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List of free and open-source software packages

List of free and open-source software packages is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand List of free and open-source software packages rather than just read about it. In short: This is a list of free and open-source software (FOSS) packages, computer software licensed under free software licenses and open-source licenses. Software that fits the Free Software Definition may be more appropriately called free software; the GNU project in particular objects to their works being referred to as open-source.

Key takeaways

  • List of free and open-source software packages belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect List of free and open-source software packages to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of List of free and open-source software packages from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

This is a list of free and open-source software (FOSS) packages, computer software licensed under free software licenses and open-source licenses. Software that fits the Free Software Definition may be more appropriately called free software; the GNU project in particular objects to their works being referred to as open-source. For more information about the philosophical background for open-source software, see free software movement and Open Source Initiative. However, nearly all software meeting the Free Software Definition also meets the Open Source Definition and vice versa. A small fraction of the software that meets either definition is listed here. Some of the open-source applications are also the basis of commercial products, shown in the List of commercial open-source applications and services.

Artificial intelligence

Agentic AI AgentGPT — browser-based autonomous AI agent platform Auto-GPT — open-source autonomous goal-driven AI agent framework CrewAI — software framework and platform for building AI agents Hermes Agent — self-improving AI agent developed by Nous Research LangChain — software framework for developing applications and agents powered by large language models OpenClaw — agentic AI designed to perform tasks on a user's computer OpenHands — AI-assisted software development agent

AI-assisted software development Codex CLI – AI coding agent and command-line interface developed by OpenAI. DeepSeek Coder – large language model designed for code generation and AI-assisted software development. Eclipse Theia – integrated development environment and framework with AI-assisted software development features. GLM – large language model family with capabilities for AI-assisted software development. Zed – source-code editor with integrated AI-assisted development and agentic coding features.

General AI OpenCog – project that aims to build an artificial general intelligence (AGI) framework. OpenCog Prime is a specific set of interacting components designed to give rise to human-equivalent artificial general intelligence.

Language models

Apertus – Swiss National AI Initiative LLM BERT – Google LLM BLOOM – BigScience multilingual LLM Cerebras-GPT – Cerebras Systems LLMs DeepSeek – R1 and V3 models Gemma 4 – Google LLM GLM-4.5 and later versions – Z.ai LLMs GPT-1, GPT-2, and GPT-OSS – OpenAI LLMs GPT-J, GPT-Neo, and GPT-NeoX – EleutherAI LLMs Granite – IBM LLMs Grok-1 – xAI LLM Inkling – Thinking Machines Kimi (some versions) – Moonshot AI LLMs Mistral (some versions) Muse Glimmer — Meta Superintelligence Labs LLM Nemotron 3 – Nvidia open-weight models OLMo – Allen Institute for AI LLM Phi – Microsoft LLMs Qwen (some versions) – Alibaba Cloud LLMs Sarvam-M, Sarvam-105B and Sarvam-30B – Sarvam AI LLMs SmolLM – Hugging Face small language models (SLMs) Step-3.5-Flash – StepFun LLM T5 – Google LLM XLNet – Google LLM

Computer vision AForge.NET – computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics library for the .NET framework OpenCV – computer vision library in C++ Point Cloud Library – library for point cloud processing

Machine learning

Deep learning

Planning TREX – reactive planning

Robotics

ArduPilot CoppeliaSim Gazebo Mobile Robot Programming Toolkit OpenRTM-aist Paparazzi Project Player Project Python Robotics Robot Operating System (ROS) TurtleBot UBtech Thinker Webots – robot simulator

Assistive technology

Speech (synthesis and recognition) CMU Sphinx – speech recognition software from Carnegie Mellon University Emacspeak – audio desktop ESpeak – compact software speech synthesizer for English and other languages Festival Speech Synthesis System – general multilingual speech synthesis Modular Audio Recognition Framework – voice, audio, speech NLP processing NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) – screen reader for Windows Text2Speech – Text-To-Speech (TTS) Software Orca - screen reader for Linux

Other assistive technology Dasher – unique text input software Gnopernicus – AT suite for GNOME 2 Virtual Magnifying Glass – multi-platform screen magnification tool

CAD

Archimedes (CAD) Art of Illusion Blender BRL-CAD – constructive solid geometry (CSG) solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) system FreeCAD – parametric 3D CAD modeler with a focus on mechanical engineering, BIM, and product design LeoCAD — beginner Lego 3D modeler LibreCAD – 2D CAD software using AutoCAD-like interface and file format MakeHuman MeshLab Open Cascade Technology (OCCT) – CAD kernel for 3D CAD, CAM, CAE OpenSCAD – scripting-based 3D CAD software QCAD SolveSpace – 2D and 3D CAD, constraint-based parametric modeler with simple mechanical simulation abilities Sweet Home 3D Wings 3D

Computer-aided engineering (CAE)

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)

Subtractive LinuxCNC FreeCAD

Additive Manufacturing Cura Slic3r MeshLab OctoPrint Marlin Klipper Repetier-Host AstroPrint

Electronic design automation (EDA)

Electric FreePCB Fritzing – CAD software for the design of electronics hardware to build more permanent circuits from prototypes gEDA GNU Circuit Analysis Package (Gnucap) Icarus Verilog KiCad – suite for electronic design automation (EDA) for schematic capture, PCB layout, manufacturing file viewing, SPICE simulation, and engineering calculation KTechLab Magic Ngspice pcb-rnd Oregano Quite Universal Circuit Simulator (QUCS) Verilator XCircuit

Computer simulation

Blender – 3D computer graphics software toolset used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, and motion graphics FreeCAD – equivalent of Blender geared toward mechanical engineers OpenFOAM – software used for computational fluid dynamics (or CFD) FlightGear - atmospheric and orbital flight simulator with a flight dynamics engine (JSBSim) that was used in a 2015 NASA benchmark to judge new simulation code to space industry standards SimPy – queue-theoretic event-based simulator written in Python Salome – generic platform for Pre- and Post-Processing for numerical simulation

Cypherpunk software

Cryptography and Privacy Software

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with List of free and open-source software packages

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what List of free and open-source software packages claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to List of free and open-source software packages before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about List of free and open-source software packages ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of List of free and open-source software packages

In research
List of free and open-source software packages appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses List of free and open-source software packages in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
List of free and open-source software packages is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Free software lists and comparisons, Lists of software, Software licensing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for List of free and open-source software packages outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study List of free and open-source software packages in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what List of free and open-source software packages means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain List of free and open-source software packages out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is List of free and open-source software packages in simple terms?

This is a list of free and open-source software (FOSS) packages, computer software licensed under free software licenses and open-source licenses. Software that fits the Free Software Definition may be more appropriately called free software; the GNU project in particular objects to their works bei…

Why does List of free and open-source software packages matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study List of free and open-source software packages?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on List of free and open-source software packages.

Tags

  • Free software lists and comparisons
  • Lists of software
  • Software licensing

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