# What does mature code base mean?



## Tom Smits (Jan 27, 2016)

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/explaining-bsd/comparing-bsd-and-linux.html
"In general, BSD systems have a better reputation for reliability, mainly as a result of the more mature code base."
What does mature mean? Can someone also give me examples?


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## SirDice (Jan 27, 2016)

Just have a look at a dictionary and see what "mature" means: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mature


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## kpa (Jan 27, 2016)

It means that it has gone trough a very long and uninterrupted period of constant development and maintainence by people who are considered to be experts of the field.


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## wblock@ (Jan 27, 2016)

I would say that "mature" means it has been around long enough so that all major and most minor bugs have been found and fixed.


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## fnoyanisi (Feb 5, 2016)

This link should give you an idea why the term "mature code base" is used.

FreeBSD is a direct descendent of Net/2 Release -> 386BSD

This picture gives a quick history.


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## hashime (Feb 5, 2016)

It's just marketing, don't think about it too much.
Basically means FreeBSD is old.


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## SirDice (Feb 5, 2016)

hashime said:


> Basically means FreeBSD is old.


MS-DOS is old. OS/2 is old. Betty White is old, Nicole Kidman is mature. 

Subtle difference


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## fnoyanisi (Feb 6, 2016)

hashime said:


> It's just marketing, don't think about it too much.
> Basically means FreeBSD is old.


FreeBSD is evolving, being developed and being added new features continuously to keep up with people's & industry's demands. That's why it is not old, but mature.

There is a difference


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## hashime (Feb 6, 2016)

I stand corrected


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## Crivens (Feb 6, 2016)

When it comes to job offers, the term "you will work on a mature code base" usually meany that you will be in a world of pain and struggeling in a total mess of code kept together by spit and shoe strings, plus good hope.
In these terms, a lot of other projects might be labeled "mature code base", but *BSDs would then be something else.


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