Abstract
Despite being a commons, free and open source software has come to dominate software production. FOSS surprising trajectory passed so far through two distinct stages. It originated within self-organized communities of developers and was later sustained by market adoption and innovative forms of economic competition. Its economic model was initially interpreted as a gift economy. Today it is better understood as based on hybrids that modulate markets and commons. By analyzing the trajectory of FOSS through two approaches with roots in evolutionary economics—the multi-level perspective and the techno-economic paradigms—FOSS takes on the characteristics of a development and innovation system that has grown with the digital paradigm and is destined to occupy an important function in its further development. The evolution of FOSS has not ended. On the contrary, a third phase of FOSS development is looming, which will be characterized by greater government involvement and further innovations in FOSS governance systems and economic models.