New Certification Certified Open Source Developer for Enterprise (CODE) Available in Japanese

CODE Certification - Supporting the Evaluation and Development of Open Source Developers Required by Companies

July 16, 2026, Tokyo - The Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes large-scale innovation through open source, has announced that the new certification, Certified Open Source Developer for Enterprise (CODE), which certifies the skills of open source developers required by companies, is now available in Japanese.

As the scope of open source utilization expands throughout the company, the need for developers who can strategically utilize open source to promote innovation, while responding to changing regulations, is increasing. Under such circumstances, the CODE certification has been developed based on the expertise of open source and Open Source Program Office (OSPO) experts from the Linux Foundation, Open Source Initiative (OSI), TODO Group, and FINOS community. It certifies that knowledge and practical understanding of open source processes, governance, security, and cross-departmental collaboration in companies are possessed. This allows companies to appropriately evaluate human resources who possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage and utilize open source, and to strengthen the system for utilizing and promoting open source throughout the organization.

Chris Aniszczyk, co-founder of TODO Group and CTO of Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), said the following: "Open source is widely used around the world and has become an important foundation for today's business activities. However, to respond to its complexity, technical skills alone are not sufficient. Developers need to understand licenses, compliance, and security to smoothly incorporate open source into business strategies. The CODE certification proves that such important skills are possessed and supports companies in more effectively utilizing open source."

Noriyuki Fukuya, representative of Linux Foundation Japan, said the following: "In Japan as well, over the past 1-2 years, companies that have established OSPO and promote open source as the core of their business strategy have been increasing. In response to such changes, the CODE certification is a new certification that proves the specialization of open source development required by companies for technicians, and provides a standard for human resource development and skill evaluation for companies. With the addition of the CODE certification to technical certifications such as Linux and Kubernetes, it is now possible to comprehensively cover both technical skills and operational management skills. We would like to further promote the development of open source human resources through the provision in Japanese."

Expanding Career Opportunities - Certifying Open Source Skills Required by Companies

Regardless of job types such as software engineers, DevSecOps specialists, and technical project managers, and even when experienced developers aim to update their skill sets, the CODE certification becomes a key to opening up new career opportunities. By certifying the ability to promote open source innovation in companies, doors to the following new possibilities are opened.

Career transition from legacy systems to open source/cloud-native fields

Incorporating modern and secure development methods into conventional technologies (such as embedded software development) and expanding careers into new fields such as SDV

First step towards a career path in the field of cybersecurity

Career advancement to business leadership based on technology

Reasons for Companies to Adopt CODE Certification

As the scope of open source utilization expands throughout the company, open source developers who can not only write code but also understand the company's policies and security frameworks, and effectively collaborate across departments are in demand. By obtaining the CODE certification, companies can gain the following benefits.

Promote the practice of best practices for open source governance and security throughout the team

Avoid legal and compliance barriers and reduce the burden of open source adoption

Develop human resources who can incorporate open source into long-term business strategies

Scope of CODE Certification Exam

This is a multiple-choice test. The following target areas and competencies will be evaluated.

Basics of Open Source Software Development 24%

Open Source Licenses and Usage Guidelines 14%

Utilization of Open Source Software 28%

Contributions to Open Source 22%

Open Source Management and Operations 12%

Recommended Learning Content for CODE Certification Passing

In addition to the following materials, by learning and practicing according to your experience, you can efficiently proceed with preparation for passing the exam. Digital badges can be obtained upon completion of each course.

Immediately Available Free Courses

Open Source Licensing Basics for Software Developers (LFC191)

Introduction to Open Source License Compliance Management (LFC193)

Implementing Open Source License Compliance Management (LFC194)

A Beginner’s Guide to Open Source Software Development (LFD102)

Next Steps - Intermediate Level Learning Courses

Open Source Development Practices (LFC205)

Open Source Compliance Programs (LFC206)

Collaborating Effectively with Open Source Projects (LFC207)

Final Preparation Courses for More Certain Passing

Open Source Essentials for Developers (LFD221)

For details, please refer to Learning path to CODE.

The CODE certification can also be purchased as a bundle with THRIVE-ONE annual subscription (all the above courses are available) or Open Source Essentials for Developers (LFD221).

Positioning and Utilization of CODE Certification

Certifications such as LFCS-JP, CKA-JP, CKAD-JP, and CKS-JP, which certify technical expertise in IT infrastructure, cloud computing, DevOps, and security, are widely used. CODE certifies the knowledge and skills necessary for the utilization of open source in enterprise environments in addition to these technical skills.