Open source software has marked its presence in every tech domain today. Moreover, the recent IPO of GitLab and Confluent has tilted the IT- industry towards more developer-centric and open-source software. But what are these open-source software anyway? When a developer creates and releases its source code publicly with a license so that anyone can see, add or modify some functionality, that's when software is termed as open. Most importantly, anyone can download and use them for FREE. It gives extra power to all of us- the developers, users, and especially, the contributors.
When Open Source was introduced in the 90s, the software industry was sceptical about the whole process. However, two decades later, the same companies use Open Source for their products or develop their open-source software (OSS), like Facebook with its React library, Google's Android, and Amazon with AWS. Today, many open-source technology companies such as RedHat, MongoDB, and Cloudera have more than $100 million annual revenue.
Open Source is so popular nowadays. According to some organizations, open-source software contributes up to £43 billion to UK GDP. The latest report claims that top contributors of Open-Source Software (OSS) are from Europe. It ranks fifth as the largest open-source contributor globally.
Open Source works with Quantity to create superior Quality of software.
Why Use Open Source Software Over Paid Alternatives?
Imagine you bought a new mobile phone and Google started charging you for using Android? It sounds scary? But there are many other paid software in the market that charge money for the same functionality that Open Source Software gives us for FREE.
Open-Source Software (OSS) is known for
● Security
● Affordability
● Transparency
● Consistent
● Interoperability
● Flexibility
● Localization
Take an example of Windows operating systems that are not Open-Source Software and more prone to software virus attacks than Open-Source Software Linux operating systems. People around the world contribute to Linux every day to make more improvements. Here you see how Open Source Softwares work better in Security and Transparency in comparison to paid software.
Plan Your Next Weekend!
You can plan your NEXT WEEKEND by using Open Source Softwares, maybe it sounds funny, but it is true. If you use Open Source Softwares instead of paying for paid software, you will save money.
Open Source Softwares Alternatives for Paid Softwares
The list of Open Source Softwares that we can use for personal or professional use.
Let me start with my favourite Open Source Softwares, which I am currently using the most, and many Startups and Developers are also using in their projects.
Docz - It's never been easier to document your things.
As a developer, I understand how necessary documentation is and how hard it is to create a proper document. But now, creating documents using Docz is a piece of cake.
Docz is an Open-Source Software powered by Gatsby that helps in creating or maintaining documents.
In just a few steps, and you will be ready with your document.
For More info, read this excellent article Using MDX with Docz Has Never Been This Easy! or visit their official website.
Typesense - Lightning-fast, Open Source Search Engine.
Search is a significant part of any programmer. Typesense is an Open Source search engine that gives you the most accurate results even after spelling mistakes or typos. It is simple to use and an Open Source alternative to Algolia and ElasticSearch. It displays synonyms of results, uses dynamic sorting, groups all your searches into a single search, and gives you the power to filter the search as per your preference.
Read this excellent article, A Beginner's Journey to Typesense Dashboard, or visit their official website for More info.
Mobile Security Framework ( MobSF ) - All In One Mobile Application.
Cyber-attack is when hackers attack your personal or professional device, steal all your data, and use it for any crime. A tool that helps keep all your data secure is called Mobile Security Framework (MobSF), an Open Source tool used for automated analysis of an APK.
It is straightforward to install, ready to analyze security on multiple mobile platforms like Android, iOS, and even Windows, and also has a graphic interface that is more engaging,
For More info, you read this excellent article Mobile Security Assessment for Android, iOS, and Windows, or visit their official website.
Chatwoot - The Better Way To Talk to Your Customers.
Imagine you start your startup, and you get a lot of messages through the mail, telegram, Twitter, and other platforms, and you get tired of replying to all the messages, and sometimes you don't even respond to some messages.
Not replying to the message makes a wrong impression of your company, so to get rid of this problem,Chatwoot will help you to communicate with your customer effectively.
Chatwoot is Open-Source Software that integrates with all your social media platforms in a single dashboard so that you can connect with your customers in one place. Sometimes some users have simple questions and don't need to wait until you see a message to answer. If you enable Chatwoot's Live Chat, Chatwoot contacts him immediately, which will make a good impression on your startup.
For More info, you read this excellent article Why Chatwoot is My Favorite Open Source Project? Integrations, Integrations, and Integrations or visit their official website.
Hoppscotch - API Development System
API is every developer's best friend. Working with API is like eating food every day. A few years ago, working with APIs was much harder than it is today. It took the developer a long time to complete the test of the API.
The Hoppscotch API makes it easy to work with. The Open-Source Software API development ecosystem simplifies creating, using, and testing APIs with a beautiful User Interface.
For More info, you read this excellent article How to Test Your API with Hoppscotch or visit their official website).
Top comments (0)