Patents
Patents are legal rights granted by governments to inventors, providing exclusive control over their inventions for a limited period, typically 20 years. They protect novel, non-obvious, and useful inventions, such as processes, machines, or compositions of matter, by preventing others from making, using, or selling the invention without permission. In the tech industry, patents are crucial for safeguarding intellectual property, fostering innovation, and enabling commercialization.
Developers should learn about patents to protect their innovative work, especially when creating unique software algorithms, hardware designs, or business methods, as it helps secure competitive advantages and potential revenue through licensing or sales. Understanding patents is essential for roles in research and development, startups, or large tech companies to avoid infringement issues and navigate legal landscapes, such as when filing for patent protection or conducting due diligence in mergers and acquisitions.