Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, companies around the world are continuing to seek IT workers with proven skills in open source software to fill job vacancies that consistently remain open due to a lack of qualified candidates.

That’s the conclusion of the 2020 Open Source Jobs Report from The Linux Foundation and learning platform vendor edX, which surveyed 175 hiring managers and more than 900 open source professionals to examine the demand and prospects for open source skills in the marketplace.

“Ninety-three percent of hiring managers are still having trouble finding open source talent,” Clyde Seepersad, the director of training and certification for The Linux Foundation, told EnterpriseAI. “Cloud is super-hot.”

The problem, said Seepersad, is that many job candidates continue to lack the specific open source skills that companies are desperately seeking.

The 18-page report is the latest update since the organization’s 2018 open source jobs report, when 87% of hiring managers said they were having a difficult time finding qualified open source talent for their companies. Some 37% of the hiring managers say they will hire more skilled IT professionals in the next six months.

DevOps Skills in Greater Demand

One area where skilled open source job candidates are needed in particular is in DevOps, where 65% of the companies surveyed said they are looking to hire more DevOps talent. DevOps was the most-sought-after job role mentioned in the study, surpassing software developers for the first time among respondents, according to The Linux Foundation. Software developers with open source skills are being sought by 59% of the respondents.

Also notable is that 52% of hiring managers are more likely to hire candidates with open source certifications, which is up from 47% two years ago.

Some 70% of the hiring managers said they are more likely to hire an IT pro today who has open source cloud skills in particular, which is up from 66% in 2018.

“We’re seeing signs that the long-rumored prominence of DevOps is really starting to happen among people who are getting serious about hiring DevOps talent and implementing DevOps philosophy and culture in their organizations,” said Seepersad. “What we’re seeing is that IT has been resilient and open source in particular [during the COVID-19 pandemic].”

Interestingly, the report also says that 80% of the surveyed employers now provide online training courses for employees to learn open-source software skills, allowing them to boost the skills of existing workers to help solve their job vacancy issues. That’s an increase from 66% two years ago, according to the report.

“More and more companies are realizing that acting on that upskilling is an important part of recruiting,” said Seepersad. “You don’t have to just bring in external candidates. There’s a viable path to growing skills in an organization to fill the evolving gaps. I suspect that’s going to become one of the big changes we’ll continue to see.”

Also important, he said, is that an increasing number of companies are looking at hiring remote workers around the globe, especially due to the pandemic, which can allow them to find qualified talent more flexibly.

More Companies Supporting Open Source Projects to Lure Talent

Some 63% of the business respondents said their organizations have begun to support open source projects with code or other resources just so they can more easily recruit IT workers with those software skills, the study reported. That’s an increase from the 48% who did this in 2018. About 74% of the employers surveyed said they are also now paying for employee open source certifications to encourage workers to bolster their skills. That’s up from 55% in 2018, 47% in 2017, and 34% in 2016.

For companies specializing in AI, machine learning and related technologies, finding talent with open source skills continues to grow in importance, said Seepersad.

“Everything that’s running in the cloud is running on Linux, including 99% of Amazon EC2, and the majority of Azure instances,” he said. “So, whether you knew it or not, everybody’s an open source technologist now.”

And in AI in particular, hundreds of different open source tool sets and frameworks have bloomed and are available for use, he said. “We’re all Linux admins now, because if you lift the covers it’s what’s underneath the cloud and everything. And we’re all Kubernetes people now because that’s how everybody orchestrates and instruments the cloud. And open source tools are what are powering the DevOps revolution, so whether that’s Puppet or Chef or Jenkins or Spinnaker, there’s a plethora of tools out there that are the new normal for how code gets developed and deployed.”

The group’s 2020 Open Source Jobs Report was conducted for the first time with the help of edX, an education and learning platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT.

The report includes data from more than 175 hiring managers at corporations, small and medium businesses (SMBs), government organizations, and staffing agencies across the globe, as well as responses from more than 900 open source professionals worldwide. Thirty-nine percent of the companies are based in North America, while 24% are based in Europe. Another 15% are in Asia, 7% are in Africa, 4% are in Mexico and Central America, 4% are in South America, 2% are in the Middle East and less than 1% each are in other regions. The respondents must have hired at least one open source professional in the last year or plan to hire open source professionals in 2020 to participate in the survey. Seventy-four percent of the 900 open source professionals who responded worked in those jobs for three years or more.

For Chilling Out

Stop, Breathe & Think

This meditation app opens with a simple check-in: you rate your physical and emotional state, and the app responds with tailored activities. Those might include guided breathing exercises, short meditations, or — occasionally — a calming compilation of cat videos. Activities are grouped by emotional tone, covering feelings like compassion, grief, and equanimity. Sessions are short enough to maintain focus but substantial enough to genuinely ease anxiety. The interface uses cool blues and approachable cartoon instructors to set the tone from the moment you open it.

For Gaming

Playing With Friends: Heads Up! on Houseparty

Heads Up! is a reverse-charades style game backed by Ellen DeGeneres. Houseparty is a group video-calling app that places multiple friends on screen simultaneously. When you can’t meet in person, combining the two is straightforward:

1. Download Houseparty.
2. Tap the dice icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Heads Up! from the drop-down menu.
4. Invite your friends and start playing.

Playing Solo: The Sims Mobile

The Sims franchise remains a reliable escape. In The Sims Mobile you control a virtual person who can shop, throw parties, go on dates, and interact with ghosts — essentially everything that indoor life temporarily limits. You can play it as wish fulfillment, or lean into the absurdity and trap your Sim inside the house by deleting all the doors. Either approach is oddly therapeutic.

For Learning

edX

edX provides access to thousands of university-level courses through its mobile app. Courses span subjects from computer science and data analysis to humanities and business, offered by more than 100 partner universities. Notable during the pandemic was Yale University making its popular “Happiness” course freely available to non-students. You won’t earn a formal degree through the free tier, but audit access to structured course content is a legitimate way to develop new skills or deepen existing knowledge.

Duolingo

Duolingo turns language learning into a habit through game-like mechanics: image-heavy lessons, streaks, XP points, and short daily sessions. The app offers more than 35 languages, including constructed languages like Klingon (from Star Trek) and High Valyrian (from Game of Thrones). Its gamified structure makes it easier to stay consistent compared to traditional study methods, though serious learners will eventually want to supplement it with other resources.

For Cooking

Project Foodie: Guided Cooking

Project Foodie is aimed at home cooks who want to go beyond their usual repertoire. It walks users through recipes via step-by-step video instruction led by professional chefs. Unlike broadcast cooking shows, the format doesn’t skip prep steps — every stage is demonstrated in full. This makes it genuinely useful for developing foundational culinary techniques like blanching, julienning, and proper knife work.

For Socializing

Nextdoor

Nextdoor connects you with people in your immediate neighborhood — many of whom you may never have met in person. The platform is organized by local area, making it useful for coordinating mutual aid, sharing local information, and checking in on neighbors who may need support. As with any social media platform, misinformation can circulate on Nextdoor, so approach unverified posts with appropriate skepticism and look to official public health sources for health guidance.

For Working Out

Aaptiv

Aaptiv delivers audio-guided workouts, meaning you follow spoken instructions rather than watching a screen. This makes it especially suitable for running, strength training, or yoga where you want to keep your phone in your pocket or on a surface without constantly glancing at it. The app recommends workouts based on your fitness goals and current level, making it a reasonable starting point if you’re building a routine from scratch.

Peloton

Peloton’s app extends well beyond its branded stationary bike. The video-guided content library includes strength training, yoga, boot camps, stretching, and cooldown classes. At the time of the original article’s publication (April 2020), Peloton was offering a 30-day free trial. Check the current Peloton website for up-to-date pricing and trial offers, as these change over time.

Runkeeper

Runkeeper tracks outdoor runs using GPS, logs distance and pace over time, and lets you monitor progress across sessions. The app includes training plans for different goals — from beginner 5K prep to longer distances — and previously offered rewards toward fitness gear for consistent use. It’s a straightforward tool for anyone using outdoor running as a daily mental reset.

For Staying Healthy and Informed

Apple’s COVID-19 App

During the pandemic, Apple released a dedicated COVID-19 app developed in collaboration with the CDC, FEMA, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. It provided a symptom screening tool, state-specific guidance, and regularly updated public health information. Note: This app was specific to the 2020–2021 pandemic response period. Its current availability and relevance will have changed significantly since the original article was published. Check the Apple App Store and official public health sources for current tools.

For Escapist Entertainment

TikTok

TikTok’s short-form video format proved well-suited to periods of fragmented attention. The algorithm quickly surfaces content tailored to your interests — which means the experience varies dramatically from user to user. Beyond the dancing and lip-syncing that the platform is most associated with, TikTok hosts educational creators, comedians, journalists, activists, and community organizations. It’s worth exploring beyond the default feed to find content that is genuinely useful or entertaining to you. Be aware that TikTok’s data privacy practices have been subject to ongoing regulatory scrutiny in multiple countries; review current guidance if that is a concern.

A Note on This List

This article is based on a CNN list published in April 2020. App availability, features, pricing, and platform policies evolve continuously. Some apps mentioned — particularly those tied to pandemic-era initiatives — may have changed significantly. Always check the relevant app store listing or official website for the most current information before downloading.