunBB; phpBB Limited; Phorum; MyBB; miniBB; GitHub, Inc.; Discourse Forum; and bbPress.org.
These companies adopt several development strategies to constantly upgrade their software so as to meet the demands of users. These market players also focus on the needs of individual users as well as organizations in terms of improving functionality and giving users more space for customization and alteration. For instance,
- In May 2023, GitHub housed most of the open source code in order to propel the industry toward a more accessible and convenient developer experience. It has brought the accessibility of open source to a staggering 85%. This is expected to lower the social-technical barriers and make the developer experience more inclusive.
- In May 2023, after several years in the making, GitHub released a major code search makeover. This new code has been rebuilt to enable the developers to navigate effortlessly and get the right results. GitHub has also released a search syntax guide with it to help users get a better understanding.
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