Top 10 Open Source Software Examples of 2021

The sole reason for businesses to board the internet is to run business on a big scale and earn bigger profits. It is one of the reasons why businesses keep on searching for most efficient digital solutions. And one common term they may or may not have heard is open source software. Today, we are going to talk about open source software and best open source software examples of 2021.

What is Open Source Software?

The open source was first introduced in the late 1990s by ‘The Open Source Initiative’ also known as OSI. It is a software solution whose code is publically available and free for its users and anyone else who is able to use, modify and distribute in various formats. Open-source software solutions don’t always solve the same problems. In fact, most open-source software is geared towards different niche solutions. As it is easily accessible to everyone, it is typically very easy to obtain and incorporate into digital solutions.

 It is important to know that just because open source software is free to use, it doesn’t mean that just anyone can use it. Open-source software refers to lines of code and its variations that are available. So, if the size of the software is huge then you’ll need a qualified software developer to inspect that code and customize the software as per your need and specifications in order to integrate it into your current operations. 

Open Source Software vs Free Source Software

Very often people confuse free source software as open source software as these two are different types of software. However, both of them offer similar licenses but share different ideologies. The concept of free source software back in the 1980s by Richard Stallman. Its main goal was that all users have the right to operate, copy, share, study, change, and improve this software. Whereas, the open source software was introduced in the late 1990s by a group of individuals as a reaction to the limitations of free source software.

The main difference they presented was that they changed the emphasis from freedom to security. And, they also brought other pragmatic benefits like transparency and cost savings. So, we can say that all free source software can qualify as open source software. However, not all open source software can be free.

The Most Accepted Open Source Software Licenses

Open source software licenses allow users and commercial companies to run, modify and share different sets of software code. In other words, these licenses are legal contracts between the creator and the user. They imply that anyone with a license can use the software under specific conditions. These softwares are mostly available free of charge and sometimes may have restrictions. For instance, users may be confined to preserve the name of the authors. Or, it may also happen that they are not able to redistribute the licensed software under the same license only. So, let us have a look at the most popular open source softwares. 

1. Apache License (Apache-2.0): Apache license has some strict rules for the users which they had to follow especially for redistribution. The ones who have issued an Apache license can freely run, modify and share software code. Because of the rules, the users have to provide unequivocal statements verifying that files have been modified, along with notices in their original work. 

2. MIT License(MIT): The best thing about this open source software is the users can freely run, modify and share software code without any hassle. This license also comes with the GPL compatible meaning that users can modify the original code without affecting the resultant derivative code of the original permit. 

3. GNU General Public License(GPL): Those who write software code under GPL, must release it as open source. So, all the users are obliged to release the full source code and all the rights to change and share the entire code.  

4. Common Development & Distribution License (CDDL): CDDL works in a little different way, all the users can reproduce and distribute any original & derivative work. But they are not allowed to make any trademark, copyright, or patent changes included in the contract. Whenever the developers share a modified form of the source they must make it available under CDDL. However, if the code does not contain the original code then they don’t have to release it under CDDL. 

5. 3-Clause BSD License(BSD-3-Clause): The developers who own a BSD-3-Clause license also need to include the original copyright notice, disclaimer and several other conditions that are mandatory. The license is very similar to MIT. The main difference is that it provides a clause that protects the original creators of the software.

The Most Popular Types of Open Source Solutions

1. Open Source CRM

CRM stands for customer relationship management and these software allows companies to manage customer interactions and meet their requirements easier. It eventually helps improve customer care which is essential in boosting client satisfaction and bringing profitability to the business. The other benefits that are included with this software is that it helps the services be organized and boosts your productivity as well. Let us have a look at the best but free open source SRM solutions to use in 2020. 

– Flowlu: This CRM software is perfect for small and large businesses in different & specific industries. With the advantages like quoting, lead management, project management, invoicing, API integration and many more makes it one of the best CRM software to use for free.

– Hubspot CRM: This software is most suitable for small and medium-sized businesses in real estate, construction, retail and other niches. Contact management, email scheduling, meeting management and live chat are just a few of the features it offers. 

– Freshsales: The best thing about this CRM is that it is perfect for all sizes of businesses as it helps them to manage contacts and develop customer success strategies. It also offers lead management, email marketing, integration management, phone and email support.

2. Open Source Project Management

Open source project management software can be of great assistance in keeping track of assignments and tasks. They allow you to manage different projects at the same time and stay organized. Most of the open source project management tools on the market are free and paid versions as well. Let us have a look at the top three open management softwares. 

– Monday: This tool covers a spectrum of project management tasks including email updates, personal and public boards, tagging people, visual display of progress and more. 

– Zoho: This software allows companies to track their time, get customized reports and integrate with other services including Google. It also comes with an in-build chat which makes communication between team members easy and quick. 

– Trello: It is perfect for both individuals and small teams. It allows you to manage individual projects and ongoing workflows. Some of its features include adding due dates, attaching files and hyperlinks, custom dropdowns and more.

3. Open Source Video Games

Most of the open source video games are free to use and modify. Developers and game designers can freely share them across platforms. Many of these games are also incorporated in Linux distributions by default. And, users can download and install the more popular ones on other platforms like Mac OS and windows. Let us have a look at the best open source software examples of video games in 2020: 

– Xonotic: This game provides a variety of weapons to choose from and uses thrilling action. It runs perfectly on windows. Mac OS and Linux. 

– Battle of Wesnoth: This game can run on Windows, Android, Mac and iOS. It is a turn based tactical strategy game that offers a large variety of maps, units, classes and campaigns.

– Open TTD: This game is a replica of transport tycoon deluxe that has new features. It is available on Windows and Android.

4. Blockchain Open Source

Blockchain open source is a software that users run to record transactions between two parties. Thus, every time someone makes a transaction, the information is documented on a spreadsheet to which all the participants have access to. However, its downside is that it cannot be modified and users actually agree via consensus to add data on the platform. What’s great about this software, on the other hand, is that it is secure. Blockchain software mainly targets the financial sector. But it is also widely used by eCommerce businesses, in online voting, e-governance, etc

– Ethereum: This software brings businesses and users together while helping them to make smart contracts. Its development team constantly makes significant improvements to the protocol to increase the support and user experience.

– Hyperledger: This platform focuses on improving the wide-array of cross-platform blockchain technology. It helps enterprise-level businesses in more secure globally conducted transactions.

– Ripple: This software also helps businesses manage various financial transactions. It connects corporates and banks with different service providers around the world while ensuring the security of data.

Top 10 Open Source Software Examples of 2020

1. Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is a customizable internet browser and a free open source software. Most of the people who are connected to the internet through Mozilla Firefox. This platform holds 4.39% of the worldwide browser market share and it is available for Android, iOS, Windows & Linux.

2. Libre Office

LibreOffice is a complete office suite that offers presentations. documents, spreadsheets and databases. Unlike Microsoft office, which is not accessible due to its pricing model, LibreOffice is totally free to use. Although, they also give the option to make donations if anyone wants to. And eventually it has a huge community of contributors. It is available for Mac, Linux, & Windows and you can also resolve your issues as it has a live chat and forum for such occasions.

3. GIMP

It is also known as one of the best open software source examples that is worth mentioning is the photo editing tool GIMP. It offers similar features like some of the expensive tools on the market including various filters and effects, and yet it is free. You can use GIMP on windows and linux and also has different 3d party plugins and customization options. A lot of graphic designers and photographers use it to improve their pictures and enhance their work.

4. VLC Media Player

It is the most loved open source software available on the internet for free. This multimedia player is used for video, media and audio files. It allows you to optimize your audio and video files for a particular hardware configuration and also offers a plethora of extensions and skins which allows you to create customized designs. You can easily run on various platforms like Android, Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and more.

5. Linux

Linux is the most wanted operating system for more than 80% developers. It has one of the most user-friendly open sources software on the market. It is most commonly used on desktops but can also be used for Android. This OS is absolutely free & is incredibly customizable. Most companies also choose it because it is secure because of the excellent support its community.

6. Blender

It is another open source software of 2020. It is used as a 3D graphics animation tool that supports motion tracking, simulation, animation, video editing, rendering, modeling and much more. It also offers a set of modelling tools and features including real time viewpoint pre-review, multi resolution and support for Planar tracking and Tripod solvers.

7. GNU Compiler Collection

It is a collection of compilation tools for software development in the C,C++, Ada, Fortran and other programming languages. It provides high-quality releases and works with native and cross targets. It provides free sources which are freely available via weekly snapshots.

8. Python

It is a common and scripting language used by custom software developers. It is the most popular language of 2018 and 2019. In recent years, it has attracted plenty of new users and is very popular among students as it is also used in the field of machine learning.

9. PHP

The PHP is also a superb example of best open source software examples of 2020. It is a software development language used for creating websites and other digital platforms.

10. Shotcut

Shotcut is a video editor that offers powerful features including audio and webcam capture, color, text, noise and counter generators, support of popular image formats, EDL exports and much more. It can be used in Windows, macOS & Linux. You can edit your audio and video files and you can find great resources and tutorials on their website on how to use this free open source software.

Open source software matters to developers in building a career while allowing them to work on some of the biggest platforms around the globe. With these platforms people can share their credible work with contributing to open source projects. So, we have listed the best open source software examples so you can take advantage of them.