Operate First regroups a few concepts, relying on standard definitions of Open, Open Source, and Open Work:

OPERATE: To build software optimized to run as a service and allow others to run it as a service easily, including documenting how to operate the cloud environment itself.

OPEN: To develop open source practices, tooling, and documentation that allows anyone to build and manage the software, and to incorporate lessons learned from operations back into code, automate wherever possible, and contribute to open source communities.

GOVERNANCE: To foster inclusive, respectful, and collaborative communities through clear standards and accepted practices (e.g., codes of conduct) so participants are empowered to contribute.

HYBRID: To ensure that there is no dependency in the tooling of the cloud environment that the software is operating in by always verifying the software and management tooling works identically on at least one other platform (another cloud, in a private data center, …)