Linux offers an outstanding collection of graphical applications for work, creativity, communication, science, and everyday computing. This selection brings together 100 applications that demonstrate the depth and quality of its desktop software.
Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion. Where a project also offers commercial editions or proprietary extensions, the application selected here is its open source edition. Licences listed below refer to the main application; bundled components may have their own terms.
This selection spans a wide range of tasks, mixing familiar favourites with lesser-known applications. It is not a ranking or an exhaustive list. The numbering is for reference rather than ranking. Each application earns its place for a particular purpose.
Which application deserves a place in this list? Tell us in the comments.
1. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors
ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors combines word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDF tools in a familiar interface. Its handling of Microsoft Office formats makes it particularly attractive when exchanging documents with Office users. Local editing works without a cloud account. Having documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs in one familiar workspace makes it a practical centre for everyday office work.
Website: www.onlyoffice.com/desktop
Developer: Ascensio System SIA and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
2. Thunderbird
Thunderbird brings email, calendars, contacts, and feeds into one mature desktop application. Powerful filtering, extensive account support, and a substantial extension ecosystem make it a compelling choice for managing busy inboxes without moving everything into a web browser. Bringing correspondence and appointments together makes it easier to keep track of commitments that would otherwise be scattered between applications.
Website: www.thunderbird.net
Developer: MZLA Technologies Corporation and contributors
License: Mozilla Public License 2.0
3. Firefox
Firefox combines a capable web browser with strong developer tools, extensive customisation, and useful privacy controls. Its independently developed browser engine also helps preserve diversity on the web. Containers, extensions, and synchronisation provide considerable flexibility for everyday browsing. The ability to shape both its behaviour and its privacy settings makes Firefox especially rewarding for users who like to control their browser.
Website: www.firefox.com
Developer: Mozilla and contributors
License: Mozilla Public License 2.0
4. GIMP
GIMP is a powerful image editor for retouching photographs, creating composite images, and producing graphics. Layers, masks, sophisticated selections, colour management, and scripting make it useful well beyond basic adjustments. Its flexibility rewards time spent learning the interface. Precise selections and careful masking make difficult edits manageable while giving you control over individual parts of an image.
Website: www.gimp.org
Developer: GIMP Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
5. Wireshark
Wireshark turns network traffic into something you can inspect and understand. Its protocol decoding, display filters, stream reconstruction, and analysis tools are invaluable for troubleshooting connections, investigating unexpected behaviour, and learning how networked applications communicate. Being able to follow a conversation packet by packet replaces guesswork with evidence when a connection misbehaves.
Website: www.wireshark.org
Developer: Wireshark Foundation and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
6. Inkscape
Inkscape is an accomplished vector graphics editor for illustrations, diagrams, logos, and scalable artwork. Its SVG foundation, path editing, typography tools, and extensions make it equally useful for carefully constructed technical graphics and expressive creative work. Artwork remains easy to resize and refine, making the same design useful for everything from a small icon to a large printed poster.
Website: inkscape.org
Developer: Inkscape Project
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
7. Kodi
Kodi transforms a Linux machine into a media centre designed for comfortable use from a sofa. It organises films, television, music, and photographs, with artwork, metadata, remote-control support, and an adaptable interface suited to large screens. Its library presentation makes a large media collection enjoyable to browse on a television, even when the files span many folders.
Website: kodi.tv
Developer: Team Kodi
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
8. OBS Studio
OBS Studio provides a flexible production environment for live streaming and recording. Combine screens, cameras, audio, and graphics into scenes, then switch between them during a broadcast. Its filters, audio controls, and plugin ecosystem support increasingly ambitious productions. Preparing scenes in advance lets you concentrate on the demonstration, interview, or performance while keeping the presentation consistent.
Website: obsproject.com
Developer: OBS Project
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
9. VirtualBox
VirtualBox makes it straightforward to run additional operating systems in virtual machines. Snapshots, configurable virtual hardware, and a familiar management interface are useful for testing software and maintaining isolated environments. The ability to return to a snapshot makes it much easier to explore an unfamiliar operating system or experiment with configuration changes.
Website: www.virtualbox.org
Developer: Oracle and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
10. RStudio
RStudio provides a productive environment for working with R. Its editor, console, plots, debugger, and package tools keep analysis organised, while support for reproducible documents helps turn exploratory work into reports that others can inspect and rerun. Keeping code, results, and report preparation close together makes it easier to check an analysis and explain how its conclusions were reached.
Website: posit.co/products/open-source/rstudio
Developer: Posit Software, PBC and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
11. Stellarium
Stellarium presents a detailed, interactive night sky for your chosen location and time. Identify stars and planets, explore constellations, and plan observing sessions. Its convincing visual presentation makes it approachable for newcomers without sacrificing depth for experienced observers. Changing the location and time turns abstract astronomy into something immediately connected to what you can see outside.
Website: stellarium.org
Developer: Stellarium Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
12. Blender
Blender offers an exceptional range of tools for modelling, sculpting, animation, rendering, compositing, and video work. Its procedural tools and scripting support extend that versatility further. Few applications demonstrate the creative potential of open source software so convincingly. Moving between modelling, animation, and rendering within one application helps a creative idea develop smoothly from rough concept to finished scene.
Website: www.blender.org
Developer: Blender Foundation and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
13. VLC
VLC is a dependable multimedia player with broad format support. It handles local files, network streams, subtitles, and multiple audio tracks, while offering useful playback adjustments and conversion tools. It remains an excellent application to keep installed for unfamiliar media. Its playback controls are particularly handy for making an awkward recording watchable, whether that means adjusting subtitles or choosing the right audio track.
Website: www.videolan.org/vlc
Developer: VideoLAN Project
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
14. Ardour
Ardour is a serious digital audio workstation for recording, editing, and mixing. Flexible routing, automation, plugin support, and detailed editing make it suitable for music and other audio productions. Its depth is especially valuable when sessions become complex. Its flexible signal routing lets you build a session around the needs of the recording, with room for elaborate mixing decisions.
Website: ardour.org
Developer: Ardour Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
15. Gaia Sky
Gaia Sky lets you explore a three-dimensional astronomical environment built around scientific data. Travel through stellar catalogues, inspect celestial objects, and create visual journeys through space. It offers a fascinating complement to planetarium software focused on the view from Earth. Exploring those catalogues spatially gives a sense of astronomical scale that is difficult to convey through tables of measurements alone.
Website: gaiasky.space
Developer: Toni Sagristà and contributors at Heidelberg University’s Astronomisches Rechen-Institut
License: Mozilla Public License 2.0
16. Audacity
Audacity is an accessible audio editor for recording, trimming, cleaning, and combining sound. Its waveform and spectrogram views, effects, and export options suit interviews, voice recordings, and everyday editing. It is particularly useful when a full recording studio would be excessive. The visual editing workflow makes it easy to locate an unwanted pause or distracting sound and hear the result of an adjustment.
Website: www.audacityteam.org
Developer: Audacity Team and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
17. fooyin
fooyin is a music player for listeners who want control over a local collection. Its customisable layout, library browsing, playlists, and tagging tools let you shape the experience around your music. It is particularly appealing for carefully maintained libraries, but it also has a directory browser mode. Being able to arrange the library and playback controls around your own habits makes a large music collection more satisfying to use.
Website: fooyin.org
Developer: Luke Taylor and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
18. Cura
Cura prepares 3D models for printing, with profiles and detailed controls for turning geometry into printable layers. Previewing toolpaths helps identify potential problems before a print begins. Beginners can start with presets, while experienced users can refine extensive settings. Seeing how a model will be built layer by layer helps connect a print setting to its likely effect on the finished object.
Website: ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura
Developer: UltiMaker and contributors
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
19. darktable
darktable combines photographic library management with sophisticated, nondestructive raw processing. Masking, colour tools, and flexible processing modules give photographers considerable control over their images. It is especially rewarding for those willing to learn a deliberate photographic workflow. A nondestructive workflow encourages experimentation, since you can revisit processing decisions as your understanding of an image develops.
Website: www.darktable.org
Developer: darktable Developers
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
20. FreeCAD
FreeCAD brings parametric 3D design to Linux, with models that retain editable dimensions and relationships. Its workbenches cover a range of engineering tasks, including mechanical design and technical drawings. It is a strong foundation for designing objects intended to be manufactured. Changing a dimension while keeping the design’s relationships intact makes revisions far more manageable as an idea moves towards a finished part.
Website: www.freecad.org
Developer: FreeCAD Developers
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1
21. BleachBit
BleachBit helps reclaim space by removing caches, temporary files, and other accumulated application data. Its preview shows what a cleanup will remove, making selective maintenance easier. Review the chosen categories carefully, since some also remove useful history or saved sessions. Bringing application cleanup into one place saves time when you need to review removable clutter across several programs.
Website: www.bleachbit.org
Developer: Andrew Ziem and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
22. feh
feh is a fast, lightweight image viewer aimed primarily at command-line users. It offers full-screen viewing, slideshows, thumbnail browsing, image sorting, and extensive keyboard shortcuts. Its minimal interface and low resource consumption make it particularly attractive for users who value speed and simplicity over graphical frills. Its keyboard shortcuts let you move through a folder of photographs with very little interruption, which is ideal for quickly reviewing many images.
Website: feh.finalrewind.org
Developer: Birte Friesel and contributors
License: MIT-feh
23. digiKam
digiKam helps organise substantial photographic collections with albums, tags, ratings, metadata, and powerful searches. Face recognition and geographic tools offer additional ways to find images. Its editing and export capabilities make it useful throughout the process of maintaining a photo archive. Combining descriptive tags, people, and locations gives you several useful routes back to a photograph when you no longer remember its filename.
Website: www.digikam.org
Developer: digiKam Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
24. Foliate
Foliate provides a comfortable desktop reading experience with adjustable typography, navigation, bookmarks, and annotations. Its uncluttered presentation keeps attention on the book. It is an excellent choice when reading ebooks matters more than managing an elaborate digital library. Fine control over the reading layout helps make long sessions comfortable, especially when a book’s default typography does not suit your screen.
Website: johnfactotum.github.io/foliate
Developer: John Factotum and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
25. Element
Element is a capable Matrix client for individual conversations and community rooms. It combines messaging, file sharing, and calling features with a federated communication model. Choosing a Matrix server gives users and organisations more control over where their conversations are hosted. Its support for direct conversations and larger rooms makes it a useful home for projects that need individual discussions alongside community participation.
Website: element.io/en/download
Developer: Element and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
26. GParted
GParted provides a clear graphical interface for creating, resizing, moving, and inspecting disk partitions. Its visual representation makes storage layouts easier to understand. Some operations require unmounted filesystems, so a live environment is useful when changing a system disk. Seeing partitions in proportion makes it easier to understand which space is available and how a proposed change will affect the disk layout.
Website: gparted.org
Developer: GParted Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
27. FileZilla
FileZilla is a practical file-transfer client with a site manager, transfer queue, and side-by-side local and remote browsing. Support for SFTP and FTP over TLS makes it useful for website maintenance, server administration, and transferring large collections of files. A queued transfer workflow is especially convenient when maintaining a site involves moving many files between your computer and a server.
Website: filezilla-project.org
Developer: Tim Kosse and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
28. Spectacle
Spectacle is KDE’s screenshot and screen recording application. It captures entire desktops, individual windows, and selected regions, with built-in tools for adding annotations, highlighting details, and obscuring sensitive information. Its excellent integration with KDE Plasma and Wayland makes it particularly appealing for everyday desktop use. Annotating a capture immediately makes it much quicker to explain a problem, document a procedure, or point out the detail someone should notice.
Website: apps.kde.org/spectacle
Developer: KDE Community
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
29. PDF Arranger
PDF Arranger handles the PDF jobs that frequently interrupt everyday work: combining documents, removing pages, changing page order, cropping, and rotating. Its thumbnail-based interface makes these operations easy to understand. It is a page assembly tool rather than a full document editor. Seeing the pages as thumbnails makes rearranging a document feel natural, even when you only need to fix one small part of a PDF.
Website: github.com/pdfarranger/pdfarranger
Developer: PDF Arranger Developers
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
30. Surge XT
Surge XT is an exceptionally capable software synthesiser with multiple synthesis methods, extensive modulation, and a broad effects collection. It can operate as a plugin or standalone instrument. Its depth makes it equally interesting for preset exploration and original sound design. The wealth of modulation choices makes it rewarding to explore how a sound evolves, from subtle movement to much more adventurous textures.
Website: surge-synthesizer.github.io
Developer: Surge Synth Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
31. Kdenlive
Kdenlive is a versatile video editor with multitrack editing, transitions, effects, titles, and keyframing. Proxy workflows help when source footage is demanding. It offers enough depth for substantial projects while remaining approachable for users moving beyond basic trimming. Proxy editing helps keep demanding footage manageable while the multitrack timeline gives you room to build a more ambitious sequence.
Website: kdenlive.org
Developer: Kdenlive Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
32. GnuCash
GnuCash applies double-entry accounting to personal and small-business finances. Accounts, scheduled transactions, reconciliation, and reports support careful bookkeeping, while business features extend its usefulness further. It suits users who value a clear accounting structure and control over their financial records. The accounting structure makes it easier to trace how money moves between accounts and understand the figures behind a financial report.
Website: www.gnucash.org
Developer: GnuCash Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
33. KeePassXC
KeePassXC stores passwords and other sensitive information in an encrypted database under your control. Password generation, browser integration, and automatic typing make it convenient in daily use. It is particularly attractive when you want a password manager without a required hosted account. Keeping the database under your control gives you flexibility over where it lives, while the everyday login tools make that control practical.
Website: keepassxc.org
Developer: KeePassXC Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0 or v3.0
34. Heroic Games Launcher
Heroic provides a convenient interface for installing and managing games from supported stores, including Epic Games, GOG, and Amazon. Compatibility settings and Wine management simplify running many Windows titles on Linux. The launcher is open source; individual games have their own licences. Bringing installation, launch options, and compatibility settings together makes a mixed game library much easier to manage on Linux.
Website: heroicgameslauncher.com
Developer: Heroic Games Launcher Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
35. Okular
Okular is an excellent document viewer with particularly strong PDF support. Annotations, bookmarks, navigation tools, and text selection make lengthy documents easier to work with. Its support for additional document formats also makes it a useful general-purpose reader. Being able to mark up a document as you read helps turn a long PDF into something you can actively study and revisit.
Website: okular.kde.org
Developer: Okular Developers
License: GNU General Public License v2.0 or v3.0
36. Mattermost Desktop
Mattermost Desktop provides a dedicated interface to Mattermost team workspaces. Notifications and support for multiple servers help keep work conversations accessible without leaving them buried among browser tabs. It requires a Mattermost server, whose edition and licensing are separate from the desktop client. A dedicated place for each workspace makes it easier to return to the right conversation when your work spans several teams.
Website: github.com/mattermost/desktop
Developer: Mattermost, Inc. and contributors
License: Apache License 2.0
37. Konversation
Konversation is a mature graphical IRC client with channel management, notifications, logging, and scripting support. Its interface balances accessibility with the controls regular IRC users expect. It is a strong choice for participating in technical communities and established IRC networks. Clear channel organisation and useful notifications make it easier to follow several discussions without keeping every conversation in view.
Website: konversation.kde.org
Developer: KDE Community
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
38. HandBrake
HandBrake makes video transcoding approachable through presets, previews, and a well-organised interface. More detailed controls cover video encoding, audio tracks, subtitles, and filters. It is especially useful for reducing file sizes or preparing videos for particular playback requirements. Presets provide a useful starting point, while control over tracks and encoding helps produce a file that suits its destination.
Website: handbrake.fr
Developer: HandBrake Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
39. Krusader
Krusader is a powerful twin-panel file manager for users who perform substantial file operations. Archive handling, directory synchronisation, searching, and batch renaming make it far more than a folder browser. Its keyboard-oriented workflow can be particularly efficient. Keeping source and destination folders visible together makes repeated copying, comparing, and organising tasks much easier to follow.
Website: krusader.org
Developer: Krusader Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
40. CopyQ
CopyQ turns the clipboard into a searchable, organised collection of reusable content. Tabs, editing, commands, and scripting support workflows well beyond simple clipboard history. Integration can vary between desktops, particularly under Wayland, so available functionality depends on the environment. A searchable store of copied material saves repeated trips back to documents, terminals, and browser pages when information needs to be reused.
Website: github.com/hluk/CopyQ
Developer: Lukáš Holeček and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
41. Lutris
Lutris brings games from different sources into a shared library, with runners for native titles, Windows games, and emulated systems. Installation scripts and per-game settings help manage complicated setups. Its breadth is especially useful for collections spanning several platforms. Per-game configuration is a major strength when different titles need different compatibility tools or launch settings to work well.
Website: lutris.net
Developer: Lutris Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
42. Qalculate!
Qalculate! combines the convenience of a desktop calculator with substantial mathematical power. It understands units, supports symbolic calculations, and provides a large collection of functions. Flexible expression entry makes it useful for everything from quick conversions to involved technical calculations. Working directly with units makes practical calculations easier to read and helps expose mistakes that can hide in a string of bare numbers.
Website: qalculate.github.io
Developer: Hanna Knutsson and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
43. Spyder
Spyder is a Python development environment particularly well suited to scientific computing. Its editor, interactive console, variable explorer, and plotting tools keep code and data close together. It is an excellent fit for exploratory analysis and numerical programming. Inspecting variables alongside the code makes it easier to understand intermediate results and spot where an analysis starts to go wrong.
Website: www.spyder-ide.org
Developer: Spyder Project Contributors
License: MIT License
44. MusE
MusE combines MIDI sequencing with audio recording and editing. Piano-roll, drum, and other editing views support detailed composition, while plugin support and routing extend its production capabilities. It deserves attention from musicians who place MIDI work at the centre of their sessions. The choice of musical editing views makes it easier to work on melodies, rhythms, and arrangements in whichever form suits the part.
Website: muse-sequencer.github.io
Developer: MusE Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
45. calibre
calibre is a comprehensive ebook management application with metadata editing, conversion, device transfer, and a capable reader. Its search and organisation tools become increasingly valuable as a collection grows. Additional utilities help edit books and distribute a library across devices. Bringing organisation, conversion, and device transfer together removes much of the routine work involved in keeping an ebook collection usable.
Website: calibre-ebook.com
Developer: Kovid Goyal and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
46. Krita
Krita is an outstanding painting application for illustration, concept art, comics, and animation. Its brush engines, assistants, layers, and tablet support provide a thoughtful environment for digital artists. A configurable workspace helps keep frequently used tools close at hand. Combining flexible brushes with drawing assistants makes it easier to move from a rough idea to carefully finished artwork.
Website: krita.org
Developer: Krita Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
47. Joplin
Joplin organises notes, tasks, and attachments into searchable notebooks. Markdown support, a web clipper, and plugins make it adaptable to research and everyday information management. Optional synchronisation and end-to-end encryption help carry a collection between devices. Keeping notes and their supporting files together makes it easier to return to a subject with the relevant context already at hand.
Website: joplinapp.org
Developer: Laurent Cozic and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
48. Tabby
Tabby combines a configurable terminal with SSH and serial connection management. Tabs, split panes, profiles, and plugins support users who regularly switch between local shells and remote systems. It is especially convenient when several kinds of terminal connections share one workflow. Saved connection profiles and split panes make repeated work across several machines feel much more orderly.
Website: tabby.sh
Developer: Eugene Pankov and contributors
License: MIT License
49. draw.io Desktop
draw.io Desktop is a versatile diagramming application for flowcharts, network diagrams, organisational charts, and technical documentation. Its shape libraries and connectors make structured diagrams quick to assemble. The desktop edition also allows straightforward offline work with locally stored files. Its ready-made shapes let you concentrate on communicating a process or system clearly, even when you have little interest in drawing.
Website: github.com/jgraph/drawio-desktop
Developer: JGraph Ltd and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
50. Photini
Photini concentrates on photograph metadata, making captions, keywords, dates, copyright details, and locations easier to maintain. It is useful when you want descriptive information stored with your images rather than confined to one catalogue. Batch operations help with larger groups of photographs. Well-maintained captions and keywords make photographs easier to find and understand long after the circumstances in which they were taken have faded.
Website: github.com/jim-easterbrook/Photini
Developer: Jim Easterbrook and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
51. MusicBrainz Picard
MusicBrainz Picard identifies and tags music using the MusicBrainz database and audio fingerprinting. Its album-oriented workflow is particularly effective for untidy collections with inconsistent filenames or missing information. Cover art, scripting, and plugins provide additional control over the results. Identifying recordings from their audio is especially valuable when the existing filenames and tags offer little help.
Website: picard.musicbrainz.org
Developer: MetaBrainz Foundation and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
52. QCAD Community Edition
QCAD Community Edition provides precise 2D drafting for plans, technical drawings, and mechanical layouts. Layers, snapping, dimensions, and construction tools support work that needs accuracy. The focus on measured geometry makes it a useful way to turn an idea into a drawing that someone else can interpret accurately.
Website: www.qcad.org
Developer: RibbonSoft and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0 with exceptions
53. Ulauncher
Ulauncher offers quick keyboard access to applications, files, calculations, and custom actions. Fuzzy matching helps locate items without typing their full names. Extensions expand its usefulness, making it a convenient starting point for frequently repeated desktop tasks. Keeping common actions a few keystrokes away makes it easier to stay with the task you were doing.
Website: ulauncher.io
Developer: Ulauncher Contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
54. QDirStat
QDirStat reveals where disk space is going through a directory tree and a graphical treemap. Large files and unexpectedly bulky folders become easy to spot. Its combination of visual overview and detailed file information is excellent for investigating crowded storage. The treemap makes an oversized file or folder stand out immediately, giving a cleanup a clear place to start.
Website: github.com/shundhammer/qdirstat
Developer: Stefan Hundhammer and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
55. RawTherapee
RawTherapee offers detailed control over raw photographic processing, including demosaicing, colour, noise reduction, sharpening, and exposure. Its processing profiles and batch queue support consistent results across multiple images. It is particularly appealing to photographers who enjoy fine-grained adjustment. Being able to refine processing and then apply a profile across related photographs helps combine careful editing with an efficient workflow.
Website: rawtherapee.com
Developer: RawTherapee Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
56. PSPP
PSPP provides statistical analysis through a graphical interface and a command language familiar to many SPSS users. Its data editor and analysis procedures support teaching, survey work, and general research. It offers an accessible route into statistics without proprietary licensing requirements. Having both interactive controls and a command language lets you explore data while keeping a repeatable record of the analysis.
Website: www.gnu.org/software/pspp
Developer: GNU PSPP Developers
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
57. Shortwave
Shortwave is a focused internet radio player with station discovery and a simple library of favourites. Its restrained interface makes finding a station and leaving it playing pleasantly effortless. It is a good example of a small desktop application doing one job well. It makes radio easy to fit into the working day, with favourite stations close at hand whenever you want something playing.
Website: gitlab.gnome.org/World/Shortwave
Developer: Felix Häcker and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
58. Déjà Dup
Déjà Dup makes personal file backups approachable through a small set of understandable choices. Scheduling, encryption, and restoration tools encourage regular backups without demanding extensive configuration. It is intended to protect personal data rather than provide a complete system rollback mechanism. A backup routine is more likely to be maintained when scheduling and restoring files are both easy to understand.
Website: apps.gnome.org/DejaDup
Developer: Michael Terry and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
59. Rosegarden
Rosegarden combines MIDI sequencing, notation, and audio capabilities in a composition-focused environment. Its score and piano-roll editors offer different ways to shape musical ideas. It is especially attractive to musicians who want traditional notation alongside sequencer-based editing. Switching between notation and piano-roll editing lets you approach the same passage from both a compositional and a performance perspective.
Website: www.rosegardenmusic.com
Developer: Rosegarden Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
60. Scilab
Scilab is a numerical computing environment for mathematics, engineering, and scientific analysis. Matrix operations, plotting, and specialist toolboxes support a broad range of calculations. Its Xcos graphical modelling environment adds another dimension for simulating dynamic systems. Moving between numerical calculations, plots, and graphical models helps connect mathematical results with the behaviour of a simulated system.
Website: www.scilab.org
Developer: Scilab Team and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0 and CeCILL v2.1
61. Scribus
Scribus is a desktop publishing application for brochures, magazines, books, and other carefully arranged documents. Master pages, typography controls, colour management, and PDF output support serious layout work. It is particularly useful when the precise relationship between text and graphics matters. Control over the page as a whole makes it easier to give a publication a consistent visual identity from cover to final page.
Website: www.scribus.net
Developer: Scribus Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
62. Gramps
Gramps organises genealogical research around people, relationships, events, places, and supporting sources. Its reports and visualisations help explore a family history, while detailed citation tools encourage careful record keeping. It suits research that grows beyond a simple family tree. Keeping each claim connected to its sources makes a growing family history easier to check, extend, and share with other researchers.
Website: gramps-project.org
Developer: Gramps Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
63. Cryptomator
Cryptomator creates encrypted vaults that can be stored locally or synchronised through a cloud storage provider. Unlocking a vault exposes its contents through a mounted filesystem. Its file-based approach is particularly convenient for protecting documents before they leave your computer. This entry covers the desktop application. Treating an unlocked vault as a normal folder makes encrypted storage easier to incorporate into everyday document work.
Website: cryptomator.org
Developer: Skymatic GmbH and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
64. Kasts
Kasts is a dedicated podcast application with subscriptions, episode downloads, a playback queue, and progress tracking. Its focused interface keeps the routine of following shows manageable. An adaptive design also makes it interesting for Linux devices with smaller screens. Downloaded episodes and a managed queue make it easier to keep listening through a series at your own pace.
Website: apps.kde.org/kasts
Developer: KDE Community
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
65. VSCodium
VSCodium distributes community-built binaries of the open source code behind Visual Studio Code. It provides a capable editor with integrated terminal support and extensive customisation. Extension availability differs from Microsoft’s distribution, so check the tools required for your development workflow. Its configurable editing environment can be adapted to different languages and projects, helping regular coding tasks feel consistent.
Website: vscodium.com
Developer: VSCodium Community
License: MIT License
66. KiCad
KiCad provides an impressive electronic design workflow covering schematics, circuit-board layout, design checks, and manufacturing outputs. Its 3D viewer helps inspect a board before production. It is a standout application for hobbyists and engineers creating real electronic hardware. Keeping the schematic, board layout, and design checks in one workflow helps catch problems while a design is still easy to change.
Website: www.kicad.org
Developer: KiCad Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
67. PeaZip
PeaZip is a versatile archive manager with broad format support, encryption options, integrity checks, and file-management tools. It is useful when archive work extends beyond occasional extraction. Its interface exposes detailed settings while preserving straightforward workflows for common operations. Having extraction, archive creation, and checking tools together makes it a convenient starting point when compressed files arrive in unfamiliar formats.
Website: peazip.github.io
Developer: Giorgio Tani and contributors
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
68. ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre Desktop supports project planning through tasks, dependencies, resources, and Gantt charts. It helps turn a list of activities into a schedule with visible relationships and constraints. This selection covers the open source desktop application, whose licensing differs from hosted commercial offerings. Making dependencies visible helps explain why one delayed task can affect the wider plan and where a schedule needs attention.
Website: www.projectlibre.com
Developer: ProjectLibre, Inc. and contributors
License: Common Public Attribution License 1.0
69. GNU Octave
GNU Octave provides numerical computing with a language broadly compatible with MATLAB. Its graphical interface includes an editor, command window, workspace browser, and plotting facilities. It is useful for mathematical experimentation, teaching, and running many existing numerical scripts. Familiar mathematical syntax keeps the emphasis on exploring a problem, making it particularly useful for students moving from equations to working code.
Website: octave.org
Developer: GNU Octave Developers
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
70. Arduino IDE
Arduino IDE brings editing, compilation, board management, and uploading into an accessible environment for embedded development. Serial tools help inspect the behaviour of connected hardware. Arduino IDE 2 offers a welcoming starting point for electronics projects while remaining useful as those projects become more sophisticated. The short path from editing code to observing a board’s behaviour makes experimenting with hardware especially rewarding.
Website: www.arduino.cc/en/software
Developer: Arduino and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
71. Zeal
Zeal keeps programming documentation searchable and available offline through downloadable documentation sets. A unified interface reduces the need to jump between websites when checking APIs. It is particularly helpful when working across several languages or without a dependable internet connection. Having several documentation sets in one searchable place makes it easier to check an unfamiliar API without losing the thread of your work.
Website: zealdocs.org
Developer: Zeal Contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
72. Nextcloud Desktop
Nextcloud Desktop synchronises local folders with a Nextcloud server, making files available across computers and other devices. Selective synchronisation and desktop integration support everyday use. You can connect to a provider or a server you operate yourself. Working with ordinary local folders makes synchronisation fit naturally into existing habits for opening, editing, and organising documents.
Website: nextcloud.com/install
Developer: Nextcloud GmbH and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
73. RustDesk
RustDesk provides remote desktop access with an approachable graphical client. Its open source server components offer the option of operating your own connection infrastructure. This entry covers the open source client and server components rather than proprietary server-management additions. An approachable client paired with optional self-hosting makes it useful for both occasional remote help and regular access to your own machines.
Website: rustdesk.com
Developer: RustDesk Contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
74. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio creates 2D animation using layers, keyframes, and interpolation. Vector-based artwork can be animated without drawing every intermediate frame by hand. Bones, transformations, and effects provide room for increasingly sophisticated projects once the basic workflow becomes familiar. Interpolating between keyframes lets you spend more time refining movement and timing as an animation takes shape.
Website: www.synfig.org
Developer: Synfig Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
75. Telegram Desktop
Telegram Desktop provides a responsive interface to Telegram chats, groups, channels, and file sharing. It is convenient for following communities and handling conversations across devices. The desktop client is open source, but the service is proprietary and ordinary cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Its combination of conversations, channels, and file sharing is particularly convenient for communities that distribute updates alongside ongoing discussion.
Website: desktop.telegram.org
Developer: Telegram Desktop Team
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
76. FocusWriter
FocusWriter offers an uncluttered writing space with customisable backgrounds, daily goals, timers, and basic document support. Controls recede while you write, helping maintain concentration. It is especially useful for drafting prose before moving into a more elaborate editing or publishing environment. A quiet workspace and modest daily targets can make it easier to sit down, start a draft, and keep writing.
Website: gottcode.org/focuswriter
Developer: Graeme Gott
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
77. TeXstudio
TeXstudio makes LaTeX document preparation more manageable through completion, navigation, build tools, and an integrated PDF viewer. Error reporting and source-to-output synchronisation help locate problems quickly. It is particularly effective for substantial technical documents with equations, references, and structured content. Keeping the source and PDF linked makes the cycle of writing, compiling, and correcting a technical document much less cumbersome.
Website: www.texstudio.org
Developer: TeXstudio Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
78. Timeshift
Timeshift creates system snapshots that can help recover from troublesome updates or configuration changes. It supports rsync-based snapshots and suitable Btrfs layouts. Its focus is restoring system state; use a separate backup strategy for personal documents and other irreplaceable files. A usable snapshot can shorten the route back to a working desktop when a system change causes problems.
Website: github.com/linuxmint/timeshift
Developer: Linux Mint Team and contributors; originally Tony George
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
79. QGIS
QGIS is an exceptional geographic information system for exploring spatial data, creating maps, and performing geographic analysis. It handles vector and raster data, supports sophisticated cartography, and offers extensive processing tools. Layouts, automation, and plugins extend it into a remarkably complete professional environment. Combining analysis with precise map design lets you investigate a geographic question and present the findings clearly in the same application.
Website: qgis.org
Developer: QGIS Project
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
80. dupeGuru
dupeGuru helps locate duplicate files and similar items that ordinary filename searches can miss. Specialised modes support music and pictures, while its review interface helps decide which copies to retain. It is useful for collections assembled from several disks or repeated imports. Reviewing likely matches together makes it easier to reclaim space while deciding which copy of a file belongs in your collection.
Website: dupeguru.voltaicideas.net
Developer: Andrew Senetar and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
81. KDE Connect
KDE Connect links your computer with compatible mobile devices for file transfers, notifications, remote input, and media control. It removes friction from everyday tasks that cross device boundaries. Available integrations vary by mobile platform and the permissions granted. Small conveniences such as controlling music or moving a file from your phone add up to a much more connected desktop experience.
Website: kdeconnect.kde.org
Developer: KDE Community
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
82. Godot
Godot is a complete development environment for 2D and 3D games. Its scene system, scripting, animation tools, and integrated editor support a wide range of projects. The combination of approachable workflows and substantial capability makes it one of Linux’s most exciting creative applications. The scene-based approach encourages reusable building blocks, making it easier to expand a game as its characters, levels, and interactions become more complex.
Website: godotengine.org
Developer: Godot Engine Contributors
License: MIT License
83. Signal Desktop
Signal Desktop brings Signal conversations and calls to your computer with end-to-end encryption. It supports groups, attachments, and disappearing messages in a restrained interface. Initial setup requires linking the desktop application to Signal on a supported mobile device. A full keyboard and a larger screen make longer private conversations and shared documents more comfortable to handle.
Website: signal.org/download
Developer: Signal Messenger, LLC and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
84. Resources
Resources presents system activity through clear graphs and accessible application and process views. Monitor processor, memory, storage, network, and supported graphics hardware without navigating a dense administration interface. It is a polished tool for understanding what your computer is doing. Seeing resource use alongside individual applications helps you connect a slowdown with the program most likely to be responsible.
Website: apps.gnome.org/Resources
Developer: nokyan and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
85. Webcamoid
Webcamoid provides webcam capture, recording, effects, and virtual-camera functionality. It is useful for experimenting with video sources or preparing camera output for other applications. The range of adjustments makes it considerably more versatile than a basic webcam preview utility. Preparing a camera feed in one place is handy when you want the picture to suit a recording, presentation, or video conversation.
Website: webcamoid.github.io
Developer: Webcamoid Project
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
86. Sonic Visualiser
Sonic Visualiser is designed for examining recordings rather than producing a mix. Waveforms, spectrograms, annotations, and analysis plugins help reveal musical structure and sonic detail. It is especially valuable for researchers, students, and musicians who want to investigate what they hear. Lining up visual analysis with playback helps you connect what you hear to details that would otherwise be difficult to describe.
Website: www.sonicvisualiser.org
Developer: Chris Cannam and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
87. Zotero
Zotero brings references, documents, annotations, and research notes into an organised library. Browser capture and word-processor integration make collecting sources and inserting citations much easier. It is an outstanding tool for anyone whose writing depends on keeping track of evidence. Keeping source collection, reading, and citation close together reduces the routine work that can interrupt research and writing.
Website: www.zotero.org
Developer: Corporation for Digital Scholarship and contributors
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
88. Zim Desktop Wiki
Zim organises notes as a personal desktop wiki with linked pages, attachments, and straightforward formatting. Its file-based approach keeps information accessible outside the application. It works particularly well for project notes, informal documentation, and a growing personal knowledge collection. Links between notes let useful connections emerge as a project develops, while ordinary files make the collection easier to keep using over time.
Website: zim-wiki.org
Developer: Jaap Karssenberg and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
89. Mandelbulber
Mandelbulber explores and renders three-dimensional fractals with detailed control over formulas, materials, lighting, and cameras. Animation tools add another route into these unusual mathematical spaces. It is a distinctive creative application capable of producing striking images from procedural structures. The interplay between mathematical forms, lighting, and camera position makes experimentation rewarding even before you settle on a final image.
Website: github.com/buddhi1980/mandelbulber2
Developer: Krzysztof Marczak and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
90. gretl
gretl provides econometric analysis through an approachable graphical interface and a scripting language. Its tools cover regression, time series, panel data, and other statistical methods. The combination of interactive exploration and reproducible scripts suits both teaching and research. Moving from graphical exploration to scripts makes it easier to revisit modelling choices and explain exactly how a result was produced.
Website: gretl.sourceforge.net
Developer: Allin Cottrell, Riccardo Lucchetti, and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
91. 3D Slicer
3D Slicer is a substantial platform for medical-image visualisation, segmentation, registration, and analysis. Extensions broaden its research capabilities, while integrated views help investigate complex datasets. It is a research application and is not itself approved for clinical use. Bringing several views of the same dataset together helps researchers examine how a structure seen in one image relates to the wider volume.
Website: www.slicer.org
Developer: 3D Slicer Community
License: 3D Slicer License (BSD-style)
92. Remmina
Remmina organises remote connections in a convenient graphical client, with support for protocols including RDP, VNC, and SSH through plugins. Saved profiles and display controls simplify regular access to several machines. It is especially useful for administering mixed operating-system environments. Keeping different connection types in one profile list saves time when a working day involves moving between Linux and Windows machines.
Website: remmina.org
Developer: Remmina Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
93. NewsFlash
NewsFlash provides a modern desktop interface for reading RSS feeds. Categories, search, and synchronisation with supported services help keep subscriptions organised. It is a useful way to follow publications directly and maintain a reading queue outside social-media timelines. A dedicated feed reader makes a large subscription list easier to follow by giving new articles a consistent place to arrive.
Website: gitlab.com/news-flash/news_flash_gtk
Developer: Jan Lukas Gernert and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
94. DVDStyler
DVDStyler authors video DVDs with custom menus, chapters, and navigation. Its graphical interface helps arrange the viewing experience before generating disc-ready output. Optical media is a specialist requirement today, but this remains a useful tool when a playable DVD is the intended result. Designing menus visually makes it easier to produce a disc that other people can navigate comfortably on a television.
Website: www.dvdstyler.org
Developer: Alex Thüring and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
95. DBeaver Community
DBeaver Community provides a versatile database workspace with connections, schema browsing, SQL editing, and data inspection. Its support for many database systems makes it valuable when projects use different technologies. Import, export, and diagram tools round out a substantial everyday development application. A consistent interface across database systems makes it easier to apply familiar habits when switching between projects.
Website: dbeaver.io
Developer: DBeaver Corporation and contributors
License: Apache License 2.0
96. KMyMoney
KMyMoney helps manage personal finances through accounts, categories, schedules, budgets, and reports. Reconciliation and transaction imports support accurate records, while its interface keeps routine bookkeeping approachable. It is a strong choice for understanding household finances over time. Seeing budgets and actual transactions together helps turn routine record keeping into a clearer picture of where household money goes.
Website: kmymoney.org
Developer: KMyMoney Development Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
97. LocalSend
LocalSend transfers files and text between nearby devices over the local network without requiring an account or a hosted transfer service. Its cross-platform interface makes sharing between different operating systems straightforward. It is an unusually convenient solution to an everyday problem. A quick local transfer is especially welcome when the receiving device runs a different operating system and you simply need to get a file across.
Website: localsend.org
Developer: LocalSend Contributors
License: Apache License 2.0
98. LyX
LyX provides a structured document environment built around LaTeX. Writers concentrate on headings, paragraphs, equations, and references while the typesetting system handles much of the presentation. It is particularly attractive for long technical documents without continuous direct editing of LaTeX source. Separating document structure from typesetting makes it easier to keep a long manuscript coherent as sections, equations, and references accumulate.
Website: www.lyx.org
Developer: LyX Team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
99. fre:ac
fre:ac combines audio conversion and CD ripping with batch processing and metadata support. It helps prepare a music collection for different playback requirements without converting files individually. Encoder settings offer additional control when balancing compatibility, sound quality, and storage space. A single batch can prepare a whole set of albums for a particular player, making library maintenance far less repetitive.
Website: www.freac.org
Developer: Robert Kausch and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
100. Gajim
Gajim is a capable XMPP client for conversations, group chats, and file sharing. Multiple accounts and support for modern XMPP features make it useful across different servers. It offers a flexible desktop home for communication built on an open, federated protocol. Keeping accounts and group conversations together makes it easier to take part in several XMPP communities from a single desktop application.
Website: gajim.org
Developer: Gajim Developers
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
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