Best open source apps for Mac/Linux/Windows
Last updated: July 26, 2021
Here are my list of open source applications. All of the app might not be available in all platform.
MPV
A free, open source, and cross-platform media player.
Link: https://mpv.io
Download Link: https://mpv.io/installation/
HandBrake
The open source video transcoder
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
Reasons you’ll love HandBrake:
- Convert video from nearly any format
- Free and Open Source
- Multi-Platform (Windows, Mac and Linux)
Link: https://handbrake.fr/
Download Link: https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php
ImageOptim
ImageOptim makes images load faster
Removes bloated metadata. Saves disk space & bandwidth by compressing images without losing quality.
Link: https://imageoptim.com/
Download link: https://imageoptim.com/
Audacity
Free, open source, cross-platform audio software
Audacity is an easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux and other operating systems.
Recording
Audacity can record live audio through a microphone or mixer, or digitize recordings from other media.
Export / Import
Import, edit, and combine sound files. Export your recordings in many different file formats, including multiple files at once.
Sound Quality
Supports 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit. Sample rates and formats are converted using high-quality resampling and dithering.
Plug-ins
Support for LADSPA, LV2, Nyquist, VST and Audio Unit effect plug-ins. Effects can be easily modified in a text editor – or you can even write your own plug-in.
Editing
Easy editing with Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete. Also unlimited sequential Undo (and Redo) in the session to go back any number of steps.
Effects
Real-time preview of LADSPA, LV2, VST and Audio Unit (macOS) effects. Plug-in Manager handles plug-in installation and addition/removal of effects and generators from the menus.
Accessibility
Tracks and selections can be fully manipulated using the keyboard. Large range of keyboard shortcuts.
Analysis
Spectrogram view mode for visualizing and selecting frequencies. Plot Spectrum window for detailed frequency analysis.
Link: https://www.audacityteam.org
Download Link: https://www.audacityteam.org/download/
Darktable
Darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual lighttable and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable lighttable and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them.
Link: https://www.darktable.org/
Download: https://www.darktable.org/install/
OBS Studio
Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming.
Download and start streaming quickly and easily on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Link: https://obsproject.com/
Download link: https://obsproject.com/download
LMMS
Making beats has never been easier.
Let’s make music with a free, cross-platform tool for your computer.
Link: https://lmms.io
Download Link: https://lmms.io/download
ARDOUR
Record, Edit, and Mix on Linux, macOS and Windows
…and then go on to master and export your work.
Link: https://ardour.org
Download Link: https://community.ardour.org/download
FreeCAD
Your own 3D parametric modeler
Link: https://www.freecadweb.org/
Download Link: https://www.freecadweb.org/downloads.php
GIMP
The Free & Open Source Image Editor
This is the official website of the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP).
GIMP is a cross-platform image editor available for GNU/Linux, OS X, Windows and more operating systems. It is free software, you can change its source code and distribute your changes.
Whether you are a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, or scientist, GIMP provides you with sophisticated tools to get your job done. You can further enhance your productivity with GIMP thanks to many customization options and 3rd party plugins.
Link: https://www.gimp.org/
Download Link: https://www.gimp.org/downloads/
Inkscape
What is Inkscape?
Inkscape is a Free and open source vector graphics editor for GNU/Linux, Windows and MacOS X. It offers a rich set of features and is widely used for both artistic and technical illustrations such as cartoons, clip art, logos, typography, diagramming and flowcharting. It uses vector graphics to allow for sharp printouts and renderings at unlimited resolution and is not bound to a fixed number of pixels like raster graphics. Inkscape uses the standardized SVG file format as its main format, which is supported by many other applications including web browsers.
It can import and export various file formats, including SVG, AI, EPS, PDF, PS and PNG. It has a comprehensive feature set, a simple interface, multi-lingual support and is designed to be extensible; users can customize Inkscape’s functionality with add-ons.
Link: https://inkscape.org
Download Link: https://inkscape.org/release
PENCIL PROJECT
An open-source GUI prototyping tool that’s available for ALL platforms.
Pencil is built for the purpose of providing a free and open-source GUI prototyping tool that people can easily install and use to create mockups in popular desktop platforms.
The latest stable version of Pencil is 3.1.0 which contains stability fixes and many new features. More details can befound in the releaste notes.
Link: https://pencil.evolus.vn
Download Link: https://pencil.evolus.vn/Downloads.html
Akira
Akira is a native Linux Design application built in Vala and GTK. Akira focuses on offering a modern and fast approach to UI and UX Design, mainly targeting web designers and graphic designers. The main goal is to offer a valid and professional solution for designers who want to use Linux as their main OS.
⚠️⚠️ AKIRA IS CURRENTLY IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT, NOT READY TO BE USED FOR PRODUCTION! ⚠️⚠️
Link: https://github.com/akiraux/Akira
Kdenlive
Kdenlive is an acronym for KDE Non-Linear Video Editor. It works on GNU/Linux, Windows and BSD.
Link: https://kdenlive.org/en
Download Link: https://kdenlive.org/en/download
NATRON
Open Source Compositing Software For VFX and Motion Graphics.
Natron is a powerful Digital Compositor that can handle all of your 2D/2.5D needs. Its robust OIIO file formats and OpenFX architecture is what make Natron the most flexible open source compositor for the visual effects community. Its interface and functionally are the same across all platforms such as macOS, Linux and Windows. Natron has a powerful keying, roto/rotopaint, 2D tracking tools that are staple for all current film production project that requires visual effects.
NATRON FEATURES
On the surface Natron has a powerful GUI interface that is a flexible and intuitive multi-platform node based engine. Natron may seem to be a simple compositing application but it does have layers of complexity that will allow your creativity to reach new heights. Natron has flexible Roto and Rotopaint tool-set that can generate unlimited layers of masks, mattes and shapes. Natron has a powerful 2D and Planar tracker to help reduce hours of rotoscoping to meet personal or client deadlines. It has some strong keying or matte generation tools that has been developed from the main OFX software developers and a plethora of tools from the open source plugin developing community.
Link: https://natrongithub.github.io
Download Link: https://natrongithub.github.io
Simplenote
The simplest way to keep notes
All your notes, synced on all your devices. Get Simplenote now for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, or in your browser.
Comprehensive underneath, simple on the surface
Use it everywhere
Notes stay updated across all your devices, automatically and in real time. There’s no “sync” button: It just works.
Stay organized
Add tags to find notes quickly with instant searching.
Work together
Share a to-do list, post some instructions, or publish your notes online.
Go back in time
Notes are backed up with every change, so you can see what you noted last week or last month.
Markdown support
Write, preview, and publish your notes in Markdown format.
It’s free
Apps, backups, syncing, sharing – it’s all completely free.
Link: https://simplenote.com
Download Link: https://simplenote.com