Best Examples Of Open Source Software And How Does It Work?

Open-source software is a kind of computer program that allows anyone who has access to its source code to use, view, alter or distribute the source code, all this without compensating the author, but only under special licensing terms. This is in stark contrast to OSS which is centered on sharing and development, as proprietary software’s code is protected and can only be accessed by the developer.

How Does Work Open Source Software?

OSS is about contributing to the community as developers from various parts of the world work on the program and add new features, fix bugs and even improve the security of the program. All these contributions are regularly reviewed and implemented by a central maintenance team. Moreover, this approach does not only speed up the development but also enhances creativity since there are a lot of different views brought in.

Usually open-source software comes under licenses like the MIT License, GNU General Public License (GPL), or Apache License. These dictate the terms under which the software may be used, modified and shared.

Let us now discuss the best examples of open source software that changed the tech world.

Examples Of Open Source Software

Linux

What it is: A set of open-source operating systems (OS) falling under the Linux kernel.

What makes it unique: Literally everything runs on Linux — from servers and desktops, to the smartphones you use, to embedded devices. Its versatility and Safety have made it a developer as well as an enterprise favorite. There are many distributions available designed for several purposes, such as Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian which all have their own unique flavors.

Mozilla Firefox

What it is: A privacy-focused, lightweight, web browser.

Why we like it: It built a reputation for user privacy (see Enhanced Tracking Protection) Being an open-source project means that developers can write plugins and extensions to improve the browsing experience.

WordPress

What it is: A content management system (CMS) that runs over 40% of the web

Why it is different: WordPress is, as a brief description, known well for blogging purposes, but its e-commerce, and business websites usage are growing rapidly. Extensive plugin and theme ecosystem: You can customize your site without writing a single line of code.

VLC Media Player

What it is: A versatile multimedia software player which supports most audio and video formats.

Why it’s worth it: VLC is a hugely popular streaming, file conversion, and damaged file recovery tool because it is lightweight, easy to use, and has a massive amount of options available.

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)

What it is: It is a freeware software similarly to Adobe Photoshop.

Why you need it: GIMP offers professional-level photo editing tools. The customizable interface and high-end tools make it the first choice of graphic designers and photographers.

Blender

What it is: A 3D model, animation, rendering and more creator suite.

Why it stands out: Blender is a popular tool for animators, game developers and artists. The rapid developments and lively ecosystem make sure that it is up to date.

Apache OpenOffice

What it is: A suite of productivity tools that contains elements for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and more.

Why It Is Awesome: OpenOffice is a free edition of Microsoft Office. It has a variety of different formats and great features for professionals and students.

Audacity 

What it is: An audio editing software for sound recording and its editing. 

Why it stands out: Audacity’s interface is simplistic and yet effective. Faded audio from reducing noise to multitrack editing — Audacity is the trumpet to musicians and podcasters mixers.

MySQL

What it is: A relational database management system (RDBMS)

Why it stands out: The backbone of some of the largest, most established sites and applications, including Facebook and Twitter. MySQL has been a developer favorite for decades. MySQL is fast, reliable and easy for developers to use allowing for wide applications. 

TensorFlow 

What it is: A google developed open-source machine learning framework. 

Why it stands out: TensorFlow is a great tool in AI application development. TensorFlow covers deep learning, neural networks and others which makes it great for researchers and developers.

Why Open Source Matters

The tech world is changed by open-source software because of a strong focus on collaboration and transparency. This fosters innovation, brings costs down and enables users to regain control over their digital lives. From beginner to experienced developer, these tools can act as a springboard for learning, developing and sharing.

With open-source software, we enhance the world where technology is free & accessible.

Also Read : Protect Your Data With Best Backup Software And Service