Best Free and Open Source Software

posted by Rianne Schestowitz on Apr 09, 2026

• mpdscribble - MPD client - LinuxLinks

  mpdscribble is a client for Music Player Daemon that submits information about tracks being played to scrobbler services such as Last.fm.

  It is designed to run alongside MPD and automatically report listening activity, making it useful for users who want their local music server playback logged to online scrobbling services.

  This is free and open source software.

• 5 Useful Free and Open Source Linux Background Noise Generators - LinuxLinks

  Their appeal is practical as much as aesthetic. A writer might use rain or waves to soften household distractions, a developer might layer wind, stream, or white noise to create a steadier background for deep work, and a remote worker might reach for coffee-shop ambience to make a quiet room feel less sterile.

  These programs are also handy for reading, studying, meditation, evening relaxation, or covering irregular background sounds without switching to music. Blanket suits users who want an easy graphical mixer; Tanin and onsen are natural fits for terminal enthusiasts who like staying in the shell; Noisedash is ideal for people who want browser access, self-hosting, and elaborate customization; and aNoise remains attractive for users who prefer a minimal, low-overhead player that sits neatly in the desktop environment. Together, they show how Linux offers ambient tools for every taste, from straightforward sound playback to personalized soundscape creation.

  Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.

• Gloomberb - keyboard-driven financial terminal - LinuxLinks

  Gloomberb is a keyboard-driven financial terminal that runs inside your terminal emulator.

  It offers a full-screen interface for monitoring markets, managing portfolios and watchlists, viewing quotes and company data, reading news and SEC filings, exploring options chains, comparing charts, and keeping local notes. The project is built around plugins, which lets it extend its interface and add integrations such as broker connectivity and extra commands.

  This is free and open source software.

• Purple - terminal-based SSH host manager - LinuxLinks

  Purple is a terminal-based SSH host manager that helps administrators work with large or frequently changing server inventories from a single text user interface.

  Rather than storing hosts in a separate database, it reads and edits ~/.ssh/config directly while preserving existing formatting, comments, Include files, and other directives.

  This is free and open source software.

• OneFile - file organiser - LinuxLinks

  OneFile is a Python command-line utility that helps keep cluttered directories tidy by automatically placing files into structured subfolders.

  It’s designed for routine housekeeping tasks such as cleaning a Downloads folder, and it can work with configurable organisation rules so users can tailor how files are sorted. The project can be run for a one-off cleanup or used in a background watch mode to keep folders organised as new files appear.

  This is free and open source software.

• Solitaire - play patience games - LinuxLinks

  Solitaire is a lightweight GNOME application that provides a simple implementation of classic solitaire card games for the Linux desktop.

  It is designed to integrate cleanly with the GNOME environment, offering a distraction-free interface and smooth gameplay. The application focuses on delivering a straightforward card-playing experience without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for casual play.

  This is free and open source software.

• rusti-cal - cal clone - LinuxLinks

  rusti-cal is a Rust command line utility for generating text calendars from the terminal.

  It is a lightweight clone of cal(1) that focuses on speed and minimalism while offering useful formatting options for displaying yearly calendars.

  This is free and open source software.

• deadbranch - keep Git repositories tidy - LinuxLinks

  deadbranch is a command-line utility that helps keep Git repositories tidy by identifying stale branches and cleaning them up with a safety-first workflow.

  It can scan local and remote branches, show details such as age, merge status, last commit date, and author, and then remove branches after confirmation.

  This is free and open source software.

• s5cmd - S3 and local filesystem execution tool - LinuxLinks

  s5cmd is a command-line utility for working with Amazon S3 and other S3-compatible object storage services from a terminal.

  It’s designed for high-throughput workflows, handling large numbers of objects with parallel execution across cloud storage and local filesystems. The software is suited to tasks such as transferring data, managing buckets and objects, and running batch commands efficiently in storage-heavy environments.

  This is free and open source software.

• otel-tui - terminal-based observability viewer - LinuxLinks

  otel-tui is a terminal-based observability viewer that lets you inspect telemetry data directly from a text user interface.

  It can receive OpenTelemetry data over OTLP, ingest Zipkin traces, scrape Prometheus metrics, and accept Datadog traces, metrics, and logs, making it a handy local tool for exploring application behaviour without needing a full browser-based observability stack.

  This is free and open source software.