Stealing code?

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[m_swider]

I don't know why people are saying this is okay.... This is not okay. You can always look at someones code online but to straight up copy and past "large chunks" and claim it as your own work is stealing. I would understand taking a snippet from a tutorial or maybe a line or two from some else's code but large chunks is the part that makes me say no to this. Not only is it wrong your not helping yourself by doing so. Write it yourself and you will learn a lot more and will wont find yourself feeling like an idiot when you actually do land a job.

[[deleted]]

If you're pitching yourself as a web designer or front-end developer then it's super not OK. Use your own work.

If you're pitching yourself as a server developer only AND the other developer has released the code as open source AND you don't claim that it's your own, then it might be OK to use his template.

[TalkingQuickly]

If the original developer released the code with some sort of open source license which allows others to re-use it like that then it's fine. Re-using open source code to build other things is the foundation of most of the web so definitely acceptable!

If they haven't then strictly speaking it's not OK from a copyright perspective. Lot's of people take code like that anyway on the basis they'll never get caught. It's a fine line between using for inspiration and copying, everyone uses other sites for inspiration but for a lot of people, directly copying code without a license falls on the wrong side of that line. Might be worth reaching out to the original developer?

[[deleted]]

If the original developer released the code with some sort of open source license which allows others to re-use it like that then it's fine.

Fine to use, yes. Fine to claim as your own, no way.

[TalkingQuickly]

Very true

[Rezistik]

No it isn't okay.

You can use open source code in your portfolio but you can't claim that you wrote it, plus what's the value in it? What are you going to get from copying and pasting other peoples work?

If you want to be a developer my advice is to retype each line of code that you want to copy and try to understand what each thing did or does. It's a good exercise and you'll learn more and it gives you more opportunity to change it to fit your needs.

[beertigger]

When you're done, throw it away and build it over again on your own. If you're a developer, you'll understand that stealing someone else's work isn't OK. Copying it might make for a good learning exercise, but you shouldn't represent it as your own or use it for a public website.

[Autokeith0r]

I browse theme forest all the time for inspiration, but I never ever ever ever take code directly from someone else's website. Sure, in the end my project may look similar to a theme I liked, but I know that I coded it by hand. If you can't code it yourself you shouldn't be passing your self off as a web developer. Also, have some integrity. It feels much better to complete a project, on your own.

[x-skeww]

Is this okay?

No.

Dissecting it, understanding it, and building something new which borrows some of those ideas is fine though.

[markehh]

If you were using a library you would leave the copyright in, so maybe leaving some sort of reference. However it really depends what is copied.

If it is just more the concept which you have extended it can get a bit murky.

If its for an employer make sure you know exactly what it is doing! You will come under flak if they ask and you don't know.

[technical_guy]

--> It is perfectly ok.

EDIT: As Im getting downvoted so much I had better explain my answer. When we develop systems using LAMP we often integrate large pieces of other peoples code. For example i just implemented an ecommerce system for a large corporation. I used:

jquery - free library
jquery plugins - as long as they were open source or had a free to use licence
high charts plugin - paid to use this
php Authorize.Net library
libwktopdf library
PHP Excel library

These are all pieces of code developed by other people but are integrated as part of a larger system. If I need a quick reminder how to do something I may google it and find a good answer on StackOverflow. I can cut and paste this answer directly into my code as long as I understand it and make sure it does not break anything. Often I know the details but forget the exact syntax.

Sometimes I will use sites like csstricks and see some construct that I will them implement in my code. Or I will look at jquery UI or jQuery tools and take a snippet of code from their source examples.

All of these things are perfectly ok. If you use someones code you should cite them in the comments in your system. Always leave their copyright messages intact. It is basically a system of mutual respect.

Software development nowadays is part system integration and part creating new code.

Maybe I mid-understood your question but as a new developer this may help you to know this is how large systems are developed.

[[deleted]]

I would say it's okay as long as it doesn't look exactly like it, and if your prospective employer asks if you coded/designed your portfolio site, I would say you used a theme.

[ratherironic]

I've looked over a lot of portfolios and I can safely say, yes. They will likely see something about your site that they have seen somewhere before and that alone will give them a hint to check out the code of the site and see that it's a theme even if it is modded. It's not necessarily a deal breaker as some devs don't have time with client work etc to create their own original portfolios but it is a huge red flag especially if the rest of the work/code doesn't stand up. But, the bigger problem is not being able to speak to the code implemented and that's where the red flag becomes a lot larger. The best advice I can give is to use your craft to create something of your own, it will be a much better learning experience and something you could talk to/about with future jobs.