In a world where a line of code once held immense value, it seems to be reduced to almost nothing today. Yet, the coherence of those lines, the solutions we build for clients, still matters. The value of code is mostly and foremost in what surrounds it, not in the lines themselves. This is my main takeaway after attending Umbraco's Codegarden last week.
While no one explicitly framed it this way, Umbraco's AI strategy filled this gap I'd been searching for. Last year, they were cautious about AI. They needed an extra year to develop a strong vision. This year, they presented that vision. And I have to say it's clear and I like it: AI in Umbraco, and Umbraco in AI.

Most CMS (and none CMS) vendors focus on the first part, AI in their product. Think search, personalisation, content generation, translations: the usual suspects. But Umbraco's strength lies in the second part Umbraco in AI. What can AI itself do with Umbraco?
 
The main strength for this lies in a decision made over two decades ago: Umbraco is open source. Back then, it wasn't maybe the visionary choice it feels like it is today, but let's assume it was; then it is even beyond that.

Open-source, in some ways, embraces the idea that code has no inherent value; "giving it away" requires you to create value elsewhere. For Umbraco, that meant building a strong, engaged community. Now, with AI, that community includes AI itself. No documentation is more up-to-date than the code itself, and no collaborator is more scalable than an AI trained on that latest version of the code.

While still very developer-focused, Umbraco surprisingly shows that worth isn't in the code. It's in the ecosystem and the community, and in the ability to let AI leverage both.
I would even argue that because it's open-source, Umbraco is the best CMS of choice for all who like to accelerate development with AI. It feels a little like we've lived the future of software development as a community already for over 2 decades.

Open source, in general, is a key focus for me this year. Forcing myself into the Linux ecosystem, thinking about how to build a better community around Backlot, and now seeing Umbraco embracing the fact that they are open-source even more than they already did, energises me.

I cannot end this post without a shout-out to Heather Floyd, who gave a great presentation about open-source at this year's Codegarden, titled "Bring 'open-source' out of software and into the world". Open source is not only about the code, but the principles are also a blueprint for "unusually healthy, productive and resilient human systems". If you've access to the Codegarden app, then I'd definitely encourage you to watch it regardless. It's a must-watch for anyone who enjoys open source, its principles, and its potential for a bright future.