This can include processes such as requirements gathering and documentation, source code control, code review, change management, configuration management, release management, and the actual testing of the software, explains Matt Miller, chief technology officer at CareerBliss.

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Trade secrets also protects software source code and sometimes other aspects of software, such as proprietary limited-distribution documentation.

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Open source projects require the writing of code, sure, but also developing documentation and training methods, managing and researching communities of users, testing the quality of existing code and designing the interfaces and interactions of user experience.

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