What is “free software”?#

In open source, we use the term free software to mean:

  • Software that respects users’ freedom and community.

  • Users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve the software.

In short: Free software is a matter of liberty, not price.

These are some related terms you might hear:

libre software - A synonym of free software, borrowing the French or Spanish word for “free.”

nonfree or proprietary - The opposite of “free software,” meaning software in which the users don’t have any control or direct input.