Open-Source Software Examples: Picking the Right Tool for Each Job
Published . Facts checked against each project's own site, repository, or license text.
Open-source software is software whose source code is published under a license that lets anyone use, study, change, and share it. Well-known examples include the Linux kernel, Firefox, LibreOffice, Blender, WordPress, PostgreSQL, and Kubernetes. Below they are grouped by the job they do, with the license each project states and a few newer examples for business work.
Licenses were checked on October 13, 2026, on each project's own license page or code repository.
What makes software open source
The Open Source Initiative keeps the Open Source Definition and a list of approved licenses. A license on that list lets you use the software for any purpose, read and change the code, and pass on copies. Open source is about those rights, so it does not have to mean free of charge, and many open-source projects sell a hosted version or support.
Licenses fall into two broad groups:
- Permissive licenses, such as MIT, Apache-2.0, and the PostgreSQL License, let you reuse the code in almost any project, including closed ones, as long as you keep the notices.
- Copyleft licenses, such as the GPL and AGPL, require that changes you distribute stay under the same license. The AGPL also requires you to offer the source of a modified version to users who interact with it over a network.
Everyday software
| Job | Example | License as stated by the project |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system kernel | Linux | GPL version 2 only, with a syscall exception |
| Web browser | Firefox | Mozilla Public License |
| Office suite | LibreOffice | Mozilla Public License 2.0 |
| 3D modeling and animation | Blender | Source under GPL v2 or later; binaries distributed under GPL v3 or later |
| Media player | VLC | GPL-2.0, according to its GitHub repository |
| E-book library | calibre | GPL-3.0 |
Blender's license page also says that what you create with Blender is your own property, which answers a common question about using open-source tools for paid work.
Software for building products
| Job | Example | License as stated by the project |
|---|---|---|
| Website and blog | WordPress | GPLv2 or later |
| Relational database | PostgreSQL | PostgreSQL License, which the project calls "a liberal Open Source license, similar to the BSD or MIT licenses" |
| Container orchestration | Kubernetes | Apache-2.0 |
| App backend (auth, database, storage) | Supabase | Apache-2.0 |
| Run language models locally | Ollama | MIT |
Open-source replacements for business software
Many teams first meet open source when they want to replace a paid service. Each of these has a self-hosted option, and some also sell a hosted version:
| Job | Example | License | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website analytics | Plausible | AGPL-3.0 | Google Analytics |
| Customer support inbox | Chatwoot | MIT, except code in its enterprise directory, which has its own license | Intercom |
| File sync and sharing | Nextcloud | AGPL-3.0 | Google Drive |
| App backend | Supabase | Apache-2.0 | Firebase |
Our alternatives index lists open-source options for more commercial products.
How to pick the right example for your job
- Start from the job, such as "share files with clients" or "track website visits," not from a famous project name.
- Read the license on the project's own site. Some popular projects use source-available licenses that look open but restrict commercial use.
- Check recent activity: when the code last changed and whether issues get answers.
- Decide who will run it. Self-hosting means you handle updates and backups. A hosted plan from the same project moves that work to them.
- Try it with your own data before moving everything over.
Our guide on how to choose the best open-source software covers these checks in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
- What are five examples of open-source software?
- The Linux kernel, Firefox, LibreOffice, WordPress, and PostgreSQL are five widely used examples.
- Is open-source software free?
- You can download and use it without paying a license fee. Some projects charge for hosting, support, or extra features, and running it yourself still costs time and infrastructure.
- Is Google Chrome open source?
- Not as a whole. Chromium is the open-source project behind Chrome, and Google's Chrome terms say most of Chrome's source code is available under open-source licenses. Chrome itself is distributed by Google under the Google Terms of Service and Chrome's additional terms.
- Can I use open-source software for commercial work?
- Usually yes. Permissive licenses allow almost any commercial use. Copyleft licenses also allow commercial use but add conditions when you distribute changes, so read the license before you ship.
Sources
Checked October 13, 2026.
- Open Source Initiative, The Open Source Definition
- Mozilla, licensing
- LibreOffice, licenses
- Blender, license
- WordPress, license
- PostgreSQL, licence
- GitHub repositories for Kubernetes, VLC, and calibre
- Linux kernel, COPYING file
- Chromium, The Chromium Projects, and Google, Chrome additional terms of service
- GitHub repositories and license files for Plausible, Chatwoot, Supabase, Ollama, and Nextcloud
- PickOpenSource catalog pages for Supabase, Ollama, Plausible, Chatwoot, and Nextcloud