Best Free and Open Source Software, and many more

posted by Rianne Schestowitz on Jun 28, 2026

• 8 Best Free and Open Source Self-Hosted Comics and Manga Servers

  Self-hosted comic and manga servers let you keep these collections on your own hardware rather than relying on a commercial cloud service. Install the server on a home machine, NAS, VPS, or small single-board computer, point it at your library, and read through a web browser or compatible app. The software usually indexes archive formats such as CBZ, CBR, CBT, PDF, or EPUB, generates covers, tracks reading progress, and presents everything in an organised catalogue.

  The appeal is control. You decide where files are stored, who can access them, and how the library is arranged. Some tools focus on a polished reading experience, while others prioritise lightweight serving, metadata management, OPDS feeds, user accounts, or plugin-based source support.

  For collectors, families, and avid readers, this type of software turns a scattered folder of files into a convenient private digital library.

  Here’s our verdict, presented in our legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software qualifies for inclusion.

• Specter Desktop - graphical application for managing Bitcoin wallets

  Specter Desktop is a graphical application for managing Bitcoin wallets through a local Bitcoin Core node, with a particular focus on hardware wallets, multisignature setups, and airgapped signing workflows.

  It offers a friendlier interface around Bitcoin Core’s more technical features, helping users create wallets, manage signing devices, inspect transactions, and coordinate secure spending without relying on a hosted wallet service.

  This is free and open source software.

• Waydir - fast desktop file manager

  Waydir is a fast desktop file manager built for users who prefer keyboard-driven navigation and a dual-pane layout.

  It combines a Flutter interface with a native Rust core, giving users direct control over everyday file operations while keeping heavier filesystem tasks away from the main interface. The application supports local and remote workflows, tabbed browsing, previews, archive browsing, and plugin-based customization.

  This is free and open source software.

• Blockstream - desktop Bitcoin wallet

  Blockstream is a desktop Bitcoin wallet that provides a non-custodial way to store, send, and receive bitcoin.

  The application focuses on self-custody, secure wallet management, and approachable day-to-day use, while fitting into Blockstream’s wider wallet ecosystem for desktop and mobile platforms.

  This is free and open source software.

• Xenomai - real-time development framework for Linux

  The general purpose Linux kernel and the real-time core operate almost asynchronously, both serving their own set of tasks, always giving the latter precedence over the former. Application threads co-managed by this infrastructure still benefit from the common kernel services such as virtual memory management; they can leverage the rich GPOS feature set Linux provides such as networking, data storage or GUIs too. When debugging a real-time issue, the functional isolation of the real-time infrastructure from the rest of the kernel code restricts bug hunting to the scope of the small autonomous core, excluding most interactions with the very large Linux kernel base.

  This is free and open source software.

• Apache Answer is a self-hosted Q&A platform

  Apache Answer is a self-hosted Q&A platform for building community forums, help centres and knowledge management sites.

  It gives teams and communities a structured place to ask questions, publish answers, add comments, vote on content, and organise shared knowledge with tags. The project is written mainly in Go and TypeScript, and can be extended with plugins for authentication, search, storage, notifications, spam protection and editor enhancements.

  This is free and open source software.