What does open source mean for a smart-glasses project?
Public code lets you inspect how a component works. Its license describes the conditions for using and sharing it. Hardware files, firmware and companion software may have different licenses, so the label should be attached to specific components.
Keep a component inventory
Our practical recommendation is to record the repository, version and license for each dependency before building around it. Source availability also tells you little about who maintains a component, whether examples still run or how updates reach a device. Those are separate engineering considerations.
A prototype might combine a public display library with a privately hosted service. Describing the entire product as open source would conceal that boundary. A short inventory makes it clear which part someone can inspect or reproduce and which parts they still depend on another operator to provide.
Sources
Sources checked September 13, 2026. How we research these answers ↗