The Best 10 Open Source Software Examples Of 2020

Open source software can be used, modified and distributed by anyone who has the knowledge to work with code.

Businesses are constantly searching for digital solutions to help them run more efficiently and turn bigger profits faster.

And one common term they may or may not have heard of that can further this agenda is open-source software.

In this article, you will find out what open source software is and get familiar with the most required types.

Whats more, we will also discover the best open source software examples of 2020.

The term open source was introduced in the late 1990s by The Open Source Initiative (OSI).

Open-source software is, essentially, 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.

However, because it is accessible to the general public, it is typically very easy to obtain and incorporate into digital solutions.

Now, it is important to remember 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, depending on the type of this software, you'll likely still need a qualified software developer to inspect that code, customize the software to your specifications, and integrate it into your current operations.

Very often free source software is used as a synonym with open source software.

Though similar, these two are different types of software.

Both of them offer similar licenses but share different ideologies.

Richard Stallman introduced the concept of free source software back in the 1980s. Its main goal was that all users have the right to operate, copy, share, study, change, and improve this software.

Open source software, on the other hand, 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.

All free source software can qualify as open source software. However, not all open source software can be free.

For instance, Open Watcom is an integrated development environment whose license cannot be modified and used privately.

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.

They are mostly available free of charge and sometimes may have restrictions.

For example, 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.

There are over 200 licenses of this type.

Here are the most popular:

Before you start using any open source code, understand the types of licenses and its rules to stay compliant.

Looking for the top software development companies in the US?

Here are some of the most popular types of open source software:

CRM (customer relationship management) software allows companies to manage customer interactions and meet their requirements easier.

In other words, it helps businesses improve customer care which is essential in boosting client satisfaction and bringing profitability.

This software makes it possible to stay organized and boost your productivity as well. There are different open source examples for CRM and they are usually free to download.

However, they do require technical ability to use and are customizable to your needs.

The best free open source CRM solutions in 2020 are:

These top three software examples for CRM also offer paid versions that come with an extended list of features. You can visit their websites for more info.

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 offer paid versions as well.

Here are the top three of them:

Open source project management software is important in enhancing the business performance since it makes collaboration easier and delegating tasks simpler.

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.

Some of the open source video games may be under restrictive licenses as well.

Here are the best open source software examples of video games in 2020:

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.

Whats 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.

These are the most popular blockchain open source software examples of 2020:

Looking for the top software development companies in Massachusetts?

Mozilla Firefox is a customizable internet browser and a free open source software. It offers thousands of plugins that are accessible with a single click of your mouse.

The platform holds 4.39% of the worldwide browser market share and it is available for Android, iOS, Windows and Linux.

According to CNET, Mozilla reshaped the technology industry and fanned the flames of open source software that changed the way social networks and operating systems function.

LibreOffice is a complete office suite that offers presentations, documents, spreadsheets and databases.

Unlike Microsoft Office, which is not accessible for everyone due to its pricing model, LibreOffice is totally free.

To support it, its users can make donations when they download. So, it has a huge community of contributors.

It is available for Mac, Linux and Windows and it also has a live chat and a forum where you can turn to when searching for help.

Another 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.

GIMP is available across different platforms including Windows and Linux and it has different 3d party plugins and customization options.

Plenty of illustrators, graphic designers and photographers use it to improve their pictures and enhance their work.

VLC Media Player is one of the most popular open source software examples that you can use for free.

This multimedia player is used for video, media and audio files and it plays discs, webcams, streams and devices. Most of the users use it for streaming podcasts as well.

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.

Whats more, it runs on different platforms such as Android, Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, iOS and more.

[Image source: Linux]

According to a Stack Overflow survey, 83.1% of developers claimed that Linux is the most wanted platform.

Linux is one of the most user-friendly open source software on the market. It is most commonly used on Android devices and desktops.

What makes this operating system different from the others is that it costs nothing and it is incredibly customizable.

Most companies also choose it because it is secure because of the excellent support its community offers.

Blender is another of the best open source software examples of 2020.

It is a 3D graphics and animation tool that supports motion tracking, simulation, animation, video editing, rendering, modeling and much more.

It also offers a set of modeling tools and features including real-time viewpoint prereview, multi-resolution and support for Planar tracking and Tripod solvers.

GNU Compiler Collection is a collection of compilation tools for software development in the C, C++, Ada, Fortran and other programming languages.

It provides high-quality releases regularly and works with native and cross targets.

The sources it offers are freely available via weekly snapshots as well as SVN.

Python is common programming and scripting language used by custom software developers.

According to IEEE, it was the most popular language in 2019. In recent years, it attracts plenty of new users because of its fast-growing field of machine learning.

It is also easy to use which is why most of the developers also choose this open source software.

When talking about the best open source software examples of 2020, we shouldnt miss PHP.

It is a software development language used for creating websites and other digital platforms.

It is fast and flexible and powers some of the most popular websites around the globe including Slack and Spotify.

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 export and much more.

It is a great tool to edit your audio and video files with and it is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

On its website, you can also find great resources and tutorials on how to use this free open source software.

Here are the top five software development companies on the market that you can choose for your next project:

Location: Massachusetts

Notable clients: Lionbridge, Accenture, Bayer HealthCare

Website: https://www.kandasoft.com/

Kanda Software is a custom software development and quality assurance agency serving both Fortune 500 companies and dynamic startups. They have worked on more than 2000 projects and partnered with clients from around the globe.

Some of the industries they have experience in are healthcare, retail and technology.

Location: Boston

Notable clients: Level Up, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Conformis

Website: htts://www.thegnar.co/

The Gnar Company is a software consultancy that specializes in software development. It creates robust, reliable products for various industries including technology, healthcare and eCommerce.

The company has enterprise-level engineering experience and works with businesses of different sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

Location: Colorado

Notable clients: Expedia, Xerox, Toyota

Website: https://www.itransition.com/

iTransition is a full-service software development company that helps brands bring their ideas to life. It partners with large and medium-sized companies as well as startups.

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The Best 10 Open Source Software Examples Of 2020