Legal Definitions - closed source

Definition: Closed source refers to software that does not provide access to its source code, which means that it cannot be modified or changed without violating the software developer's ownership rights or damaging the program. Proprietary software is usually closed source.

• Microsoft Windows
• Adobe Photoshop
• Oracle Database

These examples are all proprietary software that are closed source. Users cannot access the source code of these programs, which means they cannot modify or customize them to suit their needs. They can only use the software as it is provided by the developer.

For instance, if a user wants to add a new feature to Adobe Photoshop, they cannot do so without violating Adobe's ownership rights. Similarly, if a user wants to fix a bug in Microsoft Windows, they cannot do so without damaging the program.