Free and Open Source Software, howtos and Installations

posted by Rianne Schestowitz on Jan 17, 2026

• aretext - minimalist text editor - LinuxLinks

  aretext is a minimalist text editor with vim-compatible key bindings.

  This is free and open source software.

• passcualito - command-line password manager - LinuxLinks

  passcualito is a simple command-line password manager for Linux.

  This is free and open source software.

• rip - fuzzy find and kill processes - LinuxLinks

  rip is a utility that lets you fuzzy find and kill processes from your terminal.

  This is free and open source software.

• parqeye - visualize parquet files - LinuxLinks

  parqeye lets you peek inside your Parquet files. Instantly inspect their contents, schema, and metadata — right from your terminal.

  Parquet is a column-oriented data storage format in the Apache Hadoop ecosystem inspired by Google Dremel interactive ad-hoc query system for analysis of read-only nested data.

  This is free and open source software.

• Linux Candy: Fractal Art - desktop wallpaper generator - LinuxLinks

  There’s a diverse range of programs included in this series. Programs such as eDEX-UI and Variety are actually highly practical programs. ASCIIQuarium has soothing and relaxing qualities for your desktop. Other programs included in this series (such as lolcat, cacafire) are included purely for their decorative qualities. And then there’s some really fun software that just raises a smile or two.

  Fractal Art is software which generates colorful wallpapers. It’s free and open source software available for Linux and Windows.

• crepe - grep-like search tool - LinuxLinks

  crepe is a grep-like text search tool that highlights matches instead of filtering lines. Built in Rust for speed and reliability.

  Unlike traditional grep which hides non-matching lines, crepe shows you the full context with matches beautifully highlighted in color. Perfect for reading logs, searching code, and understanding data in context.

• claws - TUI for AWS resource management - LinuxLinks

  claws is a terminal UI for AWS resource management.

  This is free and open source software.

• runa - terminal file browser - LinuxLinks

  runa – rn is a minimalist terminal file manager focused on speed and simplicity.

  It allows you to navigate directories, view file listings, and perform typical file browser actions.

  This is free and open source software.

• GitTop - lightweight desktop client for GitHub notifications - LinuxLinks

  GitTop is a lightweight desktop client for GitHub notifications. Why spin up a browser just to check your GitHub notifications?

  This is free and open source software.

• Bitcoin Knots - run your own node on your own wallet - LinuxLinks

  Bitcoin Knots connects to the Bitcoin peer-to-peer network to download and fully validate blocks and transactions. It also includes a wallet and graphical user interface, which can be optionally built.

  This is free and open source software.

• Dupster - duplicate file finder - LinuxLinks

  Dupster is a terminal-first duplicate file finder built for developers, system administrators, and power users who live in the command line.

  Inspired by Vim’s keyboard-driven workflow, it delivers a fast, distraction-free way to find and clean duplicate files.

  This is free and open source software.