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Best Free and Open Source Software, howtos and Installations
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BOSGAME VTA-439: Run VirtualBox on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 470's Zen 5 Cores
VirtualBox lets me specify how many virtual CPUs are presented to a guest, but it does not offer a simple setting that says those virtual CPUs should run exclusively on the fastest class of CPU core.
On a Linux host, VirtualBox ultimately relies on the Linux scheduler to decide where its runnable threads execute.
Linux has support for heterogeneous AMD processors and can use information about the relative performance of individual cores when making scheduling decisions. That is useful on the HX 470 because the four Zen 5 cores can boost much higher than the eight Zen 5c cores.
However, a virtual machine is a slightly unusual workload.
VirtualBox creates host threads for the guest’s virtual CPUs together with additional threads used for device emulation, I/O, timers, display handling and other work. Linux sees these as ordinary runnable host threads. It does not intrinsically know that I would prefer the interactive workload inside my desktop VM to remain on the four fastest cores.
Unless CPU affinity is imposed, those VirtualBox threads are eligible to run on all 24 logical CPUs. Linux can migrate them between CPUs as load changes.
MQTT TUI - terminal user interface for MQTT
MQTT TUI is a terminal user interface for MQTT that lets users subscribe to topics, watch incoming messages, and publish payloads quickly from the command line. It’s designed as a fast, lightweight alternative to heavier graphical MQTT clients, with an interactive interface for monitoring topic trees and subcommands for script-friendly tasks such as reading a single payload or cleaning retained messages.
MQTT is a lightweight messaging protocol used for sending small amounts of data between devices, servers, and applications.
It’s especially common in IoT, home automation, sensors, embedded devices, and monitoring systems because it’s efficient and works well over unreliable or low-bandwidth networks.
This is free and open source software.
goimports - Fix and Format Go Imports
goimports is a command-line formatter for Go source code. It extends gofmt-style formatting by maintaining import declarations at the same time, adding packages required by the source and removing imports that are no longer referenced. This makes it useful in editor save hooks and automated source-maintenance workflows where formatting and import cleanup should happen together.
The tool can process files, directory trees, or source supplied through standard input. Import selection is context-aware, so it can resolve imports according to the effective location of the source rather than simply rearranging existing lines.
This is free and open source software.
godap - work with LDAP directories
godap is a terminal user interface for working with LDAP directories.
It provides an interactive explorer for browsing directory objects, viewing and editing attributes, performing recursive searches, and managing common Active Directory tasks. The tool supports several authentication methods, encrypted connections with LDAPS or StartTLS, and can export selected directory subtrees and security information to JSON files.
This is free and open source software.
6 Best Free and Open Source Application Sandboxing Tools
This isolation can help limit the damage caused by vulnerable, compromised or simply untrusted software. Depending on the tool, restrictions may be enforced using Linux namespaces, seccomp filters, control groups, filesystem isolation, capabilities and other kernel security mechanisms. Some sandboxing tools provide ready-made profiles for common desktop applications, while others are lower-level utilities intended for building custom isolation environments.
Application sandboxing is useful for security-conscious desktop users who want tighter control over everyday applications, developers testing unfamiliar software, system administrators running potentially risky workloads, and researchers analysing programs they do not fully trust. Sandboxing is not a substitute for keeping software updated or following good security practices, but it adds another defensive layer by reducing an application’s ability to affect the wider system.
Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
FileBrowser Quantum - feature-rich web file manager
FileBrowser Quantum is a self-hosted web file manager that provides browser-based access to files with an emphasis on flexible access control, searching, sharing and media handling.
It is a substantial fork of the File Browser project and is designed to remain straightforward to deploy while offering functionality suited to multi-user installations and servers exposing several storage locations. The responsive interface supports both routine file management and more advanced administration without requiring shell access.
This is free and open source software.
goconst - find repeated literals that could be constants
goconst is a static analysis utility for Go that finds repeated literals which may be better represented as constants.
Replacing duplicated values with named constants can reduce maintenance work and make intent clearer, particularly in larger codebases where the same literal may appear across multiple files or packages. The program analyses source syntax rather than simply searching text, which lets it apply Go-aware filtering and report useful source locations.
This is free and open source software.
Scrivus - local-first novel-writing app
Projects can contain chapters, scenes, notes, maps, worldbuilding material and planning data alongside the manuscript itself. Scrivus provides distinct workspaces for activities such as drafting, revision and structural planning, allowing writers to move between the detailed text of a scene and a broader view of the project.
Project files remain on the user’s computer in readable formats, making Scrivus particularly attractive to writers who prefer direct control over their work and backups.
This is free and open source software.
Lingueez - desktop vocabulary trainer for language learning
Lingueez is a desktop vocabulary trainer designed to help language learners collect, study and retain words they encounter. Words can be added individually and translated automatically, while learning progress is tracked through a series of stages from newly encountered vocabulary through to mastered material.
The application brings vocabulary study, reading and listening together rather than treating them as separate activities. Learners can work with their own vocabulary collection, practise with flashcards and quizzes, or import longer texts and read them alongside translations. An account is not required for local use, although optional synchronisation is available for people who want to use the same vocabulary across devices.
This is free and open source software.
Best Free and Open Source Software: September 2026 Updates
September has brought 120 new and updated software roundups to LinuxLinks. Each one helps readers find useful free and open source software, from familiar everyday applications to specialist tools that deserve a wider audience.
Keeping those guides accurate takes ongoing work. Projects gain features, change direction, or disappear; a timely reader tip can make a big difference.
Tako - multi-transport Rust framework for network services
Tako is a backend framework for building network services in Rust. Rather than concentrating solely on conventional HTTP applications, it provides a common routing, middleware and observability model across several transport protocols. This makes it suitable for services that combine web APIs with persistent connections, streaming, RPC or lower-level socket communication.
Applications can use Tokio or Compio as their asynchronous runtime. Tako provides typed handlers and request extractors while retaining access to lower-level networking facilities when an application needs more control. Its modular design lets developers enable additional protocols and integrations through Cargo features rather than pulling every capability into a basic application.
This is free and open source software.
Zone Timeline TUI - compare time zones and working hours
Each configured zone is displayed as an availability ribbon showing core working hours, shoulder periods and off-hours. An overlap display underneath the timelines indicates periods when people in multiple regions are simultaneously available, helping distributed teams identify practical meeting times without manually calculating offsets.
A movable cursor lets you inspect the exact local time and availability state in every configured zone at a particular instant. The interface also includes a world map that plots the selected zones and shows the day/night boundary.
This is free and open source software.
exhaustive - check exhaustiveness of Go switch statements
exhaustive is a static analysis tool for Go source code that checks whether switch statements over enum-like constants handle every possible value.
It helps expose omissions that can otherwise remain hidden when a new constant is added or when a switch only covers part of a type’s defined values. Because Go has no dedicated enum declaration, the tool works with named types whose possible values are represented by constants. The analyzer follows Go’s analysis framework, so it can be used directly from the command line or integrated into another analysis driver.
This is free and open source software.
LazyNginx - terminal-based manager for Nginx
LazyNginx is a terminal-based manager for Nginx.
It provides a keyboard-driven interface for checking service status, starting and stopping Nginx, restarting the service, reloading configuration, testing configuration syntax, and viewing configuration and log files. The application is written in Go and uses platform-specific commands, with systemctl support on Linux when available.
This is free and open source software.