Code Rush

Code Rush revolves around the lives of engineers at web-browser developer Netscape as they race to write the code for the Mozilla open-source project in a bid to save their company from collapse. Set in Silicon Valley during the late 1990s, it was an intense period for Netscape’s engineers, as it appeared that Microsoft had successfully pushed them out of the browser market. The film focuses closely on the engineers as they struggle to keep the company alive and independent.

Code Rush documents Netscape’s final year as an independent firm, from the announcement of the Mozilla project to its eventual acquisition by AOL. Much of the action centres on the race to release Mozilla’s source code before the 31 March 1998 deadline. The documentary also shows how the mounting drama, tension, and pressure affect the engineers’ personal lives, illustrating how work spills over into their relationships and families.